Common Red Flags When Buying a Used Car
Whenever you are ready to buy a car, you want to make sure that you are making the right purchase. Here are some red flags you should look out for.
Funky smell in the car
Buying a brand new car comes with a lot of nice things such as the new car smell. When you settle for a used car, chances are you will not get to experience this smell. However, this does not mean that you should settle for a car with a funky smell. A car that has been damaged by water or floods will tend to have a mouldy or musty smell emanating from the interiors. Insurance companies consider cars that have been damaged by floods a total loss to insure considering the fact that all systems may have been ruined by water. Additionally, the smell is just not inviting.
Bad paintwork
No used car comes without a history which unfortunately includes accidents. This is normal and unavoidable but how the former owner handled the repairs after the accident is what could present a problem. If the car owner tried to cut costs and visited a bad mechanic, it may show in parts of the cars among them, the paintwork. If the technician did a bad job, the paint may be mismatched all over the car. This is a clear indication that the owner did not take care of the car. Ask the seller for repairs documentation to learn more about the condition of the car.
Scam sellers
Never pay for a car you have not seen and inspected. In Kenya, a lot of lazy people are trying to dupe people day in day out. Try not to fall prey to these people. If you are purchasing a used car, be wary of a seller who doesn’t want you to test car aspects such as the air conditioning or the infotainment features.
Extremely low prices
An overpriced car with high mileage is not a good pick but a car that is underpriced could also be a red flag. It’s possible the seller may be looking for a way to dispose of the car too fast meaning there is an underlying problem. You can choose to have it carefully looked at by a good mechanic or skip out on it completely.
