Buying a used car is mostly a straight-forward operation. However, it is advisable to be aware of some basic pitfalls in order to make a good purchase. Knowing how to choose a used car in good condition means avoiding potentially costly inconveniences and repairs later on. Main checks to be carried out concern the mechanics of the vehicle. Moreover, the mileage must not have been tampered with. It is also important to ensure the car has not suffered any serious accidents that have compromised its chassis stability. Finally, and in order to safely conclude any sale, the appropriate and safe modes of payment accepted in Italy must be considered.
Cars with mechanical problems
It can happen that a car may be sold with mechanical problems without the seller mentioning them. In these cases if you are lucky the repair can be simple and not very expensive, if not, when you talk about problems related to the engine it can be very expensive. Before buying a used car in Italy it is good to listen to the opinion of a car expert who will value the state of use of the car and carry out the necessary tests to make a safe purchase.
Odometer rollback fraud
When selling a used car the speedometer may be rigged to indicate a mileage which is inferior to the real one. This unfair practice allows cars to be sold to a higher price based on its real value. Beyond this, the main problem for who buys a car with a rigged speedometer, is that the car has a different wear and tear compared to the one that is declared, this will lead to superior maintenance spending in the future.
Finding out if a car has the actual km or not is possible. There are two ways:
Periodical revisions
Check the km marked during the periodical revisions of the car visible on this website.
You can enter the license plate number and check the measured mileage
Wear parts of the car
A careful observation of the usury of some parts of the car such as the pedals, steering wheel, the driver’s seat, etc..
The payment of a car
When a car is sold or bought it is important to be careful to the payment modalities.
Cash payment
In Italy there is a limit foreseen for cash payments. This limit right now (28/04/2022) is set at Euro 2000 but probably in the future it will drop down to 1000 euros. Other means of payment considered to be secure are: bank transfer and cashier’s check.
Bank transfer
This method of payment is secure and quick. However, when receiving the payment for a car it is preferable to choose a quick bank transfer or make sure that the fixed amount is already present in the bank account of the recipient, in fact traditional bank transfer is revocable, which means that the buyer, despite it has made the bank transfer can withdraw it within two days.
Cashier’s check
The cashier’s check is issued directly by the credit institute of belonging only if the sum to pay is available on the bank account. It is a very secure method of payment; however one must verify that the check has not been forged. There are two ways in which one can check and avoid complications. The first consists of going directly to the bank of buyer and let them issue the check right in front of you. Alternatively, once they have obtained the check you can contact the bank which issued it and ask to verify the released check.
Carsforexpats is able to assist car trading at 360 degrees guaranteeing the completion of the negotiation quickly and safely.
