If you're in the market for a new vehicle, taking a look at the Craigslist cars for sale by owner may be one of the places you start your search. There can be some great deals on the site, but there can also be problems and risks.
Rather than take a chance and hope it all works out for the best, you can practice some simple tips that will make it easier for you to find the best cars on Craigslist. Here are four top tips to consider to reduce your car-buying risks.
1. Set Up Alerts and Saved Searches
Especially if you're looking for something unique or specific, alerts are an excellent way to find what you want. With these alerts, you can be notified anytime something that meets your criteria is listed. That can give you a head start over other potential buyers, as rare or hard-to-find cars often sell fast.
You can also save your searches, so you don't have to spend time and effort inputting information each time you check the site. A saved search lets you easily see what's new for those search terms and parameters. If there's something of interest, you'll be more likely to find it faster. Just be aware that it depends on seller input, which isn't always accurate.
2. Do Your Research Before You Shop
When you consider finding Craigslist cars for sale by owner, you need to do your research into the kinds of cars you're interested in. Remember, the seller isn't there to help you out. They're there to sell a car and make a profit. If you haven't done the research and you're relying on them to give you good, accurate information, you could be in trouble.
If you've narrowed down the types of vehicles you're looking for, it's easy to do some research into what they should sell for, what kinds of features to consider, and other details. If there are recalls on the car, truck, or SUV you want, you should also know that. Overall, good research is hard to beat when choosing Craigslist cars for sale by owner.
3. Really Take a Careful, Long Look at the Car
Make an appointment to see the car, and don't buy it without checking it out thoroughly. If possible, bring a mechanic with you. Also, bring a floor jack and an OBDII reader (if the car is a 1996 or newer model). You can get underneath the car to check for leaks and other issues and see if the reader returns any codes.
When you drive the car, take note of how it responds. While you don't want to be too aggressive with it right from the start, you don't need to baby it, either. Will it handle proper acceleration on an on-ramp? Does it stop quickly when the traffic light turns yellow? Are there any lights on the dash, hesitations, issues with the steering, or other problems? Having a checklist can be helpful, so you can find problems before you buy.
4. Be Prepared to Negotiate With the Seller
The biggest and most important tip for choosing Craigslist cars for sale by owner is to always be prepared to negotiate. Have the list of issues you found about the car so you can review them with the seller. Find out how much those issues will cost you to fix, so you can work on getting a lower price.
While some sellers won't be open to negotiation, you have valid points if you've found things wrong with the car. If you've done your research, you'll also know what the vehicle should really sell for and whether the seller is asking a fair price or not.
Naturally, the goal is to get the lowest possible price. But being fair to a seller who knows the worth of their vehicle is usually necessary - especially for a seller who's also done their research and knows what they have.
By using these four tips and taking the time to really find and look over any Craigslist cars for sale by owner that interest you, you'll have a better chance of finding a good quality vehicle that fits your particular needs.
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