Used Car Dealer Vs. Private Sale: Price and Accountability

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In part one of this two-part blog series, we went over some of the issues at play with buying a used car from a private seller. While some private sellers are well-intentioned and will allow for an easy, hassle-free process, others are either intentionally or unintentionally much more difficult to deal with – and you never know which you’ll run into until you enter the situation.

At Adonis Auto Group, we’re happy to offer quality used car dealership services in Arlington, Texas, and nearby areas, from a fantastic inventory to assistance with car loans and even an online payment portal. What are some of the other reasons why many clients prefer our legitimate, robust used car dealer services rather than going through a private seller? Here’s a primer, including some of the benefits that come with working with a legitimate used car dealer like ours.

used car dealer private sale

Price Haggling

One of the common reasons some private car owners look to sell their vehicle in this manner rather than through a dealership is their desire to get more money for it. They may feel they can get more than they’d receive on a trade-in or selling to a dealership, and would prefer a situation where they can haggle.

Here’s the thing: Haggling has been largely eliminated from the used car world in recent years with the rise of the internet. Online blue book and related services like CARMAX make it incredibly easy to gauge the precise value of a vehicle based on its quality, age, mileage and other variables. There’s no reason you should pay more than the market value of any used car – and that’s the price at a reputable used car dealership. While you may think you’ll get a better deal by going private, the opposite actually tends to be the case.

Consequences for Issues

What happens if something is wrong with the used car you purchase? This is another area where private sellers and used car dealers differ in major ways, and maybe the single most significant.

If a private seller completes a sale for a car that ends up having big issues, their consequences are very limited or even nonexistent. There’s no obligation for them to make it right – you bought the car how you saw it, and that’s the end of the transaction. A used car dealer, on the other hand, has a reputation to uphold: If you buy a used car from us and it breaks down a week later, you’re sure to be writing online reviews and telling all your friends in the area never to buy a car from us. This level of accountability is something we take seriously, and is why we only offer high-quality used vehicles that have been inspected thoroughly – but you won’t get this same guarantee from a private seller.

For more on the problems with buying a used car from a private seller rather than a dealer, or to learn about any of our used auto dealer services, speak to the staff at Adonis Auto Group today.

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