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Shopping around for a great deal on a used car online? You’re not alone – thousands of South Africans are doing the same thing every day. The internet is a wonderful tool that has made it so much easier to connect buyers and sellers throughout the country, but it can also be a little dicey if you don’t know which scams to look out for. Here are a few important guidelines to follow if you don’t want to be duped during a used-car transaction:
LOOK OUT FOR THESE SCAMS WHEN BUYING PRE-OWNED CARS ONLINE IN 2020
No paperwork = no purchase
While there are various scenarios in which a vehicle owner could legitimately mislay the ownership papers for second-hand car, they can also have it reprinted. Don’t ever pay good money for a preowned vehicle that does not come with the full set of paperwork.
Custom jobs under the hood
If you read ‘customised’ anywhere in the description of the vehicle, enquire about the origins of these customisations. DIY jobs are all good and well, but in the end the longevity of the vehicle as a whole is always compromised.
'Will need some love'
This is normally code for ‘there is major issue that I will downplay and will hopefully only come to light in its full capacity when the money has been transferred’. Don’t fall into this trap.
Obviously copied images
If the images on the advertisement looks like professional marketing material, odds are it was ripped from the internet somewhere. Rather take a look at the car or SUV in person before you make any decisions.
Unsafe purchase environment
Don’t head to a location that makes you nervous, especially if you’ll be carrying a lot of money. Rather arrange to meet in in a controlled public environment. Your best bet is to meet in the day and to take along a friend or family member (safety in numbers).
There you have it – 5 things to look out for when you’re buying cars online. If you would like to sidestep all these pitfalls, we recommend that you get in touch with a UM Haval and GWM dealership if you want great deals on certified second-hand Haval vehicles. If fact, you may also want to take a few of our current Haval and GWM models for a test drive, so you can see for yourself why Haval is the SUV brand on everyone’s lips these days! HAVAL – Driven to impress.
