I have been through many people and listening to their thoughts about second-hand car/bike in India. I won't deny that they all of their concerns are wrong, or I will say all of there or your concerns are right and you be careful while thinking and buying second-hand car/bike.
If you are in hurry to buy a second hand, then it's better you should just skip the thought of buying one as it will be all on luck; because it will not be. As just by reducing the price of the car/bike you will think its deal of the day and you will close the deal but you will end up with a mistake which will hunt you for a long time.
Buying a second-hand car/bike is like fishing, you need to be patient and the 1st thing that comes in your hook need not be the best for you, you need to keep trying till you think its best for you. so, put that bait again in the water.
In India, if people get to know that you are buying a second-hand car/bike, they will discourage you or just look down upon you. I don’t know when will people understand that it's not a bad thing to buy a second-hand vehicle. Some person wants to sell there car/bike either to buy new and better one or for there other needs, but if its because it has turned into a scrap and they want to get rid of it then you have to be careful.
Even me and some of my friends have bought a second-hand car/bike. But it took each one of us at least 1 month to get into a decision of buying a second-hand car because of which none has any regrets. But even thinking too much is bad.
So, let us do the thinking for you.
Now, here are the 5 things you should look for before buying a second-hand car.
Get the car and its papers checked and verified properly.
- Check the present insurance papers of the used car you are going to buy. You will be able to find if the car has had any accidents/claims related to those
- Check if the engine number and chassis no
- Check all the filters of the used car, & get them changed if necessary All filters (air, fuel, transmission, oil) need regular cleaning and oiling
- Check the brakes of the second-hand car. Drive the car at 40-50 km/h speed in an area that has little to no traffic. Be sure to look for any vibration or any kind of strange and squealing noise from the brake pedal
- Examine the tires carefully. Check the condition of all the tires.
- Check under the hood for signs of damage, scratches or rust – they are signs of a poorly maintained car or a prior damaged one
Transfer the registration certificate to your name.
To do the transfer you should fill out and submit Form 29 & Form 30, issued by the RTO in the jurisdiction you live in. The form should be signed by both the previous owner and you. If the car is registered in a different jurisdiction from yours, then a NOC from that jurisdiction's RTO will help pace up the process. This registers the transaction.
After submission, the local RTO initiates the transfer. You will receive a receipt within 15-18 days & the name-changed RC copy by the 40th-45th day. In the interim, copies of these forms or the receipt work as proof of the transaction.
Get second-hand car insurance in your name
Transfer of No-Claim Bonus
NCB is given to the insured & not the insured vehicle. So, on the transfer of the vehicle, the insurance policy can be transferred to the new owner but not the NCB. The new owner has to pay the difference on account of the NCB for the remaining policy period. The original owner can, however, use the NCB on a new vehicle purchased by him.
Clean and fix your car before your first drive
- A thorough clean up of the car
- Change of fluids
- Quick fixes to be done: Fix lights, spark plugs and any sign of rusting. Water entry through cracks and holes or other wear of the trunk should also be fixed.
This is not enough though. You have to ask some questions before buying a used car. Here is the list of questions you should ask before buying it.
10 Questions to Ask When Buying a Used Car
- How was the car maintained?
Find out if it was serviced at a dealership, by an independent mechanic or a “shade tree” mechanic — one not affiliated with a garage — says Josh Sadlier, senior manager of content strategy at Edmunds.com. Also, ask if the maintenance is up-to-date. Some sellers will even suggest you speak to the mechanic who worked on the car.
2. Are service records available?
Hopefully, the answer to this question is, “Yes. All the records are in a folder and you’re welcome to look it over.” This tells you the seller probably has serviced the car regularly.
3. Has it been in any accidents?
In some cases, accidents are reported on a vehicle history report — but don’t assume these reports catch everything. If the car was in an accident, find out how it was damaged and how it was fixed.
4. What features don’t work the way they’re supposed to?
Older used car/bike nearly always have something wrong with them. It might not be a deal breaker — for example, if it’s a malfunctioning CD player. But other defects can come as annoying surprises, such as weak air conditioning, blown speakers or missing pixels in displays.
5. Is there any reason you wouldn’t drive the car coast-to-coast tomorrow?
This is a fun question and sometimes throws the seller off balance. But if the answer is a resounding “No, there’s nothing wrong with the car,” that’s a nice vote of confidence.
6. What is the ownership history?
“If the seller doesn’t really have many details about the car or only owned it a short time, that’s a warning sign,” Holthoff says. “I’m looking for a seller who really cared for the car for several years or more.” When searching for good used car/bike, he recommends using keywords like “original owner” or “service records” or even “garaged.”
7. Why are you selling the car?
“This is very predictable since many sellers will have a convenient story at the ready,” Sadlier says. But he recommends relying on your “spidey senses” when deciding whether to trust the answer — and the seller.
8. How did you arrive at this price?
If you’ve asked all the above questions, and you’re getting serious about buying the car, find out how the seller priced it. Many people simply pick a figure out of the air. If the seller says he or she used a pricing guide, you can double check to see if the price is accurate.
9. Can I take the car to a mechanic for an inspection?
Again, ask this only if you’re serious about buying. Most reputable sellers won’t balk at this request. If there’s hesitation or pushback, that’s the warning sign for you.
10. Do you have the title in hand?
A long-time owner might not know where the title is hiding. A seller might not have the title if there’s an outstanding loan from the bank. There are some ways to work around these problems, but knowing the status of the title early on will help you decide if the car is worth the extra time and hassle.
If you follow these steps and precautions, I am sure for you to have a great buying experience and a nice car/bike.
Information courtesy: Cover for InsuranceBroking Pvt Ltd.- https://www.coverfox.com/
Nerdwallet- https://www.nerdwallet.com/?trk=nw_gn_4.0
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