10 Alarming Used Car Signs That Should Tell You To Walk Away!

In this world of smart everything, you, as a customer need to be smart too. While new car dealers don’t tend to cheat the customers that much but as soon as you step into the used car market, you need to be a very aware customer as you may not know where you might get cheated. Before starting, this article is not meant to defame anyone but we just need the customer to be aware when they make such a huge investment. In this article, we are going to tell you about 10 alarming used car signs that tell you to walk away.

1. Is the add too good to be true?
   

   

   Starting our list of alarming used car signs with the first impression of the car. If you are looking to buy a used car and come across an ad where the car was maybe less driven and the price also favours you, you should always investigate why everything is favouring you. This one not exactly tells you to walk away but if the ad is too hard to digest, you should always look into why the owner is ready to sell their car and make a deal that favours you – the customer in every manner!

2. Unrealistic Odometer Reading
   

   

   The first thing that people usually notice in a used car is the odometer. We guess you will also choose to see the odometer once you step into the market to find a used car for yourself. If the odometer shows too less reading for a car that is relatively old, you should definitely ask the owner about it and if possible, you can book a used car inspection service with GoMechanic where we have a detailed check on your car and tell you if it is actually worth the price!

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3. Incomplete Paperwork
   

   

   Paperwork is the most important thing while making a deal. If you are not satisfied with the documents that the previous owner or the dealer shows you, you should definitely dig deeper and verify each and every document that you see. Also, you should ensure that there are no pending fines or any illegal charge on the car that you are considering buying. Make sure that the previous owner provides you with all the paperwork that you need to see in order to trust both the car and the owner. If the paperwork is incomplete, you should definitely walk away no matter how good the offer may be.

4. Undisclosed Financing
   

   

   Usually, if a financer owns a car, they can use it as the final mortgage in case the owner fails to pay the EMIs. Well, if you see the paperwork is complete, make sure that the previous owner has also paid the finance amount back in order to ensure that you don’t end up being in the trap of fake documents eventually losing your car. You can do this by simply asking for all the payment receipts from the previous owner and verifying them from the loan provider itself. In case you sense something wrong, you know its time to walk away! This is one of the most alarming used car signs.

   Read Getting Long Term Car Loan or Finance | Wise Decision?

5. Online Transactions
   

   

   In today’s world where everything is online, people tend to cheat a lot. If the previous owner of your car is anyhow forcing you to transact online, don’t get fooled. Just to be on the safe side, make sure you do every transaction physically. Now you would say how can someone crack a deal worth lacs in cash? Well, you can always use a cheque and other physical methods. Just try and avoid any sort of online transaction at least till when you have not met the owner even once.

6. Full Advance Payment
   

   

   Its no wrong in saying that you should definitely pay a token amount if you like the car. This will ensure that you are a serious customer and actually want to buy the vehicle. Well, if the owner or the dealer asks for full advance payment, then your answer should be a big NO! Don’t transfer the whole amount without having the car transferred in your name. If you like the car, get all the paperwork done and make the balance payment once you actually own the car. If the owner asks for the full payment in advance, its a big no!

7. Void Warranty
   

   

   Forget about an extended warranty, if you are going for a used car that is relatively new and the dealer shows you the warranty document, make sure that you cross verify the warranty from the manufacturer. This is because faking anything is not a big deal in toady’s world so it’s best to cross-verify facts before you make the deal. You can easily walk into the brand dealership and verify if the car is still under warranty. Don’t forget to ask the reason if you find out that the warranty was void.

   Read Is Extended Warranty On Cars Worth The Money? | An Insight

8. Unavailability of Service Record
   

   

   In order to make sure that the car you have chosen is really a good investment, you need to ask for its service record. If the owner or the dealer does not have the service record that means there is a high chance that the car was not used and maintained properly during its lifetime. Once you visit the brand dealership to enquire about the warranty, you should also get the service record checked and judge if the car you chose is a good one.

9. Owner’s / Dealer’s Disagreement Towards a Test Drive
   

   

   If you have chosen a particular car to buy and in the first place, the owner or the dealer denies a test drive, you should definitely walk away from that car. Also, the test drive should not be limited to 1-2 kilometres. You should have a detailed test drive where you can make out some first impressions about the car where you can test acceleration, braking, stability at high speeds and more.

10. Owner’s / Dealer’s Disagreement Towards a Detailed Inspection
    

    

    Inspection is the only way you can tell if a car is really worth your money. A car owner who has used the car with proper care won’t deny any check that you, as a customer would want to do. GoMechanic being the most trusted car servicing brand in India has launched a used car inspection service where you can get a 100 point inspection for your car so that you can make sure that your investment is really worth it!

These were the alarming used car signs which you should absolutely stay clear of. If you are looking to buy a used car for yourself and notice any of the above signs, you should realise that it is time to walk away and look for another option. The used car market in India has got a huge variety of cars in every budget. You just need to make sure that you pick the right one for yourself.