Better Safe Than Sorry: 5 Things M’sians Can Do To Absolve Worries Of Buying a Used Car

It’s memang a huge hassle getting around the city or country on public transport, which is why most of us prefer having our own cars instead – even getting secondhand ones due to their sedap prices and lower costs.

But because of their pre-owned nature, of course, any Malaysian would still be scared la – they may not be as good as they seem! Fortunately, there are plenty of ways to put those worries to rest. Here are a couple of tips to remember the next time you go car shopping!

1. Bring along your trusty mechanic

You know that one regular mechanic – sometimes bordering on family friend – who’s been servicing your car for years? Given their expertise with the anatomy of cars, it’s a wise idea to ask them for a favour and help us inspect any used cars we take a liking to.

Source: Tenor GIF

To tolong-tolong your mechanic even more, you can also remember some of the most common problematic car parts to watch out for:

• Alternator: Powers anything electrical while maintaining the car battery.
• Automatic transmission: Usually lasts 300,000km when taken care of.
• Air cond: Blast the coldest temperature at max fan speed, and check every single vent.
• Brakes: Voice your concerns if they squeak or grind.
• Engine: Sputtering or misfiring are big no-no signs.

2. Research the heck out of car dealers

Everything we’re looking for can be found on the glorious World Wide Web, and that includes reviews of car dealerships on Google Maps, aggregator websites, Reddit r/malaysia (shoutout to the monyets!) and even Lowyat.NET forums.

If you’re doubtful about the honesty of online reviews, you can always dig up word-of-mouth opinions from those close to you, even just by chatting with your colleagues or regular mechanic. Don’t be shy! You’d be surprised by what info you can get just by chatting.

3. Good warranty = zen mode

Even used cars come with their own warranty, though their extensiveness and duration differ between dealers. They usually don’t amount to much, covering only major car parts and having shorter policies – between one to 12 months – for older cars. Suspicious kan if like this?

Knowing the risks, it’s important to get good warranties that cover more than a few crucial car parts and stay valid longer. Plus, if you buy from online marketplaces like Mudah.my, you can even get extended warranties to have extra peace of mind.

4. Calculate with car value “calculators”

Takaful’s “car value calculator”

The valuated price.

After comparing car prices, you can refine your comparisons by Googling “car value calculator Malaysia”. This will lead you to several websites that help calculate the market value of any specific cars just by doing this.

Don’t worry if you failed your math subject in SPM. You’d only need to list down things like brand, car model, manufacturing year, and so on, then you’ll know the current value – macam tu jer! Make sure to cross-reference multiple “calculators” to be extra accurate. Ons, right?

5. 180-point inspection service, a must-have

Different dealers prefer different inspection methods, ranging from 172-point to 70-point. If your dealer uses the 180-point inspection method, then you can sigh with relief – the higher the number, the more areas will be inspected so that no stone is left unturned.

This meticulous inspection service ensures that every single aspect of your future car is up to standard, including:

• Vehicle info
• Road test
• Vehicle exterior
• Vehicle interior
• Engine
• Chassis
• Tyres and wheels

Even after getting your mechanic to check the used car, the dealers still have the final say in the car’s official condition, so it’s imperative that they utilise an in-depth inspection process like the 180-point to make sure their findings are accurate. Plus, the 180-point inspection is considered a gold standard in the marketplace, with MUV, the largest marketplace for used vehicles, relying on it for over RM1.2 billion worth of vehicle transactions on their platform.

Let’s also not forget the other side of Malaysians looking to sell their cars, who have to go through SO MANY red tapes and sometimes pay an ungodly amount to middlemen, only to sell their cars less than the market rate.

Fortunately, some dealers understand the predicament used car customers have to go through, which is how the Mudah Vehicle Inspection & Protection (mVIP) program, a collaborative effort between Mudah.my & MUV, came into play.

By introducing mVIP, Mudah.my is creating a simple yet transparent and trusted car marketplace by providing an unbiased report on the true condition of the vehicles being bought.

Mudah. My mobile

So what can buyers & sellers expect from the mVIP program?

If you’re the buyer, you’ll be glad to know that the mVIP program utilises three straightforward yet in-depth steps to give used car customers the three assurances that we deserve:

1. Verify car registration and ownership details
2. Verify the true condition of the car with the super comprehensive 180-point inspection process
3. Offer extended warranty opportunity to protect against future repair costs

Mudah. My desktop display

Or if you’re on the other end of selling your car, Mudah.my and MUV also offer an end-to-end facilitation service that includes:

• Ownership transfer with JPJ
• Car inspection with PUSPAKOM
• Financing arrangements, all for a small fixed fee.

This pretty much removes costly middlemen who may be unfamiliar with the process, not to mention their allegiance to buyers.

Plus, car owners usually get between 20% to 40% more when they sell their car on Mudah.my!

If you aren’t able to drive to MUV centres for inspection, they are also able to send their team to your doorstep to make the process of buying and selling your used vehicles as convenient as possible. How awesome is it to have such a high-class service like this?

With over 7.5 million unique visitors monthly and over 60,000 cars for sale on Mudah.my, paired with MUV’s network of trained inspectors, the mVIP program boasts the largest selection of used cars that have been inspected with warranty in Malaysia. With such an impressive resume, even we are sold on getting our own secondhand cars on Mudah.my too!

Looking to buy a new used car or sell your very own? Come on down and visit selected MUV centres across the country to get started! Just make sure you follow SOPs and don’t simply leave home, yeah? You can also head on over to their website to find out more, or download the Mudah.my app on Google Play or the App Store to shop.