Bought a second-hand car recently? The work is not done yet. There are a lot of things that you need to take care of before you settle down with your car.
This article covers the 7 most important things to do after buying a used car. Following this checklist will help you avoid getting into any trouble.
- Perform a VIN Check on it
You can not get the dealer to share all the relevant car details with you. Mosty, they will try to hide some information that might affect your decision to buy the car. In such cases, it is important to perform a VIN check on the vehicle.
Vehicle Identification Number check is a process in which you can access all the records of a vehicle with the help of its VIN.
Platforms like Chevy VIN decoder offers reliable services to perform VIN check on any vehicle. The process is quite simple as you just need to enter the VIN and hit the search button.
However, we recommend selecting the manufacturer or using the exclusive tool of that manufacturer for better results. For example, you can perform a VIN check on a Chevrolet as a VIN check noted service in any country.
Once you get the report, you can check all the relevant information about that vehicle there. Getting this information ensures you make the right deal for that vehicle.
- Transfer Vehicle Title
The most important thing to do is transferring the vehicle ownership to your name. Although the dealer will take care of the ownership, you still need to verify it. It becomes important when you are dealing directly with the seller as both parties do not have experience with the paperwork.
In such cases, we recommend you hire a lawyer to prepare the paperwork according to the deal. It won’t only help you transfer the ownership, but will also protect you from future liabilities.
The requirements to transfer ownership are different in every state. Thus, it is crucial to follow the rules of the state where the car is registered.
- Get the Vehicle Insurance
Getting insurance for your car is equally important. Even if the previous owner had insurance, you need to upgrade it to ensure all the accidental costs are covered. Additionally, it also takes care of third-party liability. It saves you from the headache that you may get from the damage caused by them.
Also, it is mandatory for every vehicle running on the road to have insurance, especially third-party liability cover. Getting insurance is now a lot easier as many online services offer quick insurance even within a few minutes. Thus, you can check out all the available options and get the vehicle insured to stay on the safe side.
- Register the Car
After taking care of the insurance of your car, now it is time for you to get it registered. It’s very important to get it done with the DMV sooner than later. It’s because private car dealers sometimes postpone getting the car registered as the buyer’s name.
You’ll need some crucial documents in the process like the signed title of the previous owner, the VIN, proof of insurance, odometer reading, etc. So make sure to check all of those documents.
Please know that the process is similar to the transfer of ownership. However, the registration of a car involves a few more steps like updating the documents to free the previous owner from liability.
You can learn more about the process by hiring a lawyer.
- Check for Vehicle Recalls
Although no owner has control over manufacturer issues, you can still look out for vehicle recalls to make an informed decision. When there is a manufacturing fault in a vehicle, the manufacturer recalls the model and fix it without any charges. However, it means that the vehicle is not in its best quality and there are several replaced parts.
That is why you need to consider the number of vehicle recalls before settling down on one. The best way is to perform a VIN check and match the information printed on each part. If you feel you can’t check all the parts, we recommend going for the engine and the related parts to be on the safe side.
You can also ask the dealer about the vehicle recalls as they are obligated to share this information with you. However, if the deal is made directly with the seller, you will need to perform a VIN lookup to access vehicle records.
- Get a Mechanic
Once you complete all the documentation of the vehicle, take your car to a trusted mechanic. You can ask them to personalize the car to suit your requirements. Also, get a proper vehicle check-up from the mechanic to ensure there are safety threats.
A lot of people skip this step to save some money. However, we recommend you get a vehicle checkup as there could be some serious safety threats with your new vehicle. The mechanic can check if all the parts are working fine.
- Know your New Car
It’s time to learn about the features of your new car. Every car model has something different to offer. Thus, you can take the car for a ride and find out the hidden features. Also, you can watch some videos on Youtube to learn more about that car model.
It happens with a lot of new buyers as they never try to know more about their vehicle. Also, the dealer can’t share all the features as some of them are basic and even the company won’t advertise for them.
Final Words
You are now all set to enjoy your vehicle. After following this checklist, you won’t need to worry about missing out on some important steps after getting a used car. Things like performing a VIN checkup and transferring the ownership will do half the work for you.
It leaves some basic things like taking a test ride, meeting a mechanic, and checking the vehicle recalls.
