Where and whom to buy used cars from

Friend/family circles

Asking around your friend and family circles is a good way to find a used car, and usually you can rest assured that you won’t be taken for a ride. Personal contacts have long been a tried and trusted source to find just the car you need, in a condition acceptable to you and at a price that both parties can find agreeable.

Auto garages

Since they get a lot of cars from a lot of people for servicing, local garages have a good handle on who wants to sell theirs and just what condition the car is in. But in this case, it is very critical that the mechanic is someone who is trustworthy and will operate in good faith. If he puts you directly in contact with the seller, nothing like it. Otherwise, if the transaction goes through him, there’s a good chance that he’s getting a decent commission on it, which means that you are not getting the best deal possible in this case.

Second hand dealers

In almost every city and town, you’ll find second hand car dealers. While going through a second hand dealer might not fetch the best deal possible, the process is pretty much hassle free and you’ll also get a fair bit of variety to choose from. Manufacturer owned second hand dealerships such as Maruti Suzuki’s True Value and Mahindra’s First Choice are also a good option. With places like these, what you are getting are cars that are in good shape and have been reconditioned by company workshops.

Websites

There are many websites popping up every day where people can post about cars they want to sell. Potential buyers can contact the sellers directly and take the process forward. You can also find a city-wise as well as model and manufacturer-wise listing on the ZigWheels website (https://www.zigwheels.com/used-car)

Auctions

Banks which have seized cars from loan defaulters usually auction them off at fairly good prices. There are many other private auctions that take place around the country as well and even the armed forces auction off their used vehicles from time to time. But one really needs to have the right contacts to know when and where these auctions take place. While car auctions make it difficult to judge the condition of the car that is on the auction block, one can really get some fantastic low-price deals here.