How do you feel when that luxury car like Mercedes Benz, BMW or Audi passes by your side? Do you also look at it and think when will that day come that you will own a car like that? But then another thought pops up “will I really be able to afford it in my budget?” and then you drop the idea of buying a luxury car again? What if we tell you that your dream is not a dream anymore and you can be the owner of a car like that as well? Don’t believe us? Well, now imagine yourself opening the door to luxury! The chic look of the car boosts up your mood everyday you go to work! The comfortable seats on those long drives with your family do not feel that long anymore!
Yes! All this possible with the used car markets coming up these days! This may sound a little scary. But worry not! We are here to help you out with the tips and tricks for buying a used car in India!
Research the Market -
First and foremost the most important thing is to make sure which car, brand and model you want to buy! Buying second hand luxury cars is very time consuming as their sellers avoid spending time with confused buyers. To buy the perfect car for yourself, do you research well, know about the features and does it fulfil your requirements and is it suitable for your family type, as at the end of the day it is going to define you as a family!
Always look for the actual value of the car that you plan to buy. To avoid overpaying, you may have to indulge in compulsive negotiation which may sound tiring at first but will surely prevent you from going out of your estimated budget!
Pre- Purchase Inspection -
With buying a preowned luxury car we have to make sure about certain points like- will the car’s spare parts be available, what will it be its resale value, how much the maintenance would cost, its reliability and we are here to help with these questions!
- Spare part availability - One crucial thing that you have to be sure about is the availability of spare parts while buying any premium pre owned car. Brands like Audi, BMW and Benz have their service centres in almost all the cities and thus finding their spare parts is usually not a big task compared to other brands, which may be widely available across India.
- Resale value - Are you also one of them who gets bored with driving the same car overtime and likes to change every 3-4 years! With the technology updating frequently we also want to switch and thus knowing about the resale value makes you choose your car mindfully, giving you a good investment for your next car.
- Maintenance Cost - The older the car the more maintenance it would need! With the costs so high for maintaining these premium cars, make sure to look for not a much older car as with it would come huge bills of servicing, maintenance and spare parts, which would cost you more than the car itself!
- Reliability - Ensuring the reliability of your used luxury car is a must! Check for its past performance of your model, reviews and ratings from the past users and only when you are satisfied with the car, finalise your decision.
Going on a test drive will also help you identify if the car is in its best condition! Go for a 4-5km drive and while on your drive check for-- Comfort on various types of roads
- If the engine starts instantly
- No unusual sounds or vibrations
- Speedometer and mileage indicator
- Smoothness of clutch
- Smooth gear changes
- Leakage in engine
- Electronics like auto lock, sound system, windows, air conditioner
- Lights, jack, tyre condition and seatbelts operability
- battery
Certification -
Investing in the perfect car is what we want and the answer to that would always be its certification! A certified car will always be well inspected and cherry to the cake it will also come with a warranty! An approved dealer or for premium car brands like Benz, Audi and BMW can be approached directly for the certification of your second hand luxury car. To explore more options for used luxury cars you can also go through these luxury brands’ webpages.
Documents of the car -
All the required documents should be checked thoroughly before finalising. Here’s a list of all the documents that you may need -
- Insurance - Insurance policy should be valid from the date of purchase and should have a buffer of at least 2-3 weeks for expiry to transfer the RC smoothly. Few things that you will have to check on the Insurance policy are the owner’s name, matching chassis/ engine number as in the RC, any prior accident claims, valid date on the Insurance policy, no claim bonus amount (NCB) and if the NCB is zero, ask the owner for the reason of claim.
- Registration Certificate - original RC is a must to submit to the RTO for the transfer. In case of lost RC, ask the owner to get a new smart card. The RC should be read carefully for the model, owner name, sub variant, address, owner serial number and the registration number. Check the hypothecation as well to ensure if the car is financed on both insurance and RC.
- PUC - The pollution under control (PUC) is mandatory to transfer the name.
- CNG/LPG kit certification - If the car has two fuel types, the seller will have to provide an active certification and an NOC from the RTO. The buyer should also ask for the receipt of a CNG/LPG kit.
- NOC - A no objection certificate (NOC) should be issued stating clearly that the financer has no claim on the vehicle.
- Service records - All the service records should be handed over to the buyer to ensure all services are done by an authorised service centre.
Once you go through all these pointers thoroughly you are ready to own a preowned car and if you are choosing to buy a pre owned Mercedes you can also visit your nearest Mercedes pre owned car segment.
