[Aarvee76]

Hi all!

The past three months have been spent searching for that unicorn - the perfect pre-worshipped car in the premium/luxury segment with a budget of 20 L. During my search I have pored over hundreds of threads, browsed various websites and visited multiple used car dealerships (in Delhi only). Some observations during this search:

1. The cost of the same car varies obviously varies from city to city. I knew Bangalore was expensive and assumed Delhi/Punjab were the cheapest. I was surprised to find that Ahmedabad and Kolkata were cheaper than Delhi. I would rather buy a car that has been driven in the excellent highways of Gujarat rather than the traffic of Delhi or Kolkata. Please correct me if I am wrong. Disclaimer - I am in a transferable job, and the state of registration does not make a difference for me. even if it did, the difference in price between Ahmedabad and Bangalore was large enough to justify purchase, transportation and reregistration.

2. Carwale and OLX have the widest range. Reliability of OLX is suspect. There are some low mileage premium cars at extremely attractive valuations unsold on OLX for months which leads me to believe that these are scams.

3. Cars 24 and Spinny dont have a wide range of premium cars.

4. Droom - A bit confusing. Did not delve too much further.

5. Used car dealers in Delhi - Went to Naraina (Mr Car), Janakpuri (sagar Motors and multiple others) Ashok Vihar (multiple dealers). The choices and array of products available are mind boggling, and every dealer insists that he is the epitome of honesty and integrity. Came away utterly confused.

6. All car dealers claim that the vehicles are company serviced, the odometer is untouched and after giving a booking amount I am free to take the car to the service centre for check up.

So the questions that remain are:-

1. Which is the most reliable website for searching for cars.

2. Which is the best city to buy used premium/luxury cars

3. Any known reliable used car dealers in Delhi/Mumbai/Ahmedabad/Kolkata

4. How much should we negotiate from a listed price of 20 L? I was looking at the Camry and the Octavia. I saw a 2019 model Skoda Octavia 1.8 TSI L&K having done 19000 kms listed at 20 Lakh in Delhi and 18.5 Lakh in Kolkata. Similarly, a 2016 Camry hybrid having done 75000 km was listed at 20 Lakh in Delhi and 18.5 Lakh in Pune.

I am pathetic at bargaining. What should be my initial offer and what would be a decent price for these cars. I am OK with buying the car from anywhere as long as it is reliable.

Cheers

Moderator - I opened a new thread since I did not find this topic covered anywhere. If you find this frivolous, please delete or merge with any other existing thread. Thanks.

[vigsom]

Captain,

Here are a few insights based on my pre-owned car purchase and ownership experiences of over 22 years:

1. I have helped some friends and relatives get some pristine cars, and even two wheelers from olx - all these were in Chennai and from the direct owners. These were vehicles under 5L and the rule does not apply for the budget range you're looking at.

Majority of offerings on OLX, Carwale, Cartrade are by dealers.

2. Pristine premium cars almost invariably go to the dealer cartel only. Owners of such cars don't have the time and interest in haggling with potential buyers. In my view, the best option for you is to look at pre-owned at the pre-owned division of the dealerships eg. U -Trust OR look for a pre-doted example from a direct owner on this forum itself.

3. I very seldom trust the odo reading of any car and use my own judgement to gauge the actual odo. Eg. a 2011 Honda Accord was being offered as a 60k run example when it was a corporate car and had done over 110k.

4. Do not, I repeat, DO NOT go for a premium car that does not have warranty. You will bleed and cry when some unexpected breakdown occurs. The only brand that I would gamble with without warranty is older Toyotas and Lexus.

5. No dealer is fully trustworthy. My only good experience with a dealership was TSM Chennai but there again, they touch up cars and make them look all original. Chinks in the armour are seen six months down.

6. The cheapest cars I've seen pan India are in WB; don't know why. Don't buy a GJ car.

7. Negotiation margins are typically 10-20% off the expected price. Some dealerships don't budge by even a few thousands.

[GTO]

You can get a great car from a bad dealer, or a bad car from a great dealer. Remember, the dealer has nothing to do with the car's condition (that depended on the previous owner). The dealer is merely a middle man.

I find my used cars on OLX, Team-BHP Classifieds & new car dealers. My 1st-gen City Vtec was from Ichibaan Honda, the Civic was from Solitaire Honda, while the 5-Series was found via OLX (some small-time used car dealer).

You have to be really good with following up and it takes a lot of calls / legwork / effort to find a sweet pre-owned car. That's why you save lakhs of rupees. If it was super easy, everyone would be buying used cars only. One has to navigate through the maze of used car markets, check cars, their history, bargain, do pre-purchase inspections, audit the paperwork etc. That's what you are saving lakhs of rupees for.

The process is not for everyone.

[nardogrey]

I agree with GTO as well. I was on a lookout for a premium car for over a year and a half to find a genuine one.

I had my budget, mileage ,specific model and color decided and that also helped me sift through a lot of clutter.

I guess for me a lot of patience and weekends are needed to get hold of a sweet deal.

By the way I got the car through OLX in Mumbai. The ad was by the dealer and I bought the car directly from the owner. The dealer only introduced us and entire negotiation was between me and the owner. I went to his home to see where he kept the car as well. Only after I was convinced that he is genuine that I closed the deal at 15% lower price than what he had quoted.What also helped build confidence was the car had 3 years guarantee remaining.

Octavia 1.8tsi should not be more than 18L for a low mileage L&K 2019 model.

[luvDriving]

My first car was a pre-owned one and I bought it from my close friend's used car dealer. So that was an added guarantee that I am less likely to be duped. I did get a good car which served me well for 8 years.

I am a little hesitant to go to OLX or other platforms but I would not rule them out totally. Like GTO mentioned you can get a good deal if you look hard and verify all that is put in front of you. I will say try to find a trusted or at least known dealer within your network and try there first.

[2000rpm]

Originally Posted by GTO

You have to be really good with following up and it takes a lot of calls / legwork / effort to find a sweet pre-owned car.

My area of expertise

The approach should depend on the following factors

1. Do you enjoy the process of buying used cars? - If yes, OLX. Else OEM used car dealers followed by local dealers.
2. Do you have the time to meet multiple owners for various cars? - If yes, OLX. Else OEM used car dealers followed by local dealers.
3. Are you clear about the car you want or only have a budget in mind? - If No, OLX. Else OEM used car dealers followed by local dealers.
4. Are you keen on having the best deal? - If yes, OLX. Else OEM used car dealers followed by local dealers.

Look at the below list of my car purchases

1. Zen Jelly bean (OLX / Quikr)
2. Palio (OLX / Quikr)
3. Civic (OLX, Dealer)
4. Zen Tiger (OLX / Quikr)
5. Swift (Team BHP classifieds)
6. City (OLX, Dealer)
7. Polo 1.6 (Team BHP classifieds)

Amongst any classifieds, I would rank TeamBHP the highest when it comes to genuine sellers, but sellers quote prices on TeamBHP much higher than their market value. Asking prices of some of the ads on TeamBHP Classified are....

[pedrolourenco]

Originally Posted by Aarvee76

I would rather buy a car that has been driven in the excellent highways of Gujarat rather than the traffic of Delhi or Kolkata.

Kolkata cars are cheap because Road Tax is for 5 years only as opposed to 15 years for other states.

Originally Posted by vigsom

Pristine premium cars almost invariably go to the dealer cartel only. Owners of such cars don't have the time and interest in haggling with potential buyers.

That's true. Most of the time they are upgrading. So the car is given to the dealer selling the new car who in turn has an agreement with a broker to pick up all these exchanged cars.

[Jeroen]

I cant really comment on the finer details of buying a used car in India, but certainly GTOs comments are spot on:

You can get a great car from a bad dealer, or a bad car from a great dealer. Remember, the dealer has nothing to do with the car's condition (that depended on the previous owner).

I have bought endless used cars, in various countries we lived in. Most of my research is through internet these days. I have bought from dealers and places like Carmax in the USA. But most of my used cars I have bought from individual owners and or traders. Quite often traders masquerading as individual owner.

Just a few pointers that I have developed over the years and that work for me:

Really do your research well. Know what car, model, make, features etc you ar looking for. Check the car clubs for known issues with these cars.

Genuine sellers are on the lookout for genuine buyers. So cars that are advertised with lots of details, lots of photographs are my preference. Transparency is the name of the game. I don’t mind a car with over 100K on the odometer, especially not if the seller can tell me and show me a very detailled maintenance story.

When it looks good on the Internet, I will always try to call the seller. I never enter an email and or txt discussion. I like to hear the person. Sometimes, within the first minute of a phone call I might already decide I don’t want to be dealing with that person.

I don’t mind if a car has been in a accident, as long as it is properly repaired. But if the seller offers that information in a personal call without too much probing, that is probably a good sign. Not being told and finding out after having travelled for hours is not a good thing! Transparency and the seller being up front is what you are looking for.

By the way; same is true when I am selling car on other stuff online. My experience, people that take the time to talk to you personally are much more interested in buying/selling than folks that txt!

Ask them to describe the car. A genuine person, one who has taken care of his/her car is usually proud to show it off. This is also were your preparation needs to kick in. If you know that this particular car has a problem with say the cooling water pump, ask about that.

I always ask to be send some more images of particular parts of the car. In particular those parts I know might cause problem (Do the research!) and those parts that are good indicator of general wear and use: E.g. ask a clear detail image of the pedals, the rim of the steering wheel and driver seat. It will tell you immediately if that claimed 55.000 km on the odometer is anywhere near realistic.

Ask them about the paperwork. To what extend can the maintenance history be proven. Do they have invoices, sign off in the drivers service manual etc.

If you like the car, but the price is way off, be up front with it; Better to spend some time on a phone call then to travel all the way out and finding you can’t make the price work.

Buying a used car, is not for the faint of heart, anywhere in the world. It takes a lot of time.

Good luck

Jeroen

[Ooomph]

An option which works in mid/large organisations is the admin department is in charge to sell off cars which are used by senior executives

They don’t advertise a lot but prefer car is transferred on sale vs selling to a dealer.

If you are comfortable with bank auctions and visiting auction yards- that too is a great source of leads.

[shobhit.shri]

Originally Posted by vigsom

Captain,

6. The cheapest cars I've seen pan India are in WB; don't know why. Don't buy a GJ car.

Just curious, but why not buy the GJ cars?

[kkunal.shah]

This thread is just in time for me, I'm on a lookout for a used Jetta HL TDI AT, have the following to add:

- Dealer Cars will always look in pristine condition, most dealers will do touchups, panel repainting & will do a detailing job to make the car look as good.
- Dealers will never haggle on price over the phone, they would expect you to visit them in person.
- If the dealer does not have a service history & is not willing to send the car to the company service station then pls avoid such a car/dealer.
- Owner listed cars usually have a higher asking price.
- Owner listed cars are being used as daily drivers (in most cases) will not be in pristine condition & will have minor scratches etc.

I have found OLX to have the highest no. of listings both individual & dealers. Just can't understand the droom concept, pretty complex & have stayed away from it.

[TrackDay]

I had an experience recently where I was on the look out for a used automatic car with a proper torque convertor or CVT transmission. It is hard to find good examples, that too here in Kerala. From whatever I have seen online such options are much better in bigger cities like Mumbai, Delhi etc. In the end after 6 months, I couldn't find anything suitable to my requirements and took a new car. It didn't help matters that the folks at home were dead against buying a used car.

I can truly say that it takes a lot of time, money (test drives and service check at your own expense most of the time) and patience to find the right one. There are folks who:
1. Have never washed their cars.
2. Always prefer pick up from the service center for annual services.
3. Never changed a flat tire.
The same folks can't be bothered to go out and find the right used car. There was even a recent thread on someone who got a showroom demo car on a bargain, but was a rust bucket ! So definitely extensive PDI too is required. To be honest if you are not ready to get a little grease under your nails, it is not for you.

Coming back to the topic of buying used, my number one priority are always cars known to me. The ones owned and maintained by my friends, colleagues, relatives etc. I also refer True Value from Maruti, though my experience with them was not too great in the end . I also agree with GTO's statements. "You can get a great car from a bad dealer, or a bad car from a great dealer". Do not leave out any platform, used dealer or online sources to find a used car. Also inform in your WhatsApp groups the criteria that you are looking for. Maybe someone could be looking to sell too. Also check out with finance firms/banks who have taken back cars due to non payment of loans. They usually have a stock of cars, though I have no idea of the condition of such cars.

It is best to narrow down a car that you prefer. Or else if you like a certain car, search the following based on that model:
1. Known defects/shortcoming on that model, and whether the car you are looking at has all those issues fixed.
2. Service records are proper.
3. Insurance history (claims and so forth)
4. Also check out Team-Bhp guide on buying used cars.
https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/buyin...car-india.html (ARTICLE: How to buy a *USED* Car in India)
Also take someone with you who is good at bargaining since you said you don't do the same very well. Carrying a booking amount will also show that you are serious about the car.

In the end even if you get a good example a lot of service & upgrades might be necessary in term of alignment, oil changes, filter cleaning & ICE upgrades. It is also important to pray, to ensure that you don't end up with a Lemon . But in the end, all the hard work does pay off. You get the bargain of a century. A car ready to rev from day one of your ownership. Also small nicks and dents wont hurt your peace of mind as much as a new car. I wish you happy car shopping !

[egobrain.exe]

In my experience, always buy the car directly from the owner. I just got a POLO GT from the owner directly and was introduced by the dealer who took a commission to get the deal done along with all the paperwork. The car has been fantastic and was a steal as it was a year old car (5k driven) and I got it at a 3 lac discount. I was originally going to book a new Polo GT but checked OLX causally and found this.

Before the POLO, I bought a Kizashi from a known person who sold me on getting it and it turned out to be a nightmare. The person who helped me get it was my manager who was into cars and I bought on his word saying he knows it pretty well. The car turned out to be an accidental car which was just repaired and there were plenty of other problems. Had to sell it within 6 months taking a loss to cut my further losses.

IMO, you need to know the owner and do a thorough inspection of the car on how it has been treated. I always prefer to get a new car but when buying a used one, these are my pre-requisites:

1. Should be less than 3 years old
2. Should have been driven less than 20k kms
3. No prior accidents
4. Proper Service history with records
5. Should have gotten then services done from company dealerships and the same one
6. Get a test done from the company dealership before purchase
7. Should be in-warranty and with a valid insurance
8. Purchase directly from the owner and the car should be in their possession

Irrespective of where you get it from, you need to have these checks done. Hope this helps!

[Asif 6959]

From my recent experience - Its best to buy from a know source. Avoid Dealers as far as possible.

Make your Family & friends (Especially friends) aware on your requirements and budget.
Someone somewhere is always disposing their priced possession and would always want it to go in good hands.

Within my circle I have known many cases (me included) where one friend was selling and the other was unaware.

Friends who have company cars or leased cars from their offices are also a good source. As these get replaced in 3-5 years time and are mostly company maintained. Hence making them a good option to choose from. The availability may not match your timing but its atleast giving it a try. I got mine this way and at a very good deal.

Cheers.

[2000rpm]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Check the car clubs for known issues with these cars.

Originally Posted by 2000rpm

Amongst any classifieds, I would rank TeamBHP the highest when it comes to genuine sellers, but sellers quote prices on TeamBHP much higher than their market value. Asking prices of some of the ads on TeamBHP Classified are....

I think Jeroen sir's reply is one of the most detailed one regarding the softer aspects of a used car purchase, I do all this intuitively and hence did not articulate it like Jeroen sir did. One thing I may add is, if there is any work to be done in the vehicle. Request the seller to fix it and give him an offer accordingly. Issues may seem minor at first glance and can balloon your repair cost when you get deeper into them. Some thing like rusting on one door may look trivial, but may indicate a need for a complete re-paint!