Reality check: buying a used car

All of us must have come across long rows of cars with “for sale” placards in our respective cities. Every city I’ve been to has its own used-car district (or districts). I, for once, made the mistake of falling for that Accord 3.0 V6 going for the price of a Ford Figo Titanium. There was just no comparison. It was like choosing between a duplex and a brand new but tight one hall-kitchen. Of course, just as you won’t get a duplex in the heart of the city, you will have to live with a few scratches on the outside and scuffed leather on the inside. “Who cares if it’s used, as long as its luxury and performance,” my heart shouted, sending my mind into numbness.  Well, this is the kind of emotion the used car business in the country has been tuning into.  At first glance, it looks like an industrial shredder that shreds even Tata Motors’ rulebook on value-for-money into tiny bits. But that’s not the only thing it shreds.

With such an inviting picture on the face of it, it is easy to fall prey to this giant shredder if you’re not too careful about your steps – as I was about to discover. I’m quite assured I’m not the only one strolling around the used car market. When there’s everything available right from Maruti 800s to a low mileage BMW M5s and Bentley Continental GTs, I know there are many buyers as well. And relatively high number of casualties too! I had already taken the plunge and I thought I should try and decipher the parallel industry, which looks all glitter but is as unorganized as a gang from a UP village. Most of the things you are going to read are a firsthand account.

Also check:

Next: Making up your mind / Research       

           Checking out the car / Test drive 

           Finances