Australians make mistakes when buying a second-hand car

Everday Austrlians are getting stung hundreds of dollars each year by not following a few simple rules.

More and more Aussies are planning to buy a second-hand car, but most are scared they’ll buy a lemon.

New research from Allianz Australia has shown the missteps buyers make before getting their new ride.

Demand for used cars has skyrocketed in the past two years as Covid-19 has wrecked supply chains for new cars, forcing more buyers to look for used cars or face waiting lists of six months or more.

There are risks when buying a used car privately.

Of those surveyed, 85 per cent were in the market for a second-hand car and one of the big reasons was to avoid public transport due to Covid-19 concerns.

Many surveyed didn’t know the proper processes or checks to do when buying a used car off a private buyer.

More than half the buyers surveyed said they never considered organising a mechanical inspection.

Worryingly, many didn’t inspect the bodywork for damage or even take the vehicle for a test drive before buying.

A third of buyers believed they bought a lemon.

Unsurprisingly one third of respondents believed they had bought a lemon. These mistakes set the new owners back more than $500 on average to fix the problems.

Many of the issues surrounding a negative buying experience were easily avoided by following a few steps and knowing when to walk away.

Always be prepared to walk away.

Allianz’s private buyer’s manual said some damage isn’t always easy to spot. It recommends looking for things such as larger than normal panel gaps around the bonnet and bumpers.

Other tips include:

- Pay special attention to the interior, because if an owner hasn’t kept the inside respectable then it’s likely they have ignored what’s under the bonnet.

- Take the car for a test drive and listen for rattles and odd noises that could precede mechanical issues.

Allianz also recommends arranging comprehensive insurance before you drive away to avoid any nasty situations on the way home.

If you aren’t feeling confident when buying in person there are several tricks you can do to make sure you aren’t forced into a bad deal.

Body language expert, Allan Pease, says: “Purchasing a second-hand car can be daunting and a number of Australians don’t necessarily know how to approach the sale.”

He recommends buyers write down the questions they want to ask and practise saying them out loud.

He also says buyers shouldn’t bow to pressure from a sales person, as there’s always another deal somewhere.