Buying guide
Should I buy a car from a private seller?
The key to buying privately is to do your research – make sure you’re getting a good car at a fair price.
If you buy a car from a private seller, you’ll usually be able to get the car for a lower price than from a car dealer but buying this way does come with some risks and important points to consider. The key to buying privately is to do your research – make sure you’re getting a good car at a fair price.
Before buying from a private seller, make sure you:
- Do your research and avoid buying a lemon.
- Learn the price of other similar cars, so you know what you should pay for it – our valuation tool can help with this.
- Check the seller’s history on Trade Me so you know who you’re buying from. You’ll find this information at the bottom of each listing.
Is it safe buying from a private seller?
Private sellers aren’t covered by the same laws as dealers, so you’ll have to do a bit more research to make sure you’re getting a good car. We recommend checking the history of the car by getting a MotorWeb vehicle information report (VIR). A VIR will let you know if the car has money owing, has a tampered odometer reading, or if the car has been reported stolen.
To make sure you don’t buy a lemon, you should research the mechanical history. It’s always worth getting a pre-purchase inspection and safety check from VTNZ, the AA or a mechanic.
What are the benefits of buying from a private seller?
Now that you have a solid grasp of what to expect when buying a car from a private seller, we can look into some of the benefits of buying your next car this way. These include:
- There are lots of options under 10k.
- You can get a bargain.
- No upselling or additional costs.
- Usually, you drive away the day you pay.
This covers all of the important points you need to know when you’re starting on a car buying journey with a private seller. Use these tips to buy with confidence, and to ensure you get an excellent deal! If you aren’t sold on buying from a private seller then try looking into buying from a car dealer.
If you’re ready for the next step then check out our tips for what to look for when viewing/test driving your potential new car.
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