Buying a quality used cars in Cornwall can be fun and interesting. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of buying a new car. Here are some tips to keep yourself safe during this process.
- If someone tells you they work for a dealer and you’re not at their place of business, ask to see their dealer license. Illegal car dealers might tell you they work for a legitimate dealer. Make a phone call to confirm this, especially if you are thinking about buying from someone you met through an ad in the paper or on Craigslist.
- Ask to see the car’s title at all times. In the State of Vermont, you need a title for any car that is 15 years old or newer. You can’t register a car without the title, and it’s illegal to sell a car without a title. Don’t believe someone who says the title is at home or being held up at the bank. No title, no sale!
- Ask if the car has ever been marked as “salvaged,” “rebuilt,” or “totaled,” and look at the title to see if it says so. Vehicles with titles that say they are salvaged, rebuilt, totaled, flood cars, reconstructed, etc. are worth about half of what the same vehicle without a branded title is worth. In Vermont, it is against the law to sell a car without putting this information on the bill of sale and other important documents before the sale.
- Ask if the reading on the car’s odometer is correct. If the reading on a car’s odometer is wrong, the car must be labeled “true mileage unknown.” “Vehicles in this condition are usually worth about half of what they are listed as being worth.” Also, if the odometer doesn’t work right, a car can’t be inspected in Vermont.
- Ask if you can have your mechanic take a look at the car. Before you buy a car, it’s always a good idea to have a trained auto technician look it over. This can save you time, money, and stress, and it will make sure the car is safe and meets all Vermont safety inspection requirements.
- Look at the inspection sticker on the car. If the car has a Vermont inspection sticker on it, make sure the sticker is still valid and has been put on the right car. If you look at the sticker on the inside of the car, you can compare the make, year, and vehicle identification number to make sure it belongs to the car you’re thinking of buying.
- If you are buying a car from a dealer, make sure that the car has a “Buyer’s Guide.” “Both federal and Vermont law say that all used cars for sale must have a Buyer’s Guide in one of their windows.” The Buyer’s Guide will tell you if the car has any kind of warranty or if it is being sold “as is.” “As is” means exactly what it says, and if you have a problem after the sale is done, you don’t have much you can do about it.
- Enter the vehicle’s identification number to run a Carfax, Autocheck, or similar online vehicle check. Even though the Vermont DMV doesn’t recommend any particular online vehicle history vendor, we think it’s a good idea to use one when buying a car. Most of the time, these reports will give a full history of a vehicle and warn a potential buyer of problems like branded titles, problems with the odometer, and previous accidents.
- Ask the person selling the car if it’s ever been in an accident. Even if a car’s title isn’t marked, that doesn’t mean it’s never been in an accident. An insurance company might not have ever said that a wrecked car was a total loss. When this happens, the title will still not have any brands on it. If a car has been in an accident, it could have problems with its structure. A certified auto technician should check the car to make sure it is safe.
TYR Car Sales is an award-winning dealer of high-end used BMW and Mercedes cars. RAC Approved Workshop and AA Approved Dealership. We make buying a car easy by letting you look at the inside and outside and watch videos of our cars in virtual reality. At TYR Car Sales, we go to great lengths to find vehicles with good maintenance records so that our customers can drive without problems and with peace of mind. We sell used Mercedes and BMWs in the best condition. CALL NOW: 01288 358120