Be Smart When You Buy a Car
From Facebook Marketplace
The way in which people buy has been transformed in recent years and nowadays online marketplaces like Facebook Marketplace are incredibly popular. This is for good reason as it can be a way for people to save money by buying second-hand, plus you can find all kinds of items including furniture, clothes, electronics and more. While Facebook Marketplace can be a good place for certain items, for major financial decisions like a car it is best to avoid these platforms.
Rife with Scams
It is always important to be wary when buying a used car from a private seller and platforms like this make it much easier to get scammed. Buying a car is a major financial decision to make, which means that you need to trust the person that you are buying it from. These platforms can make it very easy to hide and conceal information, so it is no surprise that scams are common.
Regulations
In addition to trust, you also need to be wary because private sellers are not regulated, and you will not benefit from consumer protection. This is why it is always recommended that you buy from an established dealer that will offer a smoother and more secure purchase (you will also benefit from flexibility with finance plans).
Maintenance
Another reason that it is best to avoid these online platforms is that the vehicle is less likely to be maintained to a high level. When you buy from a trusted dealership, you can rest assured knowing that the vehicle will have been maintained and survived but there is no guarantee of this with a private seller.
A Reason it is Being Sold on Facebook
A private seller could also be trying to conceal things about the vehicle and it could be missing official documents, which could suggest a scam which could come back to haunt you and see you out of pocket. There is a reason that someone will be selling a car on Facebook and not through a more established and trusted platform, so this in itself is a red flag. On top of this, once the car is sold, you are unlikely to hear from the seller again which contrasts with a trusted seller where you will benefit from aftercare and have someone that is an expert in what they are doing.
As you can see, Facebook Marketplace and other similar platforms are not a good place to buy a car. While they can be excellent for certain items, when it comes to major investments like a car, it is best to go with a trusted dealership – and because of this it’s probably not a good place to sell a car either.
