Buying Used Stuff - Tips To Be Safe


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Hi All,

I recently bought a few things from OLX and Quickr and would like to share my experience about the whole process. I am sure there will be something to learn for newbie buyers to learn from the same.

The basics myths with used stuff

1. Value for Money
2. An asset at a lesser cost
3. You get really good deals
4. Potential Savings compared to spending a big chunk on a new stuff
and the foolish thought process continues.

The reality (My experience and opinion)

1. People sell off their old stuff mainly due to a few reasons
- They have some sort of repair/trouble which they dont want to fix
- A liability - continous bills and maintenance issues
2. Sites like OLX & Quickr are not showrooms, but digital junkyards where many sellers can go to any extent just to sell a crap item and make a 1000rupees extra profit.
3. No matter how cheap the deal is, it is ultimately the condition and life of the item that decides whether the product is VFM or not. I will narrate my experience which I had yesterday, you will understand what I am talking about.

Few Tips for buyers:
-Never buy from a stranger at a common point, prefer to meet at the seller's house. This way you can always trace him back when there is an issue with the item purchased.
-Always discuss clearly with the seller that you might return the item if any serious issues faced within next 24hrs or so. When you pull up this statement most of the cheaters back out.
-There are a list of things you should never buy second hand (IMHO) - laptop, mobile, tablet, most electronic stuff, more than 10yr old cars, less driven but very old vehicles, lot of kms driven & very young vehicles, washing machines, LCD/LED TV's
- Always collect a acknowledgement from the seller, stating that he owned the item all this while and that he is responsible for any circumstances arising out of its usage prior to today.

Few Tips for sellers: Assuming that you are selling a genuine thing.
- Never meet the buyer alone, whether at home or outside.
- Never have any valuable item left in the room that you both meet
- Except for electronics, for selling anything else, prefer not to bring the visitor into home
- Insist the buyer to bring a mechanic along, so that he can verify everything. As a lot of damage can happen overnight if the buyer is new to driving.
- Always collect a delivery note, with buyers sign and one id proof (even for mobiles)

My recent bitter experience::
I share my desktop with my 2nieces at home and I work in night shifts in a BPO. So when they want to use the computer, they end up waking me up. If I shift the computer to their room, I cant use computer at night. Hence the need for a laptop was born.

Browsed Flipkart and realised that most of the good laptops start from 23K onwards. The lesser ones are not worth the money you pay. Hence checked on OLX and found an ad. Spoke to the seller and he was clear in saying that USB ports dont work and battery back up is less than 5mins. I was that they guy was genuine enough to quote the reason for selling it and hence bargained the deal from 6.5K to 5K. We met up at a chai point and used the laptop (connected to charger) for about 5mins and everything except the USB was fine. He had formatted the laptop and installed fresh Windows 7 (the usual non genuine version). Happy with the deal, offered him a cup of tea and left the spot. Reached home and laptop just wont start. The guy is not picking up calls now and replied to text showing absolute disinterest in any further communication.

I just sent him a text saying that - I now realise that you are not a honest man, I pray that you change into a better person. Always remember that money earned like this only brings bad luck. I forgive you. Good bye.

I dont want to get into any cheap arguments/muscle flexing with low lying people for a few grands, although it is a hard earned money that's at stake.
I expected this kind of situation and hence I had already kept aside 3K for repair of laptop, even if it had no immediate issues.

Moral: I got Conned (nothing new).

Yet another unlucky experience::
One of my friends bought a used Swift (Again from OLX)

After a lot of hunt, we finally found a good looking, good condition car, 2006 black, petrol, vxi, single owner, accident free, good interiors with zero issues in sight. Test drive was done for more than 8kms and the seller was all goodie goodie. The guy had also done wheel alignment just few days back. Name transfer done and everything was fine. Now after 300kms of usage, I found the vehicle to be dragging to left slowly when going on a straight line. Hence we checked with a mechanic and got the following things done

Wheel alignment, rear brake shoes were worn out (so changed them), brake cylinders inside drum were good, front brake pads changed, wheel rotation done, nitrogen filled. Guess what the left side pull comes back again after 300 to 400kms of usage. The mechanic now says that the issue is probably due to the front left hub being bent/strut itself has this issue. We tried alignment again and things were good for another 250kms. This time checked with a different mechanic and he checked every bit of steering related components and reports that its in good health and no clear reason as to why the left side pull is in place. MASS guys advised to change all tyres once and then come back if issue persist for full front suspension overhaul (and still they are not confident about the solution).

The end result:
A good looking car that has left my friend with a pain in left hand, which he is now used to. The problem magnifies on highways when you have to maintain the pressure on steering wheel throughout the journey.

Moral: A hidden issue even in the most surest of situations.

COMMONLY SOLD USED ITEMS & THE MOST COMMON ISSUES IN THEM.
1. Scooters - bent chassy, mileage issues, piston ring wear & tear causing excess oil consumption, bumpy ride. Items that usually need change - Wheel bearings, the rubber Vbelt, brake shoes, clutch in some cases, most cables need change if you need a smoother ride.

2. Cars - Needless to say, we all know about it. So I wont type much here. Just a few points though, for any car that is more than 10yrs old you will have to change the following items - Rear Coils and dampers, wheel brake cylinders, battery, atleast 2tyres, seat covers - most used cars need these repairs (still depends on condition of vehicle in question). So if you buy a very old car, be ready to spend about 20K in less than 6months.

3. Refrigerator - Compressor pumping issues or physical damage while transportation, door hinges falling off. This is one such item that can last over 2decades without repairs, as long as it was not moved around much. One of the safest buys.

4. Laptops: Most laptop batteries dont have their original back up capacity after 2yrs of usage, used batteries are of 2 types - original and compatible chinese stuff. If a laptop was ever given to chip level servicing you will find a sticker on almost all the parts like battery, HDD, charger, ram etc. If its a black laptop, check the condition of the black screw behind the panel. When you buy a laptop, be prepared to accept things like heating issues and 0 battery back up. Better never buy a used laptop.

5. Desktops: The most common issues are hard disk failures, constant rebooting after a certain time of usage, Ram compatibility issues, SMPS failures, VGA chip burnt, driver signing issues etc. LCD monitors are almost use and throw kind. Repairing them costs a bomb and used ones cost more than 50% of the new ones price. CRT monitors are way more reliable. If you happen to see lines in a used monitor, stay away. Never believe the bluff by the seller that the VGA cable needs to be changed to sort it out.

6. Tyres & batteries for cars: Many a times, we need to replace just the stepney and we look for a 500/- deal on OLX and we forget that the stepney needs to have atleast 50% life for it to serve in those emergency times. You dont need a almost bald tyre to replace the punctured one. Battery shops manage to sell 1used battery for every 5new ones they sell. These used batteries need not be fully refurbished as they claim, it can be just a distilled water top up that lasts 2weeks. You cant check the actual condition of battery unless you use it for a week or two. These dont come with any warranty.

7. Furniture: Termites - if you dont check what's underneath the sofa you are getting into your home, you are more likely to bring in termites and other rodents which not only eat up your sofa, but also every other wooden item in your house. My cousin purchased a california style (that's what they call it) super comfortable sofa with the 3 +1 +1 configuration from a IT couple for just 8K. New one costs 35K (leather upholstery). 6months later they found a lot of termite activity in home and wooden crumbs in underneath every sofa and wooden shelf.

8. RENTING A HOUSE: [IN DETAIL] Dont go by the awesome pics of well lit rooms, fresh air balaconies, ample parking, 1800sqft/superbuilt area etc. First visit the place and do your homework. Do give a second visit and check with neighbours to know more about the owner, actual status of water supply, maintenance support, previous tenants and if the tenants keep changing very often, if yes the reason for the same. Some houses might be haunted, strange cases of extreme loses to inmates after they rent the house (like losing job/huge financial lose/accidents etc). None of these things would be mentioned in the ad. Also prefer to avoid homes that are very close to temple/mosque/church/any religious place. You are sure to have a peaceful sleep in a house that's next to a graveyard than a one next to a religious one. Also check in the internet for any articles that predict arrival metro/road widening in the coming months of years in that area, you might end up renting a place right in the heart of dust and chaos. Last thing, if you have ladies staying with you, better avoid areas which have too many bars/ playground/ chai points/ local theatres etc. These places usually attract the unemployed and spoilt youngsters smoking pot etc.

I have jorted down all this so that the readers are aware of certain things before they jump into any deal on OLX/QuickR or similar site. Many of us already know these things, so think that I typed it on your behalf [glasses].

Please feel free to add more points and your views.

Disclaimer:
I do not mean to generalise anyone/any community. No offence meant to anyone living/dead.

THE ENLIGHTMENT PART
Fed up of getting conned so many times, I have decided not to buy anything used going forward. Save money go for a new one.
 
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Akash1886

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A very nice and informative thread. Thanks for elaborating on the pros and cons. Its really bad to know you did not have a good experience buddy. I actually don't buy or sell any stuff on these portals but as you are experienced, wont it be nice if the buyers can verify the credentials of the sellers? Also, I feel, we should see atleast 2-3 samples of the product and then make decision.

One of my relatives bought mattress through OLX in Jan-2015, as he got the mattress home, it was found that mattress's springs were loose and it was uneven at places when he slept on it. Next day itself, he called seller and the gentleman willingly apologized and returned the money to my relative with a box of 4 pastries.

Regards

Akash
 
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Excellent thread!
Yes, Its true that for most used items its difficult to be sure of getting a good product (except maybe books and in most cases records!).
My father always says Sasta Rulaaye Baar Baar, Mehenga Rulaaye Ek Baar (Cheap items make one cry repeatedly while expensive items make one cry only once).
I believe in this maxim totally and try to buy new as far as possible. Its better to wait for saving for the new than buy a used item in a hurry.
Of course, it goes without saying that buying old from known trustworthy people is better than buying from new ones.
There are no guarantees of course. I had bought a used turntable from a known shop but it kept giving me speed troubles.
Doing the rounds for repair was quite painful!
I was forced to buy another one from a known good non-commercial person and later another one which didn't give trouble and have been happy since.
 
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Really good article mate!!! Sorry to hear your "buying used " experiences went sour. It's a never ending discussion between used or new for the new car buyers !! I too would suggest a new small car over a used big car for the peace of mind !! This comes from me after had some similar instances over a variety of products[cry]. I was also keen on getting used things for that tempting price quoted , as things went in wrong way I learnt a lesson from them. I take it that way !! Hope everyone think well and decide so that the initial happiness and delight stays as it should till its lifetime.
 
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Nice article... Not only in such websites, one should be in extreme caution while buying used cars from even the showrooms.. Had a bad experience with Honda. May be my ignorance which caused me lose 1 lakh to an local garage. I thought may be if was sound enough I would have been saved that amount. But when my friend narrated a story of faults in his swift bought from Maruthi true value, I decided. No more second hand products. Either I will buy a new one or I will sit simply instead of buying it..[;)]
 
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Guys. New scam now going on in Quickr and OLX. Please read the article below.

Scam Alert - Buying a used car online? Beware of the latest scam in town | Cartoq - Honest Car Advice

Be careful while making purchases guys. Don't fall prey for low price listings...
Hello,

Reading at the Scam Ad #1 written in that website reminds me one of worst experience I had faced when I was buying a used Sedan car two and half years ago and it was my first ever 2nd hand car purchase.

I live in Hubli and it was hard time finding a good sedan with minimal running and fair quote. I had gone through many car dealers locally for finding car owners who are looking for exchange their cars to new one as well as all the used car dealers, Agents and classified sites. For past 6 months.

In the meantime, one of the experience on olx who was selling used SX4 is as follows:

The seller had listed the vehicle on Olx Hubli for 3.5 L. Maruti SX4 ZXI 2009, 45k ODO. I contacted him and he started to talk in pure Hindi (1st warning sign). I didn't mind it but asked him details about running, exterior/interior/tyre conditions, no of owner and etc. Everything seemed good. Also the vehicle reg no was from Belgaum as seen in attached picture so when I asked him, he said he lives in Belgaum so the vehicle is registered in Belgaum. Then asked him whether the price is negotiable or fixed. He said to see the vehicle first then we can talk about price. I just guessed the vehicle would be in Belgaum but I don't confirmed that time nor I was sure that I would go there to see the vehicle. Just ended up saying I would think and call you tomorrow.

That day I told this to my brother and he said to ask him if he can provide more pictures of car so it would be better to decide whether it is worth to go see it.

Next day I called him again and asked for latest pictures. He agreed and sent some after some time. The vehicle looked good but had some dings. However, we decided to go there with 1 or 2 friends and have a look. After all, Belgaum isn't too far.

I called him the next day and asked when can we see the vehicle. This was what he replied (hesitatingly): Ah sir actually the car is my company's and I'm the employee of it. The boss is presently in Delhi and if you are interested I can contact him. [2nd Warning sign) I said ok but I had doubt that this doesn't look good.

Next day he called me and said: Sir the car is not in Belgaum presently but went to Bombay for some work. If you are interested, you go to Bombay and have a look. I asked then where are you now. He replied Belgaum. Now I was sure this doesn't look right so I denied as I cannot go so far. But he didn't end it. Said, you can go by train and reach Bombay in xx hours. I will arrange pickup for you at station. Will also book 2 way train tickets or if you are ready to buy the car then you can take car home. [3rd Warning sign) I ended up saying I would think again and call you later.

Oh man, he seemed like telecaller as well as his language, who won't let you go. Thank god, I was safe otherwise it would be worst if I accepted to go to Bombay.

He tried to call me few more times but I said I'm not interested. Later didn't picked up. Eventually he stopped calling me.

Guys be careful when dealing with seconds. Not just cars but also mobiles, and etc. Never ever meet a unknown person, you cannot be sure what would happen. If you are more interested in the deal then go with 2 or 3 friends with you and be very careful.

Finally one of my friend who is also a car agent and lives near to my house, found a good sedan of a CA as well as president of a collage. That is Honda City 2009 VMT, 45K odo, local reg, single owner. Deal finalized at 5.25L. Its been 2 years now (Oh this was the month I had bought it. Sept 2013) and I"m happy with it. Have decided to keep it as long as I can. :)

Thanks for reading...
Best Regards
 
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Hi All,

I recently bought a few things from OLX and Quickr and would like to share my experience about the whole process. I am sure there will be something to learn for newbie buyers to learn from the same.

The basics myths with used stuff.....
Almost every thread I visit, I can see something wonderful and knowledgeable shared by you and this is the best post so far on this forum about buying used stuff online.
 
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Its not just buyers who need to be careful. The sellers also need to careful.
Let me summarize my experience of selling cars through online portal.
- More often than not, it is the dealers who masquerade as private buyers. They are ready to buy the car on spot. The new trend is 'instant RTGS transfer' rather than 'straight cash'. Most of them wont do RC transfer until they find a customer and the car is technically still in your name. Traffic violation tickets, joy rides and mishaps all come on your name.
- Time pass candidates who flood you with messages, calls and really have no intention of buying the car. These are the ones who also 'test drive' your car with a lead foot, no understanding of the clutch and with a maniac mentality. Your car is going to go for a toss just by the test drives
- People with no respect of others time. These are mostly professionals who are buying cars for their relatives who come to the city or a vehicle for their folks in the village. They state one time and don't turn up or they want to meet at odd hours. They are also the ones who state ridiculously low prices. The common phrase they use is that 'this is the market value' of the car. Somehow a person who has barely been in the city for 5-7 years, doesn't know the directions within the city, cant speak the local language, doesn't know the basic mechanicals of the car has the gall to give gyan as if he knows the market like the back of his hand. You will realize that an hour or two of your life has been lost talking to these people.
- Financially unstable people who request to pay in installments or request you to hold the car for a month or two until the finances are ready. Needless to say, it is very easy to see that he really cant afford the car.
- Your close friends and relatives who expect a dirt cheap deal. These are the people who would never help me in dire need. Some of the vehicles I have just passed on to my brother without asking for a penny because I trust and love my brother. But for these friends, money matter more than their fake relationship with me.
- Office colleagues who ask me to hold on the car for his chacha bhatija and what not.

The easiest thing that can be done is to sell it to a trusted dealer. But finding a honest dealer is a difficult task. Selling on your own is a long painful exercise. It will definitely fetch you more money but you have to remember it comes at the cost of your time and effort. There is no free lunch.
 
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if one is a sensible seller and understands the dealer has to keep the car in his yard god knows for how many days or months which costs him money space and labour its easy to sell the car.

the seller can always get a registered sale deed done at the point of sale to the dealer where it would be clearly mentioned that henceforth the dealer would be responsible even if the car is on the sellers name and the dealer accepts full responsibility of the mishaps on the car after the sale. the time and date of sale will be mentioned in that deed with both sellers and buyers Identity proof attached to it. so there is no question of fouls play.

i say this as i used to be a dealer and have dealt cars most of my life.

A dealer always gives a sensible price but if you see on the sites where the cars are sold you can see exhorbitantly priced vehicles where the market value of the car is not even half of it.

A dealer doesn't bowl low prices he gives you a price wherein he also can make profit and you also get the cash and its a win win situation for both.

And in this business the seller is happy with how much more he can get and dealer is happy if he can get it as low as possible so that his profits are large. so end of the day its good business.
 
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In continuation of this thread,
Here is something else you might want to keep in mind, when purchasing/ booking a apartment.

My cousin has booked a 3bhk flat near Chintamani road, off hoskote highway for 33lakhs.
When I visited the place to see the demo flat, we both realised a lot of things that were kind of missed by my cousin at the time of booking.

1.Most flats are customised, no one preders the room layouts as per the builders plan.
what you can ask for:
Making rooms smaller or larger by basically shifting walls (before the hollow blocks are laid out
So this is a 3BHK, wherein all 3 Bedrooms are of 10x10 size, you can modify them to be
- 10x15, 10x5, 10x10
- 10x20, 10x10 (making it a 2bhk)
etc etc, now here comes the catch which must be noted.

Most of the time, the builders 2D sketch is made in such a way that the pillars are not really visible inside the house, as most of the time, the pillars are hidden within the walls/ walls are positioned in such a way that the gap between 2 pillars are covered by the wall.

So when you do modify, although you might not incurr extra cost, you might end up seeing a Pillar eating up 6sq ft of space forever from your life. So usable space matters more than just looks.

In this case the builder had given a nice balcony right next to kitchen window, where you can accomodate the biggest full automatic washing machine. However if you are not careful, you will miss the fact that the door that lets you to the balcony is not wide enough to let go a square shape washing machine, so your 20k washing machine will not fit through the door![anger]

9/10 people never use the balconies to enjoy the outside view(that they initially thought of). The biggest balcony many a times, becomes a store house 6 storeys high in the air.

My friend booked the flat 1 week back, now for the same flat the builder is offering a new kwid! all for the same 33lakhs, however my friend cannot back up now. As he has paid 1.5lakhs deposit and that's non refundable at this stage - watch out for festivals/ great days do not book prior to these, show interest, see demo flat, get a little friendly with the sales rep and then book only at the right time.

The builder offered a limited no:of switch boards in the house and charges an additional 2000/- per extra switch board. If you carefully observe in some of the locations in your house, you dont need 2switch and 2 plugpoints.

For example:
For the wall mounted TV you will need 1 switch and 3plugpoints (no need to ask for 3 switches- atleast in our case).

Have 2 locations in your mind for the TV to be placed as you never know, when home minister might decide to renovate the house and you end up shifting tv and not having a plug point.
Although the above point might sound silly, I am sure no one likes handing wires in a new flat.

Also when you order any new furniture for flats like the cot etc make sure the legs are not too long, as you will find it very difficult to move them into the rooms.

Although above points are not about used stuff, may help some people looking for a new flat.
 

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