Buying a used car on Craigslist has become quite
popular. The Craigslist experience revolutionizes the idea of buying a used
car, as buyers can very quickly compare many different deals. Here are some
ways to capitalize on this new alternative for online car shopping.
Start your search for a used car
· Browse
dealer and private party sales. On Craigslist, offers from local dealerships
coexist side-by-side with private party deals. This is great for car shoppers
who want to look at all available options at once.
· Stick
with the pic. Another great option about Craigslist is that almost all used
vehicle advertisements include pictures. That's because it's easy and free to
take digital pictures and upload them. Providing good images has become a
competitive part of Craigslist used car advertising. In fact, it's often good
to avoid ads where no picture of the car exists. There could be visible damage
on a used vehicle that doesn't include a picture.
· Ask
about vehicle history. Although Craigslist is great for comparing deals, it can
be tough to figure out what a particular used vehicle has been through. Ask if
the vehicle carries a salvage title. The seller should give you a clear yes or
no answer. A vehicle with a salvage title would have been significantly
repaired, and is worth much less than a normal title.
· Do
a VIN check. Buyers can also check vehicle history using Carfax, an online
service. They will need the VIN number, which they can request from the seller.
If the seller refuses to give them the VIN number, you're probably not looking
at a very good deal.
· Consider
the blue book value. If there is a question about the value of a vehicle, a
quick check on the Kelley Blue Book site will help establish an accurate price
range for sale.
· Arrange
for a physical meeting. Craigslist can be a great first step, but don't do
business with a seller who wants to close a deal without some basics like a
test drive and visual inspection of the vehicle. Most of the Craigslist ads
that you look at are local, and it should be no problem to meet up somewhere to
take a look at the vehicle.
· Work
out transport logistics. Occasionally, a Craigslist deal will involve a
long-distance transaction. If this is the case, the buyer and the seller have
to decide who will bear the cost of transport and how the deal will get done.
The Pros and Cons of Buying a Used Car on
Craigslist
There are pros and cons when it comes to buying
a car on Craigslist, and you should be mindful of these before considering this
option.
Advantages
· You
may find a great deal. Since Craigslist allows vehicle sellers to connect with
buyers free of charge, this reduced investment might be reflected in the vehicle's
cost. Craigslist also allows you to browse a variety of cars quickly and
easily. If you don't have your heart set on a specific make and model, it will
be easy for you to locate and view a wide variety of cars.
· Craigslist
is local. Unlike other websites that offer vehicle listings (like eBay)
Craigslist is strictly local, which eliminates the hassle of long-distance
transactions. This means that you will probably meet sellers face-to-face and
get a chance to look at the car yourself before you buy.
· You
don't have to commit. Craigslist doesn't involve themselves with any
transactions made through their website, which means that there isn't any
requirement for you to commit to a purchase. You have plenty of time to think
about your purchase and to do your homework as well.
Disadvantages
· You
don't have any recourse. When buying a car from a private party, the rule is
generally "buyer beware". That means that any purchase and sale of a
vehicle between individuals is "as is" and if something goes wrong
with the car down the line (even within a few days) you may not have any legal
recourse unless you can prove intentional fraud by the vehicle's seller, which
can be pretty hard to do. It's always a good idea to have any vehicle you're
considering purchasing checked out by a trusted mechanic before you buy,
especially for cars that are older or cars with high mileage.
· Scams
can happen on Craigslist. Unfortunately, in the Internet age scams are becoming
more and more common when crooks take advantage of honest consumers. Always ask
any seller for their contact information, including their phone number and call
them to discuss the transaction before meeting up. Remember that Craigslist is
a completely anonymous service, which means that anyone can set up a fake ad
using a phony email address to try to lure unsuspecting buyers into a variety
of scams. Remember that any transactions where the seller encourages you to pay
in advance or offers to ship a car are probably fraudulent.
· You're
responsible for your own safety. Keep in mind that you are using an anonymous
service when you arrange a meeting with a seller off of Craigslist. Always meet
in a public location and always make sure that you contact the seller by phone
first. Ask specific questions about the car and expect specific answers. Make
sure that you feel good about the meeting before you go, and be careful about
carrying large sums of cash with you to the transaction. There have actually
been incidents where buyers responded to Craigslist ads where sellers
encouraged them to bring large sums of cash to the transaction and then robbed
them when they arrived.
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