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“I will buy an impeccable car with four-wheel drive and automatic gearbox. I will pay up to 1,000 euros”, there are many similar advertisements on the Lithuanian sales portals. We asked specialists how realistic it is to buy a quality car at a low price and what aspects should be paid more attention.
Choose the cheapest
Lithuanians are estimated to spend on average around 5,000 LTL to buy a car. euros. German or middle-class products are generally chosen, about ten years old. VW is still the best seller, followed by BMW cars. Urban SUVs are also gaining popularity.
The used car market is surrounded by various secrets and rarities. It is no longer surprising that people who have made a neat purchase at first glance find that they have been cheated after a few days or just a few kilometers. According to Mato Buzel, car project manager at carVertical.lt, only then do buyers consider whether they have really done everything possible to find out the condition of the car they are buying.
“Disappointed buyers first think about whether they really saved by choosing a cheaper but newer car from a suspicious seller. Only then do they find out why the car they bought sold cheaper than other similar options,” Buelis said.
Frustrated buyers initially wonder if they have really saved by choosing a cheaper but newer car from a dubious seller. Only then do they find out why the car they bought sold cheaper than other similar options.
Valentinas Naujanis, Director of Kaunas Car Market Management Company Varanas, realizes that if three cars of the same model are parked in the parking lot in Lithuania, most buyers will take the cheapest one and only later they will think about its quality. . On the other hand, even when buying the most expensive, there is no guarantee that it will not turn out later to be defective. And when you pay a higher amount, the resentment for a failed purchase is much greater.
“Our people think that if you bought a car of the desired model at a much lower price than the market price, then you are lucky to buy a lucky ticket in the lottery. In fact, there are no miracles. – explained V. Naujanis.
Stupid statistics
According to car market expert M.Buzelis, approximately one in sixth (16.6%) of used cars in Lithuania has counterfeit mileage, and more often every second has been involved in at least a traffic accident.
“It is not that easy to buy a car that has not been involved in an accident. And sometimes it is not visible to the naked eye. However, data collected from many countries can reveal that a particular vehicle has been involved in a major accident. “. , which indicates where a particular car is inspected. Therefore, it is very important to choose not because of the price, but because of a reliable seller and a car in good condition, ”he said.
The company conducted an investigation and found that the prices of counterfeit mileage cars may be unreasonably inflated by up to a quarter. A buyer who does not know the fact about the false mileage of a car of the brand that interests him has no advantage in the negotiation and may overpay.
Photo by Evaldas Šemiotas
Negotiate details
M.Buzelis also emphasized another strange feature of the Lithuanian car market: unfounded expectations from buyers. The specialist assures that the statistical buyers of the country are quite rational, but some choose a car for 1,000 euros as if it were new.
“There are still some who place unenforceable demands on a 25-year-old or older car. They’re negotiating the slightest scratch or corrosion, although more than three-quarters, or even 76 percent, of cars this age have been involved. in accidents “. “revealed the car. Market expert.
In his opinion, before making a purchase decision, one should look at the prices of such models abroad and consider whether a car imported from the West can be cheaper than in the country of its first registration. If so, it may have been delivered broken or far away, and superficial repair work or even a mileage adjustment was carried out in Lithuania.
When standing, the price goes down
V. Naujanis, Kaunas Car Market Director, believes that it is realistic to buy a cheaper car in several cases. One of the most popular situations is when it goes unsold for a long time.
“Sometimes the car is not bad at all, but it is not bought in any way. If the price is not correct, the color or the power of the engine. It is kept for half a year. Such a car can be bought much cheaper than the initial price, because the seller will be interested in finally obtaining the frozen money, therefore, he will make a greater discount, “warned V. Naujanis.
As a result of the quarantine, many of these stagnant products have accumulated, but their prices are unlikely to be affected. It has been observed since last year that used cars are getting more and more expensive, so it is very doubtful that they will start to get cheaper in the near future.
According to the interlocutor, the price usually depends on the mileage. If the car for sale has traveled 100-150 thousand. The km are unlikely to have major deficiencies and will therefore be more expensive. According to V. Naujanis, the amount of mileage in reverse has decreased significantly in recent years, as the number of miles driven by a car can often be verified according to the VIN code.
Based on the VIN code, after looking at the insured event on the computer and the massive amount of damage, it appears that the car was almost damaged, so it’s not worth buying. But in reality, perhaps the violations were less drastic and the large amount of compensation resulted from the high service fees.
The amount of damage can be misleading
It is true that even this verification does not guarantee the complete accuracy of the data. For example, car accident and damage records. Suppose that in the event of a collision between two cars, even if the event is insured, the culprit may not mark his damage because he will not be compensated. Therefore, these deficiencies will not be visible in the system. So, the additional condition of the offender’s car depends on the honesty with which the repair work is carried out. To people, either like yourself or planning to sell.
Damage to the damaged car and the repairs made will be visible in the system. It is true that even these records do not necessarily reflect the real situation. Because often insurance repairs are done at an authorized service center, the prices of which are extremely high. Therefore, even in the case of a minor accident, the final amount of damages amounts to more than a thousand euros.
“According to the VIN code, when you see an insured event on your computer and a large amount of damage, it seems that the car is almost damaged, so it is not worth buying. But in fact, the violations were less drastic in a simple workshop, the repairs would have been incomparably cheaper and the damage would no longer seem so great ”, considered the interlocutor.
Photo by Vytautas Petrikas
Not repairing, but selling
In any case, when purchasing a vehicle, it is advisable to take it to an official service center of that brand for a thorough inspection. This would help not only by checking purchase history, but also by identifying defects that are more difficult to detect externally. For example, dripping grease can mean a fault that is easy to repair, but it can also be a major expense.
Usually between 150 and 200 thousand people come to Lithuania. km, as they need more investment around this limit. Important components are worn, so in addition to regular maintenance, more work is required. Auto mechanic services in Western Europe are more expensive than in Lithuania, so Westerners prefer to invest in a new vehicle and sell the old one. These, in turn, reach our region. Of course, there are exceptions when the car arrives in Lithuania really well maintained and maintained. Such a purchase will also not become a burden on the other owner.
V. Naujanis laughs that Lithuanians often complain about the dishonesty of foreign sellers when they sell defective cars, but they behave similarly.
“Even that driver of ours who has no experience in selling, when he finds out that his car has some faults or is in danger of a serious investment, he tries to get rid of it as soon as possible and takes it to the market or puts a sale advertisement”, pointed out the interlocutor.
According to the specialist, Lithuanians are much more likely to sell this type of car to Ukrainians or resellers in other foreign countries, since they are much less demanding. Such a buyer, having bought a car, will leave and no longer meet with the seller. A local that notices a defect can, after a while, claim damages or even be involved in legal disputes.
Waiting for a stir
When looking for a car abroad, guide prices can be found on local sales portals, such as the German mobile.de. Experienced resellers know where to find the same cheaper model. They have their own local intermediaries who help select potential first-hand purchases, straight from the owners’ yard. In this way, the dealer buys the car much cheaper than according to the advertisements.
“Our reseller will not buy a car in Germany if he sees that he will sell it in Lithuania only about 300 euros more expensive. After all, it costs a lot to deliver, repair or otherwise prepare it. So, to earn money, that price difference it must be meaningful, “guide.
At the beginning of this year, the supply in the Kaunas car market decreased dramatically. Until the quarantine, up to 2,5 thousand people were in a large area. cars, and in the spring there were only a few hundred left. Restrictions on movement between states and within the country have hit both sellers and buyers hard. In the past, about ten car carriers returned to the market every day, and now they don’t come as much in a week. Not surprisingly, local resellers, having sold out previously brought cars, feel a serious shortage of new products. As a result, all motor vehicles are simply overwhelmed with high hopes of finding something suitable to resell.
It is true that the situation has improved somewhat recently with the lifting of restrictions on movement between municipalities. Last weekend, cars sold from other cities were brought to market and more buyers gathered. However, a big boost is expected in the summer if restrictions on cross-border movement are lifted and quarantine conditions are relaxed.
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