There are a huge number of used cars on the market today. That’s why trying to find a well-maintained vehicle becomes a real headache when it comes to purchasing.
One of the primary issues with the used car market is that buyers are unable to quickly detect commonly used car fraud methods. Some old cars may look great on the outside, but a closer inspection reveals many hidden defects. As a result, it’ll inevitably lead to unexpected and expensive repairs in the future. That’s why we have prepared this material, which includes the top five fraudulent schemes when it comes to salvage cars for sale.
The Car Was Damaged in an Accident
Since the traffic in cities is becoming more and more dense, drivers get into accidents more and more often. A study conducted by one reliable VIN search and vehicle background check service found that almost a third, or to be precise, 31% of all cars inspected through its online platform were damaged in accidents.
When choosing a car, it’s recommended to check the gaps between body elements. If some of the clearances differ greatly, this may indicate damaged parts or cheap, shoddy bodywork. Unscrupulous sellers and fraudsters try to hide such defects, so the buyer needs to carefully inspect the body elements up close.
Odometer Frauding
According to reports, one out of every six vehicles (16.7%) had tampered mileage. Such kinds of fraud are very common among unscrupulous dealers who import used automobiles and try to sell them with understated odometer readings. It should be noted that tampered mileage is especially common in diesel vehicles.
There is a reason why changing the odometer reading is so popular among fraudsters. A one-time odometer correction is a cheap service on the black market, but it can increase the value of the car by 25% and even more for the most popular vehicle configurations.
The mileage rollback is easily noticeable. The wear of some automobile elements can reveal the problem. If the seats, steering wheel, or gear shifter look very worn but the mileage is low, this is one of the first signs that you should look for another car.
The Car Was Rented Out or Used as a Taxi
Some drivers have no idea that their vehicle was previously used as a taxi or involved in rental services. Such automobiles, as a rule, have high mileage. As a result of intensive operations, mainly in urban conditions where we have more traffic jams, the vehicles are already quite worn out. There is also a good chance that they were poorly serviced, often saving money on spare parts and consumables.
According to the data, around 17% of vehicles that were checked by a VIN decoder service had been used in taxi or rental services. Such automobiles can sometimes be identified by the color of the paint, but especially cunning dealers can even repaint the car. That’s why a vehicle history check report is a much more reliable solution for identifying such vehicles. It’s obvious a potential buyer would be better off avoiding the vehicles we mentioned in this section.
The Car Was Stolen
Purchasing a stolen car is probably the worst thing that can happen to a buyer. In such a case, the vehicles are usually confiscated from the unfortunate new drivers. At the same time, getting the money back can be difficult, if not impossible. Again, using vehicle background examination services allows for significant savings in both money and time.
The Car Price Is Too Low
Used vehicle buyers are better off avoiding suspiciously cheap automobiles, despite the fact that this is quite a temptation for many. If the price is too good to be true, the buyer should check the car especially carefully, also comparing it with similar options in other auto markets. This option appears to be very appealing at first glance. In practice, there is a good chance that the vehicle was imported from another country with tampered mileage or serious hidden defects. As a result, it’s better for the buyer to stop immediately and look for another car.
However, a low price is not necessarily a sign of a scam. Sometimes people need to sell a car urgently for one reason or another. Regardless of the situation, the low price is a good reason to check the car’s background in most cases. The VIN lookup results will help you find the possible and hidden reasons why the price is so low.
Summing Up
Purchasing a reliable and well-maintained car with low mileage isn’t an easy task. However, potential buyers can see the real picture by using an online vehicle history check service.
It’ll definitely show you how the car was used in the past and help you avoid common fraudulent schemes. Of course, the buyer of a used automobile shouldn’t be gullible. Paying close attention will help to avoid deception, as well as prevent significant unexpected costs in the future.
