Buyer Beware: Tips to Protect Yourself When Buying a Used Car Privately
Many Kenyans would rather buy a locally used car rather than import one. Why? To start, importing a new car in Kenya is incredibly expensive. So buying a locally used car is a great way to save money – and ensure the car is already conditioned for Kenyan roads. However, when looking into buying your… View Article
Many Kenyans would rather buy a locally used car rather than import one. Why? To start, importing a new car in Kenya is incredibly expensive. So buying a locally used car is a great way to save money – and ensure the car is already conditioned for Kenyan roads.
However, when looking into buying your dream car, it can quickly become a nightmare, especially if you’re buying from a private seller. There’s the risk of getting scammed or buying a car that’s stolen and illegally altered.
The good news is that there are ways you can protect yourself when buying a car from a private seller. Here are a few tips to protect yourself when buying a used car privately:
1. Do your research
This is the most important step to avoid getting scammed or ending up with a lemon (a problematic car sold with undisclosed defects, issues, or damage.). Do thorough background checks on the seller and the car itself.
You should ensure that the seller’s details match those registered to the vehicle by the National Transport and Safety Authority (NTSA). It will only cost you Kshs.500 to conduct a vehicle search on the NTSA portal but save you a headache later. If the seller tells you that they’re selling on behalf of the owner, they should write a letter authorizing them to do the sale.
If you found the car on a social media platform such as Facebook car sales groups, check out the profile and how long it’s been active. A recently-created profile is a big red flag, an indicator that the account may have been purposely created for the scam. Always avoid listings that seem too good to be true. Ads for popular sports cars and SUVs priced at half of what they’re worth are almost always lures used by scam artists.
2. Arrange a face-to-face meeting
Be wary of sellers who don’t want to meet in person or if they say that the car isn’t currently in their possession. Insist on a physical meeting in a public place to negotiate the deal. Remember to notify your family or friends about the meeting and bring along a witness if possible.
Don’t carry large amounts of money with you when meeting a seller.
3. Inspect the car before committing to buy
“I’ve bought about three cars and the experiences are crazy. The last one seemed like a good car from the outside but it turned out to have a damaged engine from a previous accident. It was almost a write-off…” Maurice Otieno- Executive Director, Baraza Media Lab.
To avoid ending up with a lemon, you should always have the car inspected (Peach Cars can help you out with this) before you commit to buying it. A test drive (on a public road) should be part of the inspection process. You can also tag along a knowledgeable friend or family member with you if you don’t have a mechanic.
4. Insist on a sales agreement
Now, you’ve checked the car and the seller – it now seems everything will check out. You’re at the stage where you’ve negotiated to your best offer and are ready to complete the deal. Before you make any payment, have a sales agreement outlining the terms and conditions you’ve negotiated, including the amount to be paid, the mode of payment, and when the logbook transfer is to be initiated. The agreement should be signed by the seller, the buyer, and any other witnesses.
Want to know the other documents you should ask for when buying a car in Kenya? Read this guide.
Buy a Car in Nairobi with Peach Cars
These tips can help you to protect yourself when buying a car from a private seller. But the best option is to buy a car from a registered dealer like Peach Cars. We do the heavy lifting so you don’t. We’ll verify the seller, do an inspection of the car and let you know what fixes are needed, and handle the paperwork for you.