Purchase your Used Car with Confidence by Avoiding Private Sellers

The moment a new car is driven off a dealership lot by an owner it becomes classified as “used.” When people think of used cars they often think of that old, ugly clunker with “for sale” written on the windshield in marker, however, there are a lot of great used cars for sale in Utah and elsewhere that have barely been put to use. 

When purchasing a used car, it’s important to understand the ins and outs of the process so you don’t get cheated on your purchase. Avoiding private sellers is the number one way to avoid a flop purchase for multiple reasons. 

Sometimes used cars for sale can be cheaper through private sellers, but don’t be fooled; it’s often a scam. A private sale requires a lot more judgment on your part, which is where you can easily get tricked. 

Inspecting the car should be your first concern when it comes to making sure the vehicle is in good condition and doesn’t have any mechanical problems or malfunctions. Quality dealerships perform proper inspections and provide a statutory warrant, but when purchasing from a private seller, you are required to do your own inspection. This comes with the risk of missing something or paying extra money to hire a professional to inspect the vehicle for you. 

More often then not, buyers trust the private seller’s word or perform a poor inspection on their own, which leads to the discovery of problems down the road. This leaves the buyer with a broken (but already purchased) vehicle and a costly fix. 

Another issue is the warranty. Many used cars for sale at dealerships from Utah to the East Coast include warranty and service contracts with the purchase. This creates a safety net for your vehicle if problems with the car were to arise. This kind of assurance and agreement is harder to come by with private sellers. 

If you purchase a used car through a reputable dealer in Utah or elsewhere, they can provide you with the car’s history and essential information about the vehicle. Private sellers often don’t give honest or accurate information pertaining to the vehicle’s history. 

Overall, it’s safer to look into used cars for sale from a dealer verses a private seller. Whether you live in Utah or elsewhere, dealerships are a professional business and have state requirements and provide legal documents and agreements that can give you peace of mind. 

Buying a car is a big investment, and you want to be able to have confidence in your purchase and trust that you’re getting what you paid for. Gain this confidence by going through a dealer, not a private seller. 

Alyssa Koenig is an automative writer for Fusion 360, an SEO and content marketing agency. Information provided by Mike Hale Acura. Follow on Twitter.