When buying a secondhand car in Sri Lanka, you can get a great deal, save money, and enjoy your vehicle. While this is true, you must work hard and look around for the best deal. Not only that, when you look for a vehicle, you will need to do your own work to find a second-hand car. With this in mind, here are six tips for buying a second-hand car in Sri Lanka.
6 Tips when buying a used car
Know what you want out of your used car
Think about it for a minute, when you want to walk into a transaction, you will want to have an idea on which car you want to look at and drive. For example, if you are looking at second-hand cars and want something for your entire family, you will want to look at large cars or vans. On the other hand, when you want to look at used cars for just yourself, you can look for a sedan. Of course, you must go further with this and look at specific models. You may prefer a Corolla over a Civic, and you must determine this before heading to the seller. With this all in mind, you can now avoid overpaying for a car that you may fall in love with as you should have plenty of options.
Multiple places to find your cars
Now, when you want to buy a car in Sri Lanka, you should look at a few different options. For starters, you should check out classifieds sites in Sri Lanka. To do more, you must head out of the house and look for signs on cars. Often, when trying to unload a used vehicle, owners will simply place a sign on their car. With this, they will usually provide the potential buyer with a price. Not only that, on the sign, you can find out the shape of the car and how much wear-and-tear the owner put on it. Without a doubt, when doing this, you can go a long way in finding your car as you will not have to settle. Remember, the more vehicles you look at, the better chance you have at finding to the one you desire. With all this in mind, while it is beneficial to look at cars on the side of the road, you must do your research and make sure to find an honest seller.
Know how to inspect a car
When buying a pre-owned car, you will want to know how to inspect it thoroughly. To do this, you should first look under the hood and look for any serious issues such as leaking oil or other fluids. At the same time, you should look for anything else out of order. Next, you must look in the car and see if there are stains all over the carpet and seats. While it is okay to have some, you can get a good idea of how people treated the car. Finally, after checking out the interior, you should inspect the paint job and look for any dents. Then, with this, you will know how to proceed. Remember, if you buy a pre-owned vehicle that is older, you will want to let hinges slide as it is hard to find one in perfect condition. Either way, when looking at the car thoroughly, you can find a great deal. At the same time, you will avoid any lemons.
Take it for a test drive
Now, after you find a vehicle you like, you should take it on a long test drive. When doing so, you can get a true feel for it. To do this, you should drive the vehicle quickly and use the brakes a lot. Simply put, you must put it through a hard test drive. While it is a lot of work, this will save you a lot of time in the long run. If you do not know what you are doing, you should bring a mechanic along who can listen to the noises of the engine and transmission. However, if you know how to listen on your own, you can save your time. To do this, listen for anything out of the ordinary. If you have driven a car before, you will not have trouble understanding the difference between good and bad noises. If anything sounds out of the ordinary, do not automatically rule out the car. Instead, ask questions and see what the current owners say. Often, it is something simple, and one can explain it quickly. On the other hand, if you are dealing with a serious mechanical problem, you will want to walk away from the process. In fact, this is a good rule of thumb to have at all times as there is no point in taking a huge risk when buying a pre-owned car.
Negotiate like a pro
It is easy to fall in love with a car and simply give the owner the asking price. This is not a wise move if you want to pay a lower price. No, first off, you should know the true value of the used car. If the owner listed it at or above the value, you will have no trouble haggling. On the other hand, if the owner is already asking for a decent price, you must try harder. To do so, make sure to bring cash to the transaction. When doing this, the potential seller will get excited and is more likely to start wheeling. Of course, when looking at the car, you can point out any issues such as a broken headlight or strange noises. You must ask a lot of questions and get the seller to let you know about any problems. As mentioned, it is still ultimately up to you to find the best deal, and you should do so by taking it on a long test drive and looking at the car, in detail. Finally, when you make your offer, you should prepare to walk away from the transaction. With this, the seller is likely to make concessions, especially if you have the cash in your hand. Without a doubt, when negotiating like a pro and following the previous steps, you can end up with your desired car without breaking the bank.
Without a doubt, when you want to buy a car, you must think of the long-term wants and needs. At the same time, you should look at other costs such as car parts and insurance. Either way, when looking at used cars, you will want to know what you need. Not only that, while it is wise to choose a car you want to buy, you should take this further. Ideally, you should inspect the car thoroughly and take it for a long test drive. Finally, when negotiating, do not take the first offer. In fact, when spending 20 minutes coming up with a price, you can end up knocking the price down significantly. When doing all this and taking the time to look at classifieds sites in Sri Lanka, you can get the lowest price and enjoy a great vehicle. Remember, while the process is not easy, these tips will save you a lot of time in the long run.
