Buying a car? Do your own checks, don't trust the dealership!
While this applies particularly to used vehicles, the background of new cars should also be checked, says Wendy Knowler.
Cars, car sales. Pexels/Antoni Shkraba
Consumer ninja Wendy Knowler joins Stephen Grootes on The Money Show.
Buying a car is a huge financial commitment, with huge consequences if something were to go wrong with the sale.
In light of this, consumer ninja Wendy Knowler has the following warning:
'You cannot afford to trust a dealership - even the most elite dealership, to be totally honest about a car you're keen on buying.'
Any car purchase, whether it's a secondhand or new vehicle, requires extensive background checks BY YOU or a professional company before signing the Offer to Purchase, she says.
Proving her point, Knowler relates the horror story of a woman who bought a used car for R1 435 350 and ended up R289 350 out of pocket after being forced to to do a trade-in when it became clear that the vehicle was inherently defective.
While the dealership refused her request to return this dud for a refund, a salesperson disclosed that it actually had a well-documented history of defects and multiple warranty claims under its previous owner.
Checks to do when buying a car:
- Service history
- Insurance claims
- Status of the warranty (previous owner could have invalidated the warranty in some way)
- Authenticate the mileage, etc.
Whether the vehicle you plan to buy costs R100 000 or R1 million-plus, do the background checks, Knowler reiterates.
"There are several companies which do thorough checks, for a few hundred rand: View4You, Screan, TransUnion Auto1 Check, Vindocs and more. Some send technical experts to check out the car; others provide a report online only."
Wendy Knowler, Consumer Journalist
But, NEVER make the mistake of taking a car salesperson's word for anything, is Knowler's final word.
Scroll up to the audio player to listen to the full conversation