Category : Cars

Car Dealership Scams Menace

Having a car dealership can come with all sorts of inconveniences, but the worst of all can be when you are into buying a car, only to fall prey of a scammer. Scammers come with manipulations, tricks and convincing their targets to make the best out of the opportunity. This is why you need to be very cautious when engaging anyone in a car buying deal.

Manipulating the Odometer Reading

Manipulating a cars odometer, which is also known as ‘Clocking’ or ‘busting miles’ is the illegal activity of changing the odometer reading of a car to a lower mileage. Individuals who carry out this illegal practice are able to reprogram a digital odometer using software applications or other devices.

Salesman Buying Tricks

When you’re selling a car to a dealer or trading it in for a newer model, you want to get a fair price for it. Unfortunately, there are many dealers and salesmen who will use every trick in the book to drive down the price they will pay for your vehicle. Some are overpowering and will try to convince a seller that there are problems with their car that will affect the price.

Payment Scams

A wide range of payment scams have emerged in recent years. For example, scammers who sell cars and car products on eBay may ask for payment through PayPal. However, many buyers do not realize that PayPal does not cover the purchase of cars through eBay.

Sourced From: http://www.totalcardiagnostics.com/learn/car-industry-scams-and-how-to-avoid-them/

There are many scammers out there, waiting for the right opportunity to strike a fortune at the expense of a naïve car buyer seeking to make a purchase. However, state governments are doing all they can to minimize this menace at all costs. This can be effective if the public can make an effort to understand the anti-fraud law in detail since they have a part to play in fighting fraudulence in car dealership.

Auto dealer fraud law consists of state and federal rules designed to protect consumers shopping for vehicles, and to punish dealerships that take advantage of their customers. These laws deal with deception and unfair practices by dealers, as opposed to the sale of defective vehicles, which is the subject of a separate set of rules known as “lemon laws.” Primary sources of auto dealer fraud law include the FTC regulations found at 16 CFR 455 (the Used Car Rule), other federal and state consumer protection laws, and the common law tort of fraud.

To members of the public, vehicle purchases and leases are complicated transactions with which they may have little experience. Dealers, on the other hand, are well-versed in these transactions. They are also incentivized by commission pay structures and the potential for financing profits. Fraudulent dealers may rationalize their conduct based on a general attitude within the industry – especially the used car industry – that ingenuity in the sales process is acceptable, and that customers buy at their own risk.

Most types of fraudulent activity that take place at auto dealerships can be characterized as either non-disclosures, or affirmative misrepresentations. Non-disclosures occur when a salesperson withholds information affecting the desirability or value of a vehicle. Examples include a failure to inform the customer that the vehicle was previously used as a rental, that it was involved in a collision or sustained other hidden damage, or that the vehicle’s warranty has expired.

Sourced From: http://www.hg.org/auto-dealer-fraud.html

If you are unsure on how to bust a stalking scammer, you may have little to do than you may think. Only watching the form of communication such a person keeps should give you a hint that there is something sinister about them. Do not be hasty to enter into a deal with someone you are not conversant with.

Cashier’s Check Scams: In a typical scenario, a buyer – who usually inquiries from overseas – arranges to pay for the car with a cashier’s check or certified check in an amount that’s more than the vehicle’s purchase price. The buyer justifies this by saying a previous sale fell through or the extra money is needed to pay for shipping expenses or customs fees. Note that the initial-and even, perhaps, all subsequent-contact from this type of buyer is via text message or email, with excuses provided for a lack of phone communication.

The buyer then asks the seller to wire the difference either to him or to the shipping company to cover expenses. Or a buyer will send a cashier’s check as a down payment, then decide to back out of the deal and ask for the money back.

Third-Party Transaction Services: PayPal and Google Wallet are examples of legitimate third-party transaction service providers. However, false representations of these companies’ products are often used as a cover to commit fraud. One common scenario is for a fraudulent buyer to request purchase of the vehicle without ever seeing it, claiming it is “priced favorably.” Fraudulent buyers typically confirm the asking price, ask for photographs, and ask whether there have been any repairs to the vehicle. Upon the seller’s response, the fraudulent buyer then tells the seller that a particular third-party service is the most secure way to conduct online transactions and asks for the seller’s third-party service account details.

At this point, the seller will often, as with the Cashier’s Check Scam, explain that payment has been arranged in excess of the selling price and instructs the seller to return the overpayment via Western Union, MoneyGram, or another money transfer solution. Unfortunately, the seller does not learn that the PayPal or other third-party transaction was not real until after the successful money transfer of the overage.

Sourced From: https://www.cars.com/articles/how-to-avoid-used-car-scams-1420680887789/


Find Automatic Cars For Sale In Kent Online

Do you like driving an automatic transmission vs a standard transmission? I do for sure. Don’t get me wrong though because I’ve owned a couple manual transmission vehicles, and I did enjoy driving them. At first I didn’t because I had to learn, but then driving a manual transmission vehicle became addictive. It feels like you have more power and control. However, I’m 35 now, and I don’t really need that much power.

Automatic cars aren’t just easier to drive, but they also are generally more durable. This means that they are going to require less maintenance and repairs. You have your own reasons why you’re looking for automatic cars for sale in Kent. I’m just backing you up as to why an automatic car is the best bet. Sometimes you have to pay more for the automatic transmission, but once you look into all of your options and get down to selecting a vehicle, you’ll get a great price.

The first thing you’re going to have to decide is if you want a used or a new vehicle. I’m not going to suggest buying a new vehicle, although some of them do hold their value decently well. You just have to realise that even buying a used car that is one or two years old is so much better. You’ll still have to watch the sticker price markup at dealerships on used cars for sure. With the Internet, you’ve always got the information you need about the retail value on vehicles, so you’re good to go.

If you’re going to go with used automatic cars for sale in Kent, I did a quick search myself. The first site that pulls up says there are 603 classified ads for used cars in Kent. Now that doesn’t mean they all have an automatic transmission. However, there were multiple sites that pulled up just in the search where you can look up different listings of cars for sale.

Keep track of those cars that you find and like. It’s best to write them down so you can take your business offline after you find enough vehicles. Or, you can simply copy and paste the information into a file to print out for use when calling about vehicles or out looking at them. It’s also a good thing that you can get your vehicle financing affairs in order by searching out options online.

If you get a loan at the bank for under two percent interest, that’s great because it’s your best option. However, many people can’t get the best loans and need to seek out other financing options before hitting the lot. If you were to buy a vehicle from a private owner, you’d also want to have cash in hand. You want financing done before you hit the dealership because they will try to sell you financing that will cost you a mint over the life of the loan. You want a good deal on a used automatic car in Kent.


Here Is How To Get The Best Deal On A Car

When you have looked for a new or used car, have you been frustrated and confused by the process? You may have just needed the right piece of advice to help you navigate the process. These tips can help you buy a 1968 Dodge Charger for sale and love it.

You should take the car-buying process very seriously. Many people are so happy about the prospect of buying a car that they do not think of the seriousness of the task. Buying a car is a serious financial investment, and you should do all you can to remain businesslike.

Do not allow yourself to buy the first car that you see, even if it seems like it would be perfect for you. There are so many vehicles out there for sale that buying the first one may cause you to lose out on making a much better deal on a car you may like a bit more.

Have a clear understanding of what those upgrades will cost you. Purchasing the fancy stereo, leather seats and DVD player might be appealing, but those options can add a significant amount to the price of your car. Take some time to think about how much you really need the upgrades, and only purchase the ones you will use the most.

Learn about the true market value of the car before making an offer. Oftentimes, dealers will have the car marked up a certain percent over the value so they have some wiggle room. If you know the market value, you can better haggle with them about the price you will pay out the door.

Take a look at owner reviews before selecting the car you want to buy. These can be found online, at many different websites. Owner reviews give you a good idea about how much others enjoy the car, and if they would recommend it to friends and family. They offer a different perspective than professional reviews, and they are very informative for anyone who is car shopping.

A great tip for those looking to buy a used car would be to research what the resale value of the car is. Look at the Kelly Blue Book value and compare it to the condition that the vehicle is currently in to see whether or not the price is fair.

Remember that the vast majority of salespeople must meet quotas either weekly or monthly. This system works to your advantage at the end of the month. Salesmen short on sales will want to increase their totals. That will put you in a better negotiating position.

Before going car shopping, clean all personal items out of your car. Doing this one thing will save you considerable time at the dealership. This will also ensure that you do not leave behind important documents such as insurance papers. Nothing is worse than getting home and realizing the you left something in the car you just traded in.

If you are car shopping and want to test drive some different cars, make sure you bring your license and insurance card with you. Many dealers will want a photo copy of them before you drive. This is just to protect them in case someone steals or damages a car. If you do not have them with you, they might not let you test drive.

Get a vehicle history report for any car you are seriously considering. All you need is the vehicle identification number (VIN). This report can tell you about the car’s accident and repair history, as well as whether the car has been in a flood or other disaster. Some sites allow you to pay for a one-month subscription, which is handy if you will be pulling reports on multiple vehicles.

Many of the perks a dealer offers are really expensive, including rust-proofing, paint sealant and anti-theft devices. Shop around before you even approach the lot to find out what local car shops are charging for these services, and then take the quotes you get with you to either get a deal from the dealer or skip those add-ons totally.

Remember the advice from this article when car shopping. You can make the car buying experience simpler by following the advice offered here. Look back over this piece as necessary as you move forward with your plans.


Selling Your Car And Making It Worth Your While

You’re going to want to learn about selling your car to get the most out of it. Otherwise you may get stuck with a buyer that doesn’t pay you what the vehicle is worth. Get some tips here and don’t sell yourself short.

Selling online can be a good idea, but you have to make sure you meet up with people in your area in a safe place. That’s not to say that most people are bad, but you want to avoid meeting up at your home or somewhere where you can have problems if the person turns out to want to rob you or do something else that you didn’t want to have happen. Meeting up in public is better, and that’s how you should always deal with things that are being sold by you online or even when you buy something from someone in your area.

When you sell your car, you should ask for a higher price than you want to take, but not too high. The goal here is to make sure that you are getting the best possible deal, but making the customer feel like they are getting a deal. If you have the price at, for instance, $1000 and you really just want $800, someone is going to feel more like buying from you since you’re cutting them quite a deal. Just don’t price too high over the price you want since that will just drive people away from buying from you.

Are you aware of whether or not your vehicle has any damage? Do you know what kind of work has been done on it in the past? You don’t want to lie when you tell people about the vehicle you are selling. Instead, you need to talk with them and be honest about it. When it comes down to it, being an honest person when selling a vehicle goes far. That will allow you to get the most money for it and to make sure that the other party is as happy as possible.

A good way to go about selling your car is to utilize the above pieces of advcie. Sine there are a lot of varying ways to go about this, figuring out what works for you is a good idea. Now is the time to begin, so get out there and sell today!


What Are The Various Benefits Of Getting A Used Vehicle When Compared To A New Automobile

What are the various benefits of buying a pre-owned vehicle when compared with a brand new car?

It’s the perfect time for you to buy a new vehicle and you may be thinking which would be the wisest purchase, a pre-owned automobile or a brand new one. Even though 100% brand new vehicles
have their own allure there are several advantages of opting for a second-hand automobile. Most car salesmen would actually attempt to offer you a brand new automobile since these individuals
earn more money especially if it is a top of the line brand and model.

However if you’ve got a choice of second-hand vehicles to pick from then be certain to think twice about purchasing a new vehicle. Before we consider some of the most important factors of
picking used automobiles it really is imperative to point out the one detail that you must have in mind is and that one detail is how the vehicle has been maintained previously. You want
a vehicle that was owned previously by someone with a record of maintaining it.

The first benefit of buying a pre-owned automobile is the obvious fact that you’re going to spend a lot less which ranks number one, two and three. Though most people generally don’t realize it,
the cash difference, on average, between a second-hand and a new car is about twenty grand. In this economy where most individuals typically don’t possess that sort of extra money, it makes no
sense to use up that amount of cash specially when you can take advantage of exactly the same characteristics with a second-hand vehicle.

Although it’s accurate that the interest rates on second-hand vehicles are larger, the actual gap between the two is minial. On a new vehicle you would get around four percent whereas on a new car you’d get more or less 4.99%.

A used automobile obviously has a track record and you know of course that an individual has used it and that it functions well. Provided that you receive a maintenance record to show that the car was serviced regularly you’re going to be all right and have a better comfort levell.

A second-hand vehicle has lesser depreciation when compared with a brand new car. Once you purchase and then take a car from a showroom you right away lose about twenty five percent of its original price. That is a great deal of cash lost if you give it some thought. In the event you purchase a pre-owned automobile, however, it’ll depreciate in actual value but then not that drastically year over year. If you ever put it up for sale after a short time you would secure a large amount of your investment back.

You don’t pay out taxes when it comes to used automobiles at all. That is something that a lot of states don’t make known to the general public. Learn exactly how much tax you have to pay on a used automobile in your own state of residence and see the amount of money you’re going to be saving.

The registration expenses for cars decreases year after year, although for new cars the fees are really high initially. If you get a pre-owned vehicle you will not pay out that much in registration fees plus they will fall year after year taking less out of your bank account. If your decision is to go with a pre-owned vehicle, one place you can’t go wrong is buying used cars in Elkhart from the Lochmandy Auto Group. Their history spanning nearly one hundred years stands alone when it comes to taking care of their customers.

Whenever you get a new automobile you’d be getting quite a lot of add-ons or accessories that you typically don’t need to have. Car sellers are smart and so they desire to make the most money they can out of you. Generally, they do that easily by including add-ons or accessories to brand new cars and then charging you for these add-ons. You don’t have to pay additional for things that you simply
don’t require and as a result of going with a used car, you avoid these added costs and save more money.

Think again before buying a new car as a second-hand car would actually get you where you wished to go on time and in the same comfortable ride.