If you want to buy a used car in the near future, you will usually first contact the seller by phone. Regardless of whether the seller is a private individual or a dealer, you should ask the following questions over the phone: Good preparation improves your chances of buying, and you may save a lot of money or avoid making the wrong purchase.
One of the first questions would be whether the car has been accident-free and, if not, what damage is known. It is also advisable to ask about scratches and dents. You can find stone chips on almost all used cars, but this question shouldn’t be missed either.
If a vehicle has had many previous owners, this can have a negative impact on its condition. You can often read in the advertisements that a vehicle is being offered with a full service history. The term “service book-maintained car” means that the owners have regularly serviced the car and recorded the maintenance in the maintenance book. This means you may be somewhat protected from surprises. The maintenance logs also include the respective mileage at the time of maintenance. This makes it possible to assess whether the mileage stated in the sales advertisement is realistic. Then the question should not be left out as to what repairs have already been carried out and whether there are any old repair invoices. There may still be a guarantee on the respective repair. This can also lead to conclusions about existing and/or previous defects. Ask about whether the bearings, steering, and axle parts are worn out. If this is the case, future repairs can be expensive. Ask if the car stays in the lane. You can check the truth later, during the test drive. Poor tires can lead to additional costs after purchase.
You should also ask the questions listed below.
Does the transmission shift smoothly?
Is the engine noticeably losing engine oil (oil stains on the floor)?
Is there rust?
What is the condition of the inside of the car?
Are the seats chafed, or do they already have holes?
Do the electrical equipment work, such as windows, sunroofs, windshield wipers, air conditioning, etc.
Is the vehicle currently registered (also because of a possible test drive)?
Avoid price negotiations over the phone. If you are aware of the defects during the inspection, you have enough arguments to negotiate a better purchase price. These targeted questions show the seller how serious your interest is.
