Vehicle Privately: Evaluate your options

Your priority at this point in your evaluation is to find the available privately sold vehicles in the market that best meet your needs. You can save a lot of time during this activity by quickly eliminating any privately sold vehicles that are unsuitable because they don't meet your key requirements. For example, if you have a particular budget for this purchase then you can ignore any privately sold vehicles that clearly exceed your price limit.

Many people choose buying a vehicle privately instead of through a car dealership because there can be a significant savings by doing a private sale. Many people also feel that they will have a better buying experience, and depending on where you live, you may also be able to save on taxes as well.

You can look for vehicles that are available for sale privately in a variety of places. The internet is a good place to locate vehicles, however, you need to be aware that depending on the location, you may be buying the vehicle sight unseen. If you want to search locally you can look in the newspaper, community newsletters or just look for 'For Sale' signs. There may be a park and sell lot in your area where vehicles can be parked in order to be viewed for a private sale.

Tip: A park and sell lot is still considered a private sale because a dealer or agent does not get involved. It simply offers the convenience of having a selection of vehicles all in one place.

When you purchase a vehicle through a private sale, you will not have the option of financing your purchase as you would through a dealership. This means that you must have the full amount ready to pay. Most private sellers will not accept cheques, so you should be prepared to pay cash or offer a bank draft.

There is often no warranty involved with a private sale unless the vehicle is still under a manufacturer's warranty. You must be very sure about your purchase because there is no cooling off period, and no returns or refunds will be offered.

When you go to look at a car that is offered for private sale you should be prepared, having done your research beforehand. Look at comparable cars, and check their prices and specs online so that you know what type of price you will be able to negotiate with the seller.

Tip: With most private sales you will be able to negotiate the price. Depending on the condition of the vehicle and the age of it, you may be able to negotiate a few hundred dollars to a few thousand dollars off of the asking price.

When you go to inspect a car that is offered for sale privately, be sure to check the tires for signs of even wearing, look underneath the vehicle for signs of fluid leakage, look under the hood, and check the body for signs that the vehicle was in an accident. You will have to depend on the seller to answer some questions such as if the vehicle has ever been in an accident.

It is important to check the vehicle VIN number and be sure that you do a check of the number through a VIN number checking service. You need to be sure that the vehicle belongs to the individual selling it, has no money owing on it, or any liens.

Tip: Check the vehicles service logs to see when the last time it has had an oil change, or if any major repairs have been made to it.

When you purchase a car privately, you will need to take a test drive and watch for a few things. Try to take the car for a test drive on a variety of road surfaces. Bring the vehicle up to highway speeds if at all possible to check the acceleration on the vehicle. If it's possible, take the vehicle for a private inspection to rule out any major issues.

Tip: Take a friend or relative along when you view the car to act as a second set of eyes. Often you can lose objectivity when you purchase a new car, a second person will be able to provide that.

When you were considering your requirements in a privately sold vehicle it's likely that you singled out certain factors such as make and model, mileage, condition and price as being of major significance. As with so many other products, the more features offered, the higher the price. Buyz123 has created a checklist containing examples of major features; you can work from this checklist when evaluating how well various privately sold vehicles meet your personal needs:

Features Checklist

Find cars

Newspaper
Community newsletters
For Sale signs
Through friends
Websites

Prices

Lower than dealers
No payment plan
Full payment

Legal

No warranty
No refunds
No cooling off period

VIN # Sticker

Match number
Door
Trunk
Hood
Auto check

Questions to Ask

Any accidents?
How many owners?
Where has car been driven?
How many miles?
Why they're selling?
What repairs?

Purchase Options

Cash
Cheque
Bank draft

Price reference books

Black book
Kelley Blue book
NADA guide
Edmunds book

Title Check

Personal check
Online title check services

Pre-Purchase Checks

These are the checks you should make on each vehicle that you are seriously considering as a potential purchase

Don't let yourself be rushed
Check vehicle in daylight
Seating - is the seating comfortable (firm seat, good lumbar support) and is it easily adjustable
Location and accessibility of the hand controls (both on the steering wheel/column, and elsewhere)
Passengers' ease of access to the vehicle (could be a problem in some 2-doors)
Ease of loading and attending to babies and small children in the rear seat
Comfort of the rear seating - leg space for children and adults
Sufficient trunk (boot) space for all occupants, difficulty of loading items into the vehicle
Determine the date of manufacture, might be the “current” model but might have been manufactured more than one year ago and this can affect its value
Title search - get proof that the vehicle is owned by the seller, is unencumbered in any way - use the vehicle identification number (VIN) to assist in this regard
Will the fitting of accessories after purchase impact on the warranty
From the registration sticker note the number of months registration remaining
Ask about number of previous owners and check for the service history log book (if available)
Replacement panels - look for any slight variation in color
Repaint and repair - look for signs of masking tape that might have been left after repaint, or paint on rubber molding around windows and doors
Engine and surrounds - look at bolt heads to see if spanners have recently been used on them
Engine - check the level of the engine oil and its clarity/color when the engine is cold - is it clean and the right level
Engine - check for any signs of oil leaks, on the underside of the engine itself and on the ground under the car
Engine - ask for a 'cold start', let the engine idle for a while and then rev the engine to see if any smoke is emitted from the exhaust for more than a brief moment - if yes, the vehicle might be burning oil
Body structure - are the gaps between body and doors etc consistent and everything properly aligned
Check the door, trunk (boot) closure
Tires - look for excessive and/or uneven wear, could indicate faulty alignment or something more serious (include spare in this inspection)
Body - look for any evidence of rust, or where rust removal and repair might have occurred, check for any chips, scratches, dents etc
Suspension - on all four corners of the car, push down hard and quickly release - vehicle should bounce back to its original position with one movement with no further bouncing, more than one bounce could indicate suspension problem
Suspension - quick stop should see the car settle quickly and not rock forward and backwards
Radiator - look for oil or any other contaminant floating in the water
Windscreen - Look for chips and other damage from both the inside and outside of the vehicle
Lighting - visually check all lights - headlights, rear lights, turn indicators, brake lights, working properly and brightness levels
Interior - is the wear of the seating consistent with the age and mileage of the car, similarly check the floor covering
Interior - look at the degree of wear on the foot pedals (clutch, brake, accelerator) and the steering wheel
Interior - check the condition of the seat belts and whether all doors lock and unlock properly
Interior - check the interior lights and the heating/cooling system
Interior - try out the radio, CD player, GPS
Interior - check for any marks, scratches, nicks, cuts, or any other form of minor damage
Safety - check that windscreen washers, wipers and windscreen/rear window demisters are working
Ensure that all power operated items are functioning properly, all windows, seating, side-view mirrors etc
Check horn
Pedals - pedal movement (clutch, brake, accelerator) should be firm and sure, not 'spongy' or 'soft' with excessive movement towards the floor
Braking - car should stop quickly, in a straight line, with no shuddering
Steering - car should continue steering in a straight line when your hands are safely removed from the wheel, should not noticeably pull to one side, though gradual movement one way or another is normal
Noises - listen for 'unusual' noises from the engine, body, and tires/wheels - make sure the radio etc is turned off and the windows are down when listening for external sounds
Gauges - are all of the gauges apparently functioning properly - odometer, speed, RPM, fuel and oil, clock
Seat and floor coverings - are these included in the purchase

Test drive

Take at least one test drive without children being in the vehicle so as to minimize distractions
Test drive the vehicle on streets with traffic, requiring braking and stop/starting, as well as on an open stretch of road for a 'cruising' test
Is the driving position comfortable for you and anyone else who will drive the vehicle
Visibility - front, side, rear
Accelerating - from standing start - is it smooth, no engine or body-work noises
Accelerating - at normal speed - check on quickness of acceleration as if passing vehicle, does transmission shift to lower gear work quickly and smoothly
Vibrations - do any of the foot pedals, body panels, or the steering wheel vibrate, do you 'feel' any road wheel vibration
Transmission - are the gear changes smooth and timely, if car is manual is it easy to shift the gear stick - especially from forward drive to reverse and back again
Pedals - position and pressure required to depress the clutch, brake and accelerator
Parking - try reverse parking, parking between two other vehicles, etc

Pre-Acceptance Checks

These are the checks you should make before you take delivery of the vehicle you have purchased

Don't let yourself be rushed
Check vehicle in daylight
Make sure any inclusions are present - tool kit, first-aid kit, spare tire etc
Check the anti-theft/alarm systems are working correctly and that you know how to disarm them if necessary
Body - check for any chips, scratches, dents etc
Windscreen - Look for chips and other damage from both the inside and outside of the vehicle
Lighting - visually check all lights - headlights, rear lights, turn indicators, brake lights, working properly and brightness levels
Interior - check the interior lights and the heating/cooling system
Interior - try out the radio, CD player, GPS
Interior - check for any marks, scratches, nicks, cuts, or any other form of minor damage
Safety - check that windscreen washers, wipers and windscreen/rear window demisters are working
Ensure that all power operated items are functioning properly, all windows, seating, side-view mirrors etc
Confirm that all registration and sales documentation is present and correct and that the owner's manual is in the glove compartment

There are a lot of features listed here, and some of them may not be relevant to your particular requirements. So, work your way through the list and assess how each of these features impact on your vehicle needs. You can then create a personalized checklist of the features you really require in a privately sold vehicle.

Once you have finished evaluating the vehicles available for sale in the light of your personal needs and arrived at a short-list of 'possibles' you are ready to progress to the next stage. This involves comparing the privately sold vehicles one-on-one in order to find those that really stand out.

Evaluate how well a Privately Sold Vehicle compares with competing Private Sale Vehicles

Comparing the cars on your interim short-list, one to another, is an important part of the purchasing process - we all want to buy the best vehicle we possibly can. So once you have established a short-list of privately sold vehicles that meet your needs it is time to evaluate how well they compare in fine detail. This way you can assemble a select list of vehicles that stand out from the crowd.

Questions to ask yourself:

Which privately sold vehicle on my short-list offers the best value for money?
Which of these vehicles best meet my needs?
Which still has a manufacturers warranty?
Which vehicle has the lowest mileage?
Which of the vehicles seems of the highest quality?
Which privately sold vehicle do I like best?

By answering these simple questions, you are actually eliminating vehicles that aren't absolutely right for you. This is an excellent time - if you haven't done so already - to evaluate how well your short-listed products measure up in the following areas: Physical Quality, Warranty Conditions and Accessories & Extras.

Physical Quality

Regardless of the method you use when purchasing the privately sold vehicle, you need to find an opportunity to examine the product to evaluate how well it is made, and to check that it is truly suitable for you and your purpose. This is the time to examine the quality of the materials, and how well the vehicle is put together. Check the body - is the vehicle free of rust and dents? It's also important to examine it from the perspective of quality. How well has it been maintained? Make sure you inspect a privately sold vehicle to make sure it runs well and take it for a test drive - some vehicles look great in the paper, but unexpected problems will show up when you finally get your hands on them.

Physical Inspection Checklist:

Materials - quality, appearance
Assembly - all parts held together securely, good quality fittings
Solidly constructed - stable, no loose components
Proper fit of removable parts - easy to remove and replace, fit snugly
Controls - visible, easy to use, accessible, clearly labelled
Size - appropriate for surroundings (traffic, parking, garaging) and purpose
Appearance - free from damage, appropriate color, neat fittings etc
Easy and comfortable to drive

Warranty Conditions

When buying a privately sold vehicle it is unlikely that a warranty will be offered. Some newer vehicles may still be covered by a manufacturer's warranty so you should check the details with the seller. Parts and labor are often covered under separate warranties, for different time periods. It is particularly important to investigate any conditions that might void a manufacturer's warranty, such as if you use a repair workshop other than those recommended.

Warranty Checklist:

Duration - check the specifics
Parts, Labour, Mechanical, Electrical
Exactly what is covered
Exactly what is excluded
Conditions or actions that may void the warranty

Accessories, Extras and Consumables

When evaluating similar products, it is a good idea to include accessories in your assessment. What else is required - do you need vehicle insurance, for instance? It's also important to consider consumables, such as tires and registration - some products have higher associated costs than others.

Accessories Checklist:

Accessories - any recommended inclusions?
Registration - what are the time frames and costs?
Consumables - how often and how much?
What else will you need to get the most out of this purchase?

Once you've worked through the Evaluation step you will have a final short-list of privately sold vehicles that meet your needs and stand out from competing products on the market. It's time then to move on to the third and final step: Purchase.

Video Links

Buyz123.com Research Links:

How To Finance Buying a Car Privately

Financing your purchase of a car from a private owner

How to finance the purchase of a used car