‘He Just Disappeared With the Money’ 5 Mistakes That People Make Buying a Car Online and How to Avoid Them
- The proliferation of the internet and smartphone applications has changed the way we search and buy cars
- Gone are the days when you'd make a visit to the local dealer on a Saturday morning and be pressured to make a decision by a pushy salesman
- The access to thousands of cars to purchase has also meant scammers prey on potential customers who have money to purchase a vehicle with
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In the modern age, convenience is everything, in fact, we pay for the ease of use and it's no surprise technology has disrupted the car buying process.
Research shows that by 2025, six million cars will be bought online, an incredible increase of close to 600% in comparison to 2019.
Source: UGC
While the internet has made it easier to search for your next car purchase, there are also many piranhas looking to scam you out of your hard-earned cash, Hagerty's reports.
Doing the proper research before even starting the searching process it will make the experience less stressful and less of a chore, Alecu reports.
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Here are five tips to make buying a car online easier:
1. Time saver
The easiest thing to do is log on to the internet and type in what type of car you're looking for and what your price range is. It saves you from having to go down to the dealership and wait for the salesman to notice you before offering assistance.
2. There's no pressure
That same salesman is also unable to put pressure on you to decide on whether you want the deal or not. By looking for your next car in the comfort of your own home, there's no pressure on you which is a good thing as buying a car shouldn't be rushed.
3. You won't be able to test drive it or have a closer look... immediately
There are downsides to searching for a car online and the major one is not being able to physically view the car or test drive it immediately. If the vehicle you're interested in is located in a different province you might have to fork out bucks to view it and test drive it.
4. You'll still need a budget
The good thing about online tools to browse for cars is that they have easy ways to choose which price bracket the car you want is in. It's always a good idea to note down a budget to see what you're able to afford per month on the loan amount as well as factoring in fuel and maintenance costs. This will provide a good idea of what type of car you can afford.
5. Beware of scammers
Fraudsters are brazen enough to sell cars they don't own and will do everything to make the ad look legitimate by including a phone number, email address or even a physical address to meet the buyer. Do your homework and prevent yourself from being scammed by asking the seller for information such as the vehicle identification number, or VIN. Don't transfer any monies until the car is registered in your name and you have physically taken the collection of it.
Mzansi's favourite lux car brands: This is how many whips they sold in March
There was good news to take from the new car sales and vehicle export data in March 2022. New vehicle sales in South Africa for March 2022 were recorded at 50 607 units, the highest monthly sales total since October 2019, Briefly News reports.
In comparison to the sales figures for March 2021, the total vehicles reflected an increase of 7 184 units, or 16,5%, from the 43 423 vehicles sold in March 2021.
According to In4Ride editor Thami Masemola Porsche increased their sales by three units, Ferrari posted a positive month of 11 sales for an increase of five models while Lamborghini stood firm at six units sold in February and again in March.
Source: Briefly News
