WATCH: Tips to remember when you are buying a used car in Qatar
While buying a new car is quite exciting, not everyone can afford a brand new vehicle. One of the other reasons to opt for a used car may be that you do not plan to stay in the country for long.
Whatever the reason may be, there are quite a few things you must be mindful of when purchasing a used vehicle because can be far trickier than choosing a new one.
Here are a few things to keep in mind while buying a used car in Qatar.
Check the car during the day
Make sure you set up a meeting to check out the car during the day and not at night. This is because in daylight you may be able to spot dents or scratches if there are any.
Daytime is also great to test the air-conditioning of the car, which is a very important feature if you are driving in this part of the world.
Test drive it
Take the cars you like for a test drive. If you're an experienced driver, you will be able to detect any obvious problems. Pay more attention to the suspension, ease of driving, noises from the engine, steering, brakes, and gears.
You're probably going to be the owner of this car, so don't hesitate to drive it fast (of course within the speed limits), make quick turns and go over speed breakers to see how the car performs.
It will be added advantage if you can test drive on roads you know well. It is important that you feel good about the car before you take it any further.
Ask a friend to tag along during the test drive so you have a second opinion.
Technical check up
This is the decisive part of your second-hand car purchase. The inspection will and should decide whether you should go for this car or not.
You can take the car to any of the vehicle inspectors located on Salwa Road for advanced checks that may have skipped your attention.
They will test the car for engine performance, chassis strength, transmission wear and tear, body paint irregularities and other major technicalities. Here, you will also be given an estimate of how much you will end up spending if you bought that car.
If you get a positive report, you may consider buying the vehicle.
Negotiate a deal
Once you've established that everything is to your satisfaction, negotiate a deal. Be confident of the price of the car when bargaining with the owner or dealership.
Negotiate hard for a discount, but do have an idea about a fair price that you are willing to pay.
However, if the dealer volunteers a discount that is too good to be true, then double-check the car. If you suspect that something is wrong with the deal, do not hesitate to withdraw from the purchase.
To be sure, you can ask for an accident history from the Traffic department or the car manufacturer (if you have the car's chassis number). If the car sustained mechanical damages during the accident, you better withdraw from the deal.
Legal Procedures
Once you have made up your mind on the car you want to buy, head over to the Traffic department in Madinat Khalifa South (open until 7 pm) along with the car owner. Make sure you take your driving license or Qatar ID with you.
You will be asked to pay QR 200 to change the car registration to your name. Now the car legally belongs to you.
Alternatively, you could use the Metrash 2 app to transfer ownership, given the seller is registered on this app.
The buyer just needs to present his/her original ID and old registration card to get the new registration card.
Getting your used car insured is not a problem if the car has a valid registration. If the car has a valid registration, then the car also has a valid insurance.
You may change your insurance company or policy at the end of the term if you wish.
Quick Tips
- Look for a car with low mileage
- Look for a car with a longer registration validity (This means the car was recently insured)
- Ensure the car wasn't involved in any major accident
- Check if any major car parts are replaced with fake parts
- Check the trunk for any missing tools or spare tire
- Ensure all electricals are working fine: lights, headlights, power windows, stereo, etc.
- Take the car for a thorough test drive on highways and inside the neighborhood
If we've missed anything, comment below and we will add it to the article. Let us know if the information was useful.
Looking for a second-hand car? Check out Qatar Living Vehicles to find thousands of options to choose from.
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1. Ask the seller why he is selling the car. If the seller is leaving Qatar for good, chances are that you will get a well-maintained car. And if the seller is the first owner, bravo you may be in for some good luck!
2. While the car is at a in a stationary state, turn the steering wheel completely to the left and then begin to slowly turn the car. If you hear a noise emanating from the right front wheel side, the right axle and the rubber boot need replacement. Repeat the same thing by turning your car to the right side keeping your ears open for any noise from the left front wheel.
3. Check the odometer. If the odometer has clocked say 150,000+ kms for a sedan car, it is asking for maintenance.
4. Check the condition of the tyres. Brand new tyres easily give you 100,000 kms especially if they are of a good brand such as Yokohama, Michellan, GoodYear etc. Compare it with the odometer reading. I went to buy a car where the odometer read 47000 km but the owner had replaced all the tyres and all of them were of different brands. Surely, the odometer had been doctored. A new car always has all four tyres of the same brand and the wear out is almost the same on all tyres. .
5. Avoid buying a car that has been used as a taxi.
6. There are two types of insurance available in Qatar for vehicles.They are the 3rd Party insurance and the Comprehensive insurance. 3rd Party insurance is mandatory for all cars as per local laws and the car istimara will not get renewed in its absence. Many people do not know the difference between the two. In the 3rd party insurance cover, the insurance company will repair the damages and settle the claim of the owner if your car has landed up in an accident with another car and if the police report says you were at fault. Under Comprehensive Insurance cover, your car and its passengers along with the car of the other party and its passengers is covered should there be an accident and injuries take place even if the police report says the fault was yours. Most insurance companies in Qatar avoid providing Comprehensive Insurance cover to car which are more than 3 years old but some of them are flexible and allow up to 5 years old cars depending on the condition of the car.
7. Avoid buying a second-hand car from dealers. They just take one from a seller and hand it over to you with their mark up'
8. Remember, buying a second-hand car is almost always a "blind buy". You may be required to spend say around QR 1000 to bring it up to your level of satisfaction.