Which one is safer for buying a used car? Dealership or private owner? I feel that dealers aren’t as safe as private owners cuz they rip you off or they scam you.
I’ve heard horror stories from both.
Private party usually is a better deal. Dealers you pay a markup for the alleged “safety”.
You can be scammed either way.
The dealer is safer because they always have at least some kind of guarantee (unless sold as-is). And, the dealer will still be there the next day.
Once you give a private buyer his money, that's it. You're on your own.
Except for one, I bought all my cars from dealers and all were good experiences. The prices were reasonable, and they were all good cars that lasted a long time. I don't regret a single one.
Some of these small fly by night dealerships can fold in the blink of an eye.
we have a couple that come and go every few months here
@billybob Yes the small guys should be the last you visit. Go to the big lots first. They have the most selection anyway.
But I have to confess that I bought my dream vehicle on small lot .
Any dealer or private seller can scam you. You just have to keep your eyes open and do your research. Some advice:
For Dealer Purchases:
1. Watch out for overpriced add-ons
2. Read your paperwork thoroughly
3. NEVER pay full asking price
4. Leave if you get a bad feeling about the sale or salesperson
For Private Party:
1. Meet in public areas
2. Trust your gut and leave if it seems fishy
3. Take your time and make an educated decision
4. Ask to see the title before handing over money
Not only ask to see the title but the ID of the person selling the car to see if it's the same as the name on the title.
good advice doc
Both have their pros and cons. Overall, I would say that private sale has the edge.
You can get ripped off either way. The best way to not get ripped off is to have a mechanic like Scotty to come and check it out.
You are more likely to find older (and salvage/rebuilt title) cars on a private lot.
Dealers are more likely to sell later model cars, like lease turn-ins.
Both will try and get the highest price possible.
Be careful buying a late model car. Especially, if you are financing.
I know more than one person paying nearly the same payment for a 2-3 year old used car than if they just bought brand new.
we have one lot locally where all the cars have salvage titles, but good prices, he may have found a niche market
It will be quicker, easier, and cheaper to buy from private party; you just have to know how to inspect cars if you go that route. Dealers, usually add thousands of dollars on top of the already higher listing price, but will have all the history reports and there is the lemon law(you can get your money back from the dealer on yur car if they sell you a lemon vehicle). The private parties are not always cheaper for every make and model and could cost the same or more than dealer asking prices. If that's the case, I would probably go dealer all day on that one.
Not all places have a lemon law.
Either way, you will still want an independent mechanic to check out the vehicle before you buy. I’ve bought vehicles through both and it can be a little more risky through private party esp. when money is transferred. At least with a dealer I usually know what I am working with.
I am more nervous transferring money to private party than a dealer.
You should check the title to see if it's flooded, wrecked, or stolen. Private owners are better than dealers, but private owners can also scam you.
You might get ripped off by a private party. You'l almost certainly get ripped off by a dealer.
You should always have a good mechanic like scotty check out a used car. Even at a dealer here in michigan used cars are "as is". The famous saying buyer beware comes to mind. I went to look at a challenger a few years back at a dealer and when I got underneath the car It had oil all over the transmission pan. The car was still under warranty. The oil was running down the whole motor and collecting on the transmission pan. I told the dealer this car could not have gone through a 20 point inspection because then YOU would have caught that problem. The car only had 30,000 miles on it and it had 2 owners already. Dealer's will definitely rip you off if you let them. That dealer called me up a week later and told me that he knocked off 1,000 dollars off the price for me, and fixed the car. I did not believe him so I walked away from that piece. BUYER BEWARE.
I've done both and the private seller usually doesn't have the ability to tart up a bad vehicle like a dealer might. But you also might be buying someone else's headache. I also have bought fleet maintained vehicles at auction and had decent luck there.
Best bet is to pick a couple of specific vehicles and research what common issues they have so you know what to look for. Then when you find one you do like, have an independent mechanic check it out.
