The 10 secrets to help you buy a car online

November 27, 2019

Buying online is not a foreign concept to the everyday person. With eight out of ten Australian’s shopping online, it is the way of the future.

But what about buying cars online? According to the Cox Automotive 2019 Car Buyer Journey study conducted in the US “the most frequent tasks performed online include searching for vehicles, finding trade-in value, getting information on incentives and securing credit/financing. When it comes to the more transaction-oriented (and frustrating) steps like finalizing price, doing paperwork and negotiating, less than 10% of buyers perform these activities online ahead of time”.

We want you to feel confident about the car you are buying online, so we have created a checklist for you to make sure you know what you are buying before you hit the ‘bid’ or ‘buy’ button on our website.

1. Check the inspection report thoroughly for damage to high-value parts such as windscreens and tyres
2. Know your consumer rights
3. Have a really good look at the photos and enlarge them to see if there is any damage – view on a computer or tablet for bigger images
4. Do the same with the interior photos
5. Understand the standard cars are checked to – see if the site has any condition reports
6. Check the servicing history
7. Check the car’s history – all you need is the VIN number, check it against the databases in the state it is registered. For a small fee (free in some states), can save you a lot of money and problems – go to your local transport authority for this information
8. Do your homework on the car, search it on CarsGuide and other car review sites for more detail on the make and model
9. Read the terms and conditions of the sale
10. Call and ask for more information if you need – we will be able to help you if you can’t get down to see it yourself

By going through each of the steps above, it will put you in touch with the right information you need to make an educated choice when buying a car online.

At Manheim, we sell hundreds of cars online every week. We understand our customer’s requirements when it comes to buying vehicles online and are the professionals in the online buying space. We also understand the importance of education when it comes to not only buying a car online but buying in general.

To see more of our range, please go to our Manheim Online webpage.