Want to Buy a Car? Here Is Checklist to Ensure You Don't Fall Victim to Cons

• A Kenyan man shared the best checklist a car buyer should have during pre-purchase time to avoid being conned into expenses
• Kennedy Muriithi, who works as a mechanic, warned Kenyans against being overexcited, saying it clouds rational thinking
• Muriithi noted that the first thing to check while buying a car is the mileage, which will determine its condition

TUKO.co.ke journalist Wycliffe Musalia brings over five years of experience in financial, business, and technology reporting, offering deep insights into Kenyan and global economic trends.

Do you know the feeling you get when shopping for a new car could cost you?

Screengrab of video showing man explaining steps to take when inspecting a car you want to buy. Photo: Kennedy Muriithi. Source: Twitter

A Kenyan man working as a mechanic said being overexcitement has led many people into expensive car deals.

What should you avoid during car pre-purchase time?

In a video posted on the X platform, Kennedy Muriithi shared a car pre-purchase checklist to help you seal the best deal.

He warned that your feelings are your enemy during a new car pre-purchase period.

“These tips will help you secure the best deal, whether it is used locally or imported, to avoid getting a car that is not in good condition because you are desperately looking for it.

“Your feelings are your enemy during the pre-check time. You should put them in check too. Ask questions and let the car seller speak 90% of the time,” he advised.

What you should know while buying a car

According to Muriithi’s checklist, the following questions should be key in your pre-purchase period.

1. Mileage

This is one of the things that will define the condition of the car.

“Ask about the autometer reading. Cars that are between 80 and 200 mileage require a lot of maintenance. If you buy a car with a mileage of 140, you will do a lot of maintenance,” he warned.

2. The period a seller has stayed with it

Ask about the period the seller has spent with the car.

“If a person selling the car has stayed with it for two months, you should be suspicious. The longer a seller has stayed with it the more he will tell you about it,” Muriithi said.

3. Test drives

He recommended requesting test drives of not less than 20 kilometres to identify if the car has any mechanical problems.

“This is crucial. Before you do a test drive, the car should not be pre-heated. The engine should be cool so that you can identify any underlying problems when you test it.”

4. Check for idle time damages

The time the car has spent without being used should not be more than three months.

“When you check the car interiors and the engine section and find they have developed moulds, know that the car has stayed for a long time without being used,” he noted.

Muriithi notes that the car you are buying should have been in service, even if it is an older model.

Mechanic transforms KSh 150k car to KSh 1.05m

In related news, TUKO.co.ke, reported about a Kenyan mechanic who shared images of the car he transformed from KSh 150,000 to KSh 1.05 million in value.

Antony Mbugua said he received a call from a customer in Mombasa who requested him to pick up the car and bring it to his garage in Nairobi for the makeover.

He said the transformation of the car body took about three weeks and cost around KSh 200,000.

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