HERE’S HOW TO BUY A QUALITY USED CAR

GET A QUALITY USED CAR USING THE FOLLOWING STEPS!

You need to be mentally prepared if you want to buy a used car. You might also need to make a compromise if the condition of a car is not perfect, as it’s not a new one after all. However, at least you can still avoid getting a unit with a terrible condition. Check out these tips to get a quality used car.

ADJUST THE BUDGET

Your budget shouldn’t be exactly the same as the price of a used car. When it comes to used cars, in general, you will need an additional amount of money for repair. You can’t immediately use a used car like you could a new one.

If you want a unit of car with a price of Rp100 million, you better prepare a certain amount of reserve fund, preferably around ten or twenty percent of the price of the car. Even though you might not need the money in the end, at least you will be prepared for any possibility. That way, if the unexpected happens, you will still be able to make any necessary improvements to your ideal car.

ENSURE THE VALIDITY OF THE CAR’S DOCUMENTS

If you have collected the necessary fund, you can start carefully inspecting the car that you want. Once you’ve narrowed down your choice, examine the documents of each car. Nowadays, you can easily check the documents’ validity.

One of the ways to do so is by taking a look at the chassis and engine numbers and comparing them to the BPKB (Proof of Motor Vehicle Ownership) and STNK (Vehicle Registration Certificate). You can also check the validity of the documents on Samsat (one-stop administration service)'s online platform.

In general, all data about a certain vehicle is displayed there, including its color, type, engine, and even tax-related matter. You can also check if there is any late payment of progressive tax and other aspects. You can use the data as a parameter in planning the budget.

INSPECT THE CAR’S PHYSICAL CONDITION

After preparing the budget and examining the documents, you need to inspect the car’s physical condition. Even though people have different expectations, most people would want to get a car in at least a standard condition. If a car has been modified excessively, the body’s nuts might go missing, and replacing them won’t be easy.

A smooth paint job is not a number one priority. More importantly, you need to make sure that the gap between the panels is not significantly different. You also need to ensure that the nuts or faint lines are still intact. If something is odd or missing, the unit might have been involved in an accident.

Inspection is not carried out solely in the outer body of a car. Marks of an accident can also be seen in the frame behind the hood. The frame should be precisely aligned without any anomalous connecting points. The thickness of the plate must be even.

You can also remove the rubbers behind the luggage space to see whether the plates are still in their original condition instead of having been repaired. Scratched paint can be fixed easily compared to the aforementioned issues.

INSPECT THE INTERIOR

If the dashboard, seat, headliner, and other parts of the interior are in a good condition, try sniffing the interior. Is there any bad smell? If the answer is yes, the unit might have been heavily flooded before. You can also check the gaps in cable and rubber lines to make sure there is no trace of mud. In addition, the door trim, molded carpet, and headliner shouldn’t have any spots.

CHECK THE CAR’S MECHANICAL ASPECTS

Generally, the first thing you see when inspecting the engine is the color of the oil dipstick. The color of the lubricant at the end of the dipstick should be transparent brown or even black. If the color is that of a milk coffee, there might be some water in the combustion chamber, meaning that there is a leak in a certain location. It goes the same for the radiator or reservoir.

Leaks from the engine block should also be observed. An old car generally has worn parts, resulting in oil seeping from small gaps. It means that the packings need to be replaced.

Make sure the brake, tire, and battery are also in good condition. At least ensure the car can be brought to a safe place if you want to repair it yourself. You don’t want the car to break down right after you buy it, right?

CHOOSE A TRUSTED CAR DEALER

The best solution if you want to buy a used car is choosing a trusted dealer like mobil88 that has high standards when it comes to selling used cars to consumers. Cars in mobil88 have not been affected by crashes and floods. They also have an original odometer as well as legal and complete documents. Their chassis and engine numbers correspond to the documents.

In addition, mobil88 guarantees its product and service quality, which is contained in mobil88’s used car warranty book. The warranty book is a form of mobil88’s commitment to providing warranty for consumers as well as complementing the selection process, quality test, and used car transaction service carried out by mobil88 team.

Buying used cars in mobil88 is hassle-free, as it is an experienced dealer and a business unit of SERA under the auspices of Astra. mobil88 currently owns 21 showrooms in 9 cities, namely Jakarta, Depok, Bekasi, Tangerang, Bandung, Palembang, Pekanbaru, Medan, Semarang, Surabaya, Denpasar, and Balikpapan.

You can also trade in your used car in mobil88, regardless of brands and types. You can do it easily in just 1 hour! So what are you waiting for, take a look at the stock of the cars here.