European vehicles are known for their beauty, performance, and sleek design. If you’re in the market for a used car, it’s important to do your homework so you can be sure you’re getting the best deal possible. From BMW to Volkswagen, the range of European cars is endless, and there’s plenty of used stock available to be had. Check out this simple guide that will steer you on the right track toward getting the used car of your dreams.
Get a Used Car Reliability Report
In order to get a clear picture of the deal you’re about to get, you should know a variety of key information. A used car reliability report will give you a much clearer picture of what you’re getting. You can find these reports online if you have the car’s VIN number, and they’re available from a wide variety of websites. Feel free to shop around to find out which services offer you the vital information you need at a reasonable price. Here are some things you’ll see in the report that will help you make a purchase decision:
- Title history: This report will tell you if the car has a clean history or not. For example, if the vehicle was once in a flood, the title history will indicate this and you should walk away from the deal. Much like buying a home, a clean title ensures that the used car has been maintained properly. The title history should show you if the car has ever been rebuilt, scrapped, recalled, or even if it was declared a lemon in the past.
- Odometer check: This simple check will let you know if there was any tampering or malfunctioning of the car’s odometer. The mileage needs to be accurate in order for you to make sure you’re getting what you’re paying for.
- Event check: An event check will indicate what the car was used for. For example, was the vehicle once used as a police cruiser or a company vehicle? How about a taxi or even a driver’s ed car? You need to know these things in advance, and you also need to know if the car was ever involved in a serious accident prior or if it had ever been stolen.
Aside from this report, you should also ask the seller of the used vehicle to give you any maintenance and repair records. These records will give you a “snapshot” of the types of repairs it has undergone in the past. It also shows that the previous owner took good care of the car and gave it the amount of maintenance it needs to be in good condition. With these simple checks, you can walk onto the car lot or buy from a private seller in total confidence.
For all your vehicle’s needs, call Prestige European Auto Service at 954-358-4933 for Oakland Park and 954-358-4994 for Fort Lauderdale.