Buying A Used Car From An Individual; What To Expect.

Looking for bargains when shopping for a used vehicle can be very important, so many people when shopping for a used car will choose to buy one from a private owner instead of going to a dealership or car lot. While this can save you a lot of money in many cases it also limits your options if issues surface after your purchase as to how the car was cared for. As you may or may not know  private parties are not subject to many of the stringent regulations like dealers are. When buying a car from an individual the responsibility for being sure that the vehicle is sound mechanically and properly cared for is totally on you.

I highly recommend that you take the vehicle to a mechanic to give it an inspection before you buy. It will be money well spent. Finding a mechanic that is  familiar with this particular brand of car is very important. The mechanic will be able to tell if  things are broken, in need of replacement, and generally what type of care the owner took of the car.

I can’t stress enough the importance of finding a mechanic that knows this particular brand of car for they will know what problem areas this model may have and be able to educate you as  what to watch for in the future, and how to  properly address car care issues that may crop up. If the owner has a problem with this, you know it is time to walk away and find another car for sale. Anyone who is honest will not have a problem with this request.
Another key issue to look out for when buying from a private party is whether or not the vehicle has a lien on it. If this is the case  someone else actually has claim to the title due to money still being owed on the vehicle. If you buy a vehicle unknowingly that still has an open lien you may have to pay off the loan to obtain the title.  Here is a situation that would not come up if the vehicle was purchased at a dealer since they are required by law to ensure there are no encumbrances on vehicles they sell.
Be sure that you are dealing with the actual owner of the vehicle. Check their name against the title of the vehicle as well as their driver’s license. Another thing to ask for are any Maintenance records and repair bills. This is were the type of care the car has had so far during it’s life is vitally important. This is extremely important for high end vehicles such as Mercedes, BMW, and Lexus where the value of the vehicle is substantially tied to its maintenance record. With these high end cars especially you want whoever was dealing with the care of that vehicle to be a proper certified dealer or mechanic and not uncle Jake who took a few night school automotive care care classes.
Remember you are always at risk when buying a vehicle from a private individual. From personal experience I have found it is not a good idea to buy that used vehicle from a personal friend, or relative.  If things turn out bad with that car even though you don’t think so it will be in the back of your mind every time you see that friend or relative.

Another risk that you take when buying from an individual is no matter what they tell you about how they cared for that car you are taking the risk that you could be buying from someone who has rebuilt a wrecked car, replaced an engine or transmission, or even rolled back the odometer.
With the recent hurricanes on the Gulf Coast another issue to watch out for is flood damage. Always pull out those retractable seat belts and see if there is any mud on the end of them if you suspect this to be an issue. Individuals can get away with selling you a flood damaged vehicle where dealers are liable for doing so.
You have to make the decision on whether or not the risks are worth the gain of saving a little money.
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