Things to consider when buying a Second Hand car in Kenya. Buying a car always fills us with emotion. Finally, our buying a used car will be reflected in a new investment that will be very useful in our daily lives. Are you preparing to invest in a used car? Whether via a particular seller or professional, there are pitfalls to avoid. This used car buying guide Kenya will give answers of some basic questions! Buying or reselling a car always requires some knowledge of the market. The thing is simpler when you just have to buy vehicle. On the other hand, it gets complicated if you have to sell your vehicle before buying aother one. Buying a car is not a single day’s task. Even if you think you have found the vehicle of your dreams, do not rush, do not want to run to the bank immediately to make the corresponding deposit. Even if the owner presents the documentation in order, make a new appointment.
Here are the things to consider before buying a used car in Kenya.
Cost of Ownership
The long-term cost of owning a car is considerably more than the actual price you pay for it.
Ownership cost includes depreciation, fuel, maintenance, repairs, and insurance. The largest of these costs is depreciation – the loss in value over time. Foreign cars tend to hold their value a little better than domestics.
ALG is a company that keeps track of resale values and provide awards for the best cars by segment. Cars.com provides a searchable index of ALG resale values here. To get a good idea of the overall costs of a particular vehicle, I recommend you check out the Intellichoice Cost of Ownership values as well as Edmunds True Cost to Own values.
Budget
This is the most important factor when it comes to buying second-hand cars. What is your budget?
The point is to get a reasonable price for the car that meets your needs.
Therefore, it is important to visit various car dealers and car bazaars to compare the car prices and make the best decision on the car ownership cost.
You can also check the car prices online from various car dealers who have their products on their website.
It is advisable to bargain depending on the age and conditions of the car, you can purchase it at a lower price if you have the negotiation skills.
Availability of spare parts
It will be less stressful when you choose a car model that has spare parts available at the local car dealer shops or garage.
If your choice is Toyota, it will be better for you since easy to maintain.
Toyota engines are simple in design and maintenance. Many mechanics are able to cope with the rapid changes in engine technologies as Toyota endeavours to maintain similar design philosophies to enhance the principle of ‘commonality’.
Toyota owners always have a return on investment as the vehicles still fetch good prices after considerable use due to the fact that they don’t break down and are durable enough over long periods of times.
Reliability
If you’ve ever owned a car that was always in need of repairs, then you understand why reliability is such an important factor.
The good news is that most vehicles nowadays are highly reliable. New car warranties cover at least 3 years or 36,000 miles, and some even go as high as 10 years/100,000 miles. Nevertheless, you still want a car that’s going to be dependable.
Consumer Reports is a good source to check for reliability ratings. Each year, they survey about 500,000 car owners to determine which cars have the most reliability issues. Another great site is TrueDelta.com. They update their reliability ratings more often – every quarter instead of annually.
Finally, you’ll want to check out J.D. Power’s Annual Vehicle Dependability Study. They rank cars that are three years old to determine which ones have the best reliability.
Does The Car Meet Your Needs?
Things to consider when buying a Second Hand car in Kenya Apart from the budget, it is extremely beneficial for you to get a car that meets your personal needs.
Are you looking for a leisure car or a business car? or maybe you’re just looking for a car that has more interior space?
An efficient engine consumes less fuel and impacts positively on buyers who value a vehicle that consumes fuel sparingly.
It is therefore important to match your car purchase with your personal needs or rather interests.
Check reviews of the car
Things to consider when buying a Second Hand car in Kenya Checking reviews of the car model you are intending to buy can help you make a better decision since other car users usually give insights about different vehicles.
You can check the reviews on various car dealer websites and you will be able to make a wise decision when buying a second-hand car.
Take The Car For A Test Drive
You should always go to view a used car with someone that you know just to give you confidence and to act as a witness. You should never go alone or at night.
If you are not an expert make sure your friend is or pay an expert to come with you. Make sure you check the interior, bodywork, engine and always, always take the car for a test drive.
When you doing a test drive ask yourself the following questions;
• Are the seats comfortable?
• Is it possible to adjust the seat easily?
• How is the mirror visibility?
• Do you have enough legroom?
• How much cargo space is there?
• The backs seats, are they comfortable?
Have a Car Insurance Policy
Things to consider when buying a Second Hand car in Kenya According to the Traffic Laws Act, it is a must for you to get your car insured by a car insurance Kenya company.
Failure to do so, it will be illegal for you to drive the car on the Kenyan roads.
The minimal requirement for car insurance cover is third-party car insurance coverage. Some of the advantages of third-party car insurance are;
• It is cheaper compared to other insurance coverage plans.
• It has an easy process in purchasing and renewing the insurance policy.
• It offers legal cover and protects you financially when you cause damages to the third party.
You can purchase other insurance coverage plans such as; comprehensive car insurance Kenya and third-party fire and theft depending on your budget and car insurance needs.
Check Details on Paperwork
Things to consider when buying a Second Hand car in Kenya It is important for you to check the paperwork,to know if the car has been stolen or not. It will be critical for you to know the details of the previous car owner.
Conducting car online search and verifying the information on the logbook, gives you a stress-free process for you when buying a second-hand car from the car supermarket.
The car dealer will help you in accessing the vehicle search history report, which will indicate if the car has a car ownership saga.
Inspect The Car
Things to consider when buying a Second Hand car in Kenya Where you are not familiar about cars, you can contact a trusted mechanic who will inspect the car tire pressure and alignment and will also perform routine brake check
For every 1,000 miles removed from the odometer, it increases the value of the vehicle substantially and is a highly illegal practice. It is worth checking for signs of tampering. Examine the dashboard for worn screws.
Look for chips made my stones across the front of the bonnet, grille, and bumper, these can be an indication of many motorway journeys. Most cars average around 10,000 miles per year, so check the mileage on the clock roughly ties in with the age and appearance of the car.
The mechanic will check five important areas of the car. These parts are; Exterior part of the car, tires, interior part of the car, engine and transmission, steering and suspension.
Get The Documents And Make Payments
Things to consider when buying a Second Hand car in Kenya. It is advisable to follow the right process when creating the necessary documents and making payments for the car.
You have to initiate the Online Transfer Logbook through the NTSA TIMS. if you do not have the NTSA TIMS account, you are required to create one.
It is important to ensure that the Sales Agreement Contract includes; your signature, that of the seller and third-party witness.
Note that, as a car buyer, you will have to pay the transfer fees and purchase tax through the NTSA TIMS.
Is the car imported or locally used?
Affordable price is one of the main advantages of purchasing an imported second-hand car.
Although, for an imported used car, you will have to wait months for the car to be cleared through the Mombasa port.
For a locally used car, it comes at a high car ownership cost, if you are not patient enough to wait for the imported pre-owned car, you can buy the locally used car.
It is important to check the locally used car, if it has car ownership history, stolen or not and if repair is needed.
With the above information on 10 things to consider before buying used cars in Kenya, we believe you are going to make the best decision when it comes purchasing your ideal car.
Note that there are risks associated with buying second-hand, so it’s important to take your time, and not rush into anything, even if you’re not spending a fortune.
Quality of the car
Quality refers to the workmanship and durability of the car, its components and accessories over time. Cars that are rated high on quality will experience fewer overall problems such as paint peeling, rubber seals wearing, rattling noises, etc.
These days, many quality problems tend to occur on tech features, such as navigation, adaptive cruise control, reverse-parking assist, and telematics systems such as GM’s OnStar. J.D. Power’s Initial Quality Study looks at the number of problems reported during the first 90 days of ownership.
It’s important to note that redesigned or newly introduced vehicles will experience more quality problems during their first year of production than subsequent years. This is natural since manufacturers have to deal with unforeseen production glitches and errors. I recommend waiting until the second year of production before buying a new car – it will not only save you money, but you’ll experience fewer quality problems.
Steps To Follow Before You Buy A Second Hand Car In Kenya
Step 1: Have a copy of logbook, which is a proof of ownership from the owner, when you are buying the car privately.
Step 2: Verify the car details on NTSA at a fee of KSH500
Step 3: Write and sign an agreement of sale
Step 4: Pay through bankers cheque
Step 5: Have the previous owner’s details e.g; PIN Number, copy of his or her National ID
Step 6: You need to fill the log book transfer form
Step 7: Make changes on the logbook at NTSA
Step 8: Pay Purchase Tax and transfer fee at KRA
Step 9: Lastly, get your car insured by buying car insurance from Next Insurance Kenya.
