It can be easy to see a person selling a car as little more than an obstacle between you and your potential new purchase. However, just as it is as a rule in general life, treating people with respect is everything when buying a used car privately.
I know I’m not your parent, but you’ll have to forgive me because this column doubles up as a lecture on good manners. So why exactly am I taking the moral high ground? Well, after a family member informed me of a recent car-selling experience, it got me thinking about how we treat the person on the other side of a transaction.
The exchange in question involved the potential buyer rocking up to my relative’s house, not even bothering to knock on the door and immediately making their way underneath the car instead. I’m an incredibly strong advocate for closely inspecting a used car, but not greeting the seller in any way (or even informing them of your arrival) is downright rude. Remember, the car is still their property.
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If you think things couldn’t get worse, they did. After more than an hour of questioning, test driving and further inspection, the interested party then declared that they didn’t have the funds for the car and would hopefully get a loan. In other words, this already frustrating encounter was a complete waste of time.
The vast majority of car buyers depend on one form of finance or another to fund their purchase, and this certainly isn’t a problem. However, the sensible approach is to have your budget figured out, and then confirm that you are indeed eligible for some form of financing. Simply “hoping” doesn’t help anybody here, but putting down a deposit does.
Don’t get me wrong, there are some iffy sellers out there, but many are simply everyday people who are parting with their wheels. Do be prepared to walk away if something doesn’t feel right, and don’t be afraid to ask plenty of questions, but always remember that manners cost nothing.
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