How To Buy A Car From A Private Seller

To make sure you don t get taken for a ride by an unscrupulous seller take the time to research the car you re interested in buying.

How to buy a car from a private seller. Personal safety when meeting the seller meet the seller in a public place or at the seller s home never meet in quiet or deserted locations. When you re buying a used car from a private seller there are a few different ways to research liens. 1 purchasing a car from a private seller can potentially net you hundreds or thousands of dollars in savings compared to buying from a dealership. Many times private sellers need to sell their car.

Advantages of buying a car from a private seller. Buying a car from a private seller can require a lot of work on your part. While many people associate car purchasing with dealerships private auto sellers make up a significant portion of the used car market accounting for nearly 30 of used car sales from 2011 2013. You ll also want to inspect the vehicle carefully for any obvious damage or excessive wear.

Dealers pay to prepare the used car for sale advertise it and pay the salesperson a commission. You can also get the vehicle identification number vin and call your local department of motor vehicles to find out if there are any outstanding liens. Buying a car from a private seller should not be something to worry about in fact it should save you money compared to buying from a dealer which has bills to pay and profits to make. Pros of buying from a private seller.

Ask to see the title which should state clearly if there s a lien attached. Steps to buy a car from a private seller step 1. Whether you ve decided to buy a car from a private seller in order to get a good deal avoid hidden fees or simply because you found the exact vehicle you ve dreamed of there s a number of advantages to purchasing from an individual. When purchasing a used car from a private seller it is advisable to meet in neutral public locations to inspect and test drive the vehicle and if the vehicle meets your requirements handle the purchase and transaction.

With a private seller such meetings may take place after hours at a personal residence. The first step of car buying process is to contact private sellers who are interested in selling their cars and ask them about their car its make model years current condition and value estimate etc. For your own safety consider the following safety precautions. To buy a used car from a private party use the vehicle identification number vin to do a detailed car history search online which will tell you if the car has been in any accidents.

Private sellers are often highly motivated because they need to sell their current car in order to have the cash available to buy a new car. Private sellers don t have these.