If
you’ve seen my series Craigslist
Car Crap, then you know that there are some interesting finds in terms of
the cars listed on Craigslist. However,
there are some really good deals and decent cars on there, regardless if you
are looking for your first car, a beater, or even a nice or classic car. You just have to ask the right questions and
look for the right things.
Here
is a complete guide to help you make your transaction go smoothly and hopefully
help you get a good car!
Looking for the Car
You
obviously have to first look for the car you want. When you find one that is interesting, make
sure it has pictures of every angle of the car, and the interior. If a picture of a certain location is
missing, either the seller is lazy, or something could be wrong with that side
of the car.
Look
at the price, condition, and hopefully listed mileage. If the car is newer then 1992, enter that
information into Kelley Blue Book
to determine the value to see if the seller is asking a reasonable price.
A
good step is to also check for common problems.
If you are unfamiliar with the car you are looking at, do a quick Google
search for common problems. For example,
say you are looking at a 2005 Ford V6 Mustang.
Google search, “2005 Ford V6 Mustang Common Problems”. And see what many people (not one or two) say
on forums and places like that. Note
those, and ask the seller later if they are problems on that vehicle if not
listed already.
Be
on the lookout for strange or little information. The less information someone lists about a
car either means, again, that they are lazy, or there are too many things wrong
with it to list. Look out for phrases
like “need gone ASAP”, or “new fender”.
Why does it need to be gone? Why
did you replace that part?
Contacting the Seller
If
you are interested in the car, and have done your research, contact the seller
through email, or call if a number is listed.
I would suggest email so you can ask more questions.
Ask
some basic questions like, how many miles are on the car (if not listed), has
it been in any accidents, do you have
the title (walk away if they say no), how frequently have you changed the
oil (should be every 3,000 miles), any mechanical problems, any damage, have
you had to replace anything, and so on.
You
may also want to ask vehicle specific questions as well that may have come up
during your research. For example, if
that car had a factory recall, did the work get done?
Agreeing to Meet
If
you are happy with seller and his/her communications, then it’s time to
meet. Pick a time that works best for
both of you. Remember, you don’t want to
waste the seller’s time, and you don’t want the seller to waste your time.
Make
sure you meet during a sunny day! Night
or rain can hide defects in a car. Now,
if you are serious about buying the car, I would bring a method to do so. Either bring the amount of cash asked for, or
bring a blank check if the seller will take a check. Again, you don’t want to waste each other’s
time, so if you decide to buy it, be ready to.
However, don’t tell the person you are bringing cash for the following
reason:
IF
you are bringing cash, I would ALWAYS suggest bringing someone along with
you. The world can be a messed up place,
and the last thing you want is for someone to know that you are bringing a large amount of cash.
Looking Over the Car
It’s
very important to look over a car before buying it. I would suggest contacting your local auto
shop and seeing if they provide a service where a mechanic can come out with
you to inspect a car. If you can’t find
that service, or don’t want to pay a fee for that if they charge one, there are
some simple things to look out for.
The
first thing is the seller: if they don’t want you to bring a mechanic, or don’t
want you looking too closely, then walk away.
Look
in, on, and around the car for rust. Rust
will destroy a car. If you are planning
on keeping the car for a while, you don’t want rust. Look under, inside, and all around. Look for mismatched paint or
discoloration. That could show that
something was replaced. Bring a refrigerator magnet. This may seem silly, but this can help you
find body damage.
ASK
the seller first before you do this (because it isn’t your car yet). Place the magnet on random sections of the car’s
body. If it sticks, you’re good. If it falls off or has a hard time sticking
(since refrigerator magnets are weak), that means there was damage done to the vehicle
there, and body filler has been used. If
the owner didn’t tell you about that, he or she may be hiding something. Keep in mind, the seller also may not have
known if he or she wasn’t the original owner.
Continue this test all around the car.
Look
at the interior and smell it as well. If
it smells like an air freshener was just put in, yet it doesn’t seem like a well
cleaned car, it could be trying to hide the smell of mold or something
else. Look for cigarette burn holes,
rips, cracks, pet hair, and anything else that may lower the value.
Look
under the hood as well. Even if you don’t
know what you are looking for, look for any leaking fluids, listen for any
rattles, and just use common sense and your best judgment.
When
looking in, on, and around the car. Look
for anything that looks new, discolored, or out of place. This could mean something was replaced, and
you should ask why. Was it broken, did
it get damaged, was it a recall, an upgrade, and so on.
Test the lights, A/C, heat, powered/manual seat adjustments, trunk, doors, door locks, hood, and anything that moves or turns on (or should).
Test the lights, A/C, heat, powered/manual seat adjustments, trunk, doors, door locks, hood, and anything that moves or turns on (or should).
Test Drive
Never
buy a vehicle without taking a test drive.
Bring your friend along as well if one came with you. Do some simple driving, but ask the owner if
you can also (legally) get it up to highway speed and maybe some heavy
braking. Again, ask first because this
is still not your car or your gas, and you don’t want to waste the seller’s
time.
If the
owner says no to a test drive, walk away.
They also may just not want everyone driving the car that shows up, so
let the seller know you are seriously considering the car, but can’t make on
offer unless you drive it.
Making the Deal
If
you are happy with the car, it’s time to make a deal. You’ve done your research, and you’ve seen
and driven the car. Make an offer. DO NOT low-ball (make a very insultingly low
offer) on the car, or you may be told to go home. If the asking price is 100% fair, give it to
them.
Depending
on the asking price, and if you bring cash, always bring the last few hundreds
in smaller bills such as fifties and twenties so you can negotiate, but still
have the asking price at the same time.
Point out the flaws, BUT ALSO point out the good things to make the
seller feel better. Negotiation is an
art, and unfortunately will take too long to explain in this section, so
basically I leave it to you to make your best judgment.
Buying the Car
Congratulations! You have decided to buy the car. Now you have to deal with the paperwork. This varies by state to state (and country to
country) so I unfortunately have to leave this to you to figure out. Just remember to have completed a bill of
sale, and make sure you get the title!
Buying
a car off Craigslist can be shady, but it can also be a great experience. It all depends on the seller, and how
prepared you are. If you follow these
steps and make sure you do as much research as you can before meeting the
seller, you’ll be golden!
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