Used Cars: Buying On The Internet

Buying a used car on the internet can have it's negative sides, but on the whole it's a very user friendly and transparent experience. The benefits are that you have a lot more information available to you at your finger tips, and with the click of the mouse you can find many different opinions and reviews to back your research up. You also have a very broad view of the market, with hundreds of thousands of cars available on websites such as auto trader you have the opportunity to compare prices and the quality of vehicles on offer. Many people are also finding themselves going to auction websites such as Ebay, as it allows a quick and easy purchase. However, auction sites are not for the faint hearted and it is recommended that you know exactly what you are doing before you go bidding.

Advertising Sites

Websites such as Autotrader are a fantastic place to start when looking for a car online. They act in a very similar way to the old fashioned classifieds; you are simply shown an advertisement for a used car, often with both pictures and a description. Autotrader alone has around 370,000 cars listed per week, that's a great amount of information ready at your finger tips. It's a very simple website to use, and you part with no money until the car is veiwed in person as per normal. You simply browse the cars you like and arrange a viewing via the contact details provided. The listings also state whether the seller is trade or private, this helps a lot when trying to gain an idea of the situation.

Auction Websites

Ebay has become an increasingly popular method for buying and selling used cars, and now features it's own motoring section. Buying a car via an online auction is definitely not for the faint hearted or inexperienced. Bids must be placed based on the item description and if your bid is the highest, you will then be legally committed to buying the vehicle in question. However, this is all 100% based on the description provided so if you turn up to buy the car and it is dramatically different from the item you bid on, you have every right to walk away. As you can see, buying a car on Ebay or any other auction site requires knowledge of the online auction system and also mechanics.

Search Engines

For a broader view of the online market for used cars, why not spend some time searching on Google, Yahoo or Bing? By typing in the model and 'for sale' you may stumble across some listings that you never otherwise would have found. A typical Google search should provide you with listings on Ebay and many other shopping websites and also lesser known websites such as fan clubs. This is well worth a try if you can't find what you are looking for in any of the major places, and especially if you are looking for something specialised such as a classic car.