Although the overall African economy faces many risks and challenges, it has maintained moderate and stable growth. Although overall income level in Africa is still low, modern facilities are limited. However, African countries have begun to focus on the adjustment and optimization of industrial structure, improving the investment environment, and strengthening infrastructure construction, including roads, railways, ports, electricity, etc. With the growth of the economy and the optimization of infrastructure, more and more families need cars. Especially in countries with high GDP, such as Egypt, Nigeria, South Africa, Morocco, Seychelles, Mauritius, Botswana and other countries.
For people who want to buy a car, whether for commuting or making a living, used cars are more economical than new cars, but there is no difference in quality. It is a good choice for those who want to buy a car but lack the budget to do so. However, there are many brands of used cars, and the quality varies greatly. In this reality, how to carefully select a ideal used car? I believe you will find the answer after reading this article.
There are usually three major processes for buying a used car.
- Before buying, you need to clarify your needs, budget, andfavorite car models or body shapes.
- Identify the quality of the used car, check the condition of the car.
- Verify vehicle purchase procedures
1. Before buying, clarify your needs, budget, and favorite car models or body shapes.
Before buying a used car, you need to determine your needs and budget. What is your purpose of buying a used car? Is it for transportation, travel, work or pleasure? What are your requirements in terms of model, configuration, performance, fuel consumption and space? How many years and kilometers of used cars can you accept? How much do you plan to spend on a used car? Because the condition and year of the car are different, the price of used cars of the same brand also varies. You need to think clearly about these questions in advance. In order to narrow your options, avoid blindly following the trend or being fooled by bad sellers. You must be firm in your purchasing principles!
First determine the purpose of using the used car, so that you can quickly and accurately buy a car that meets your needs.
- If it is for work, such as an online ride-hailing driver or other job that requires carrying passengers. Then what you probably need is a car with large seating space, comfortable seats, and a good riding experience for passengers. Moreover, the cars should have good performance, sufficient power, low fuel consumption, and be suitable for cars on various terrains such as mountain roads. For example, a mini bus from Foton brand is very cost-effective. Of course, this car is also suitable as a tourist reception car.
- If you need to load large items such as building materials and furniture, then you will most likely need a van or pickup that is durable and has large backup space, enough to meet your needs for hauling goods. For example, the mid-sized pickup--Amorak is a good choice. In addition, Foton pickup can also be used in areas with mountainous terrain, such as Ethiopia. Based on the testing, Foton has made a number of upgrades to the pickup, such as enlarging the fuel tank to allow drivers to carry more fuel; strengthening and raising the chassis to adapt to local mountain roads.
- If it is a daily commuting scooter, it is generally a sedan or hatchback. Many people like to buy hatchback cars, and they can choose Toyota Hilux or Volkswagen Polo. However, compared to Nigeria, which is composed of plains and deserts, Kenya, which is mostly mountainous jungles, is less receptive to sedan or hatchback, and more people choose to buy SUV. In addition to the Prado and Land Cruiser LC70, which also sell well in the Middle East, there is also the Land Rover Defender here. Land Rover mainly sells SUV in most countries, but in Kenya, this off-road vehicle is still the best-selling one.
It is recommended to first go to the online used car website for price inquiry and evaluation to understand the basic price of the cars we want to buy. You can also go to the used car market and ask about prices from several stores and compare the price. Because there are so many merchants, you have to shop around and choose the one with the most affordable price.
In addition, another important point is to try to choose a car brand with good after-sales service and easy to find accessories in the market. If any parts are damaged, it can be easily repaired, otherwise it will cause us great inconvenience if there is any problem with the car in the future.
2. Identify the quality of the used car, check the condition of the car.
The most important and problematic part of buying a used car is identifying whether a car is an accident vehicle. They are worried about encountering accident cars, flooded cars, refurbished cars, burned cars and other vehicles that have been seriously collided or damaged. Even if you are an experienced driver, you still need to screen carefully.
Most car buyers are not experts in selecting second-hand cars, but they can also rule out accidental used cars by simply observing the paint surface of the car body, checking the screw tightening marks, and using foam trace identification and other relatively simple measures.
We can simply judge from the following aspects：
- Engine: Open the oil filler and unscrew the oil cap. If there is a layer of dark emulsion with viscosity on the bottom of the filler cap, as well as small water droplets mixed with oil, this means that the cylinder gasket, cylinder head or cylinder may be faulty. The body is damaged, causing antifreeze to seep into the engine oil. If the problem is serious, there may be internal damage to the engine, and it may even require major repairs.
- Observe the color and impurities of the engine oil, if the car has an oil dipstick. After the vehicle has been used for a period of time, it is normal for the engine oil to turn black. However, if the engine oil turns gray, white, or emulsified, it is possible that liquid is mixed into the engine oil, so please pay attention.
- Through the exhaust gas emitted after the vehicle is ignited, the operating condition of the vehicle's engine can be judged. Judging from the position about 10 centimeters away from the exhaust pipe, the exhaust gas is colorless and has no strange smell, and sometimes a small amount of water vapor is discharged. This is a car in good condition. If the exhaust gas is blue smoke, then the valve oil seal may have failed, the oil has entered the cylinder combustion chamber, or the gap between the engine's piston ring and the cylinder wall is too large or other major faults.
- Appearance: Check whether there are scratches, dents, rust and other defects on the car body, whether there are signs of painting or replacement of parts, and whether there are signs of water damage or fire.
- Gearbox: Check whether the gearbox is smooth without any frustration and whether the shifting is sensitive.
- Steering system: Check the steering gear, steering power pump, and steering oil pipe for oil leakage, looseness, abnormal noise, etc. Whether the free travel of the steering wheel is normal and whether the turn signal lamp is working properly.
3. Verify vehicle purchase procedures
Check the vehicle procedures, including the owner’s ID card, vehicle registration certificate, driving license, environmental protection label, annual inspection form, insurance policy, etc. These procedures can reflect the source and legality of the vehicle and help you avoid the risk of buying a stolen or mortgaged vehicle. You can also check the vehicle's maintenance records and accident records through the frame number to learn about the vehicle's history and accident status.
In addition, you need to pay attention to the following details when purchasing a used car.
- When purchasing usedcars, try to choose brand models with a large number of copies and at least a medium value retention rate. Because the after-sales maintenance costs of niche brands will be higher. Used cars with a moderate value retention rate can still be sold at a good price if you want to sell them later.
- If you have to choose between the price of a usedcar and its condition, then choose a car with good condition, because there are many sources of used cars, but a used car with good condition is few.
- Be sure to purchase usedcars from regular car purchasing channels. Even if the car is recommended by relatives and friends, it must be judged by a third-party agency before purchasing. The car must be inspected before purchasing.
- When purchasing a usedcar, many people will be very concerned about the mileage of the vehicle. They are worried that the repair and maintenance costs of vehicles with high mileage will be higher. In fact, as long as the price of the car is reasonable enough, the vehicle has been in a normal state of maintenance, and there have been no major accidents, you don't need to care much about the mileage.
- Small scratches on the body color and appearance are not something you need to pay special attention to for a second-hand car. It is inevitable that there will be scratches while driving, and some paint and sheet metal repairs may occur. This is normal and will not affect the car.
Final thoughts
There are so many things to pay attention to when buying a used car. So, should you choose a used car? In fact, if the vehicle is in relatively stable condition, buying a used car is definitely more cost-effective than buying a new car. Especially for Africa, used cars are durable and cheap, and there is no fear of being scratched or damaged.
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