So, you’re looking for a used car in Winnipeg. You’ve been browsing car sales websites, Craigslist, and even eBay Motors to find a great deal on a high-quality used vehicle.
You see a car that looks like it’s in great shape – and it’s for sale for less than its value on Canadian Black Book! You’re interested, so you send the seller a message. They send you a CarFax report – and there it is.
The car has been in an accident. Now what? Do you walk away? Do you buy the car anyway? How do you negotiate the price?
In this article, we’ll discuss the most important things you can do if a car you’re interested in buying has an accident on its CarFax report.
1. Check The Report For Details About The Accident
First things first. Take a look at the detailed CarFax report for more information about the accident. Even minor accidents like fender-benders get reported to CarFax , so the accident may not have caused severe damage to the car.
However, the car could have been involved in a serious accident, and nearly totaled. The report will have more information about what damage the car sustained – so make sure to look at it carefully.
2. Ask The Seller To Provide You With Information About The Repairs
The seller should be able to give you some information about what happened to the car – as well as information and documentation about the repairs which were performed on the vehicle. If they are unwilling to share any of this information, don’t buy the car. Chances are, it’s in worse shape than they want to let on.
3. Make Sure You Get A Third-Party Vehicle Inspection
As a rule, you should always get a vehicle inspected by a trusted mechanic when you’re thinking about buying it directly from the owner. They should have no problem with this, as long as you foot the bill for the inspection.
It’s even more important to have a car inspected by a mechanic if it’s been in a major accident. Give the mechanic the details about what components were damaged in the accident, so that they can take a look at these major systems, and assess the quality of repairs.
4. Negotiate The Price With The Accident In Mind
Chances are, a car that has been in a major accident is already priced below market value. But don’t just accept the price that you have been given. If the car seems to be in great shape, but has been in a major accident, you still have some room for negotiation.
Feel free to try to get the price of the car reduced somewhat. The buyer may not accept – but you can always make a higher offer, so there’s no reason not to negotiate.
5. Make Sure The Car Doesn’t Have A Salvage Or Rebuilt Title
As a rule, you should be staying away from any car that has a salvage title, or a rebuilt title. This indicates that the car was totaled, auctioned off, and then repaired to get it back into working order.
Salvage title cars and rebuilt title cars are always going to be worth less than a car with a “clean” title, and may have a higher risk of mechanical issues. If you don’t like doing car repairs, or don’t have much experience with cars, it’s best to keep away from these vehicles.
Need A High-Quality Used Car At A Great Price? Come To Ride Time!
Buying a car from a third-party seller can be quite difficult and time-consuming, particularly if the vehicle has been in an accident.
So don’t worry about all of these issues – shop at Ride Time! At Ride Time, we have clean, accident-free vehicles that are in great shape, and inspected by our professional mechanics to ensure they operate properly.
There’s no risk, and we have the best prices in all of Winnipeg and Canada. So start shopping now, and find a great used car at a fantastic price.
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