When you’re looking for a convenient way to buy a car without having to deal with pushy car salesmen or dealerships, turning to San Jose or SF Craigslist is a good option. Going through these online classifieds is also a fantastic way to get scammed when buying a car. Also, if you recently received a traffic ticket in California, a fantastic way to stop the points from going on your record is to take a CA online traffic school. The following tips are all that’s needed to end up falling for a scam when you search for Craigslist cars.

Jump at Lower Prices

Everyone wants the best deal possible on a car, so why not go for one that lists an insanely low price? Before patting yourself on the back for finding such a good deal on Craigslist cars trucks for sale, keep in mind that prices that seem too good to be true usually are.


Don’t Pay Too Much Attention to Photos

It’s the details and price listed in the Craigslist San Jose or SF ad that really counts, right? Sure, but you might end up wondering why the car in the photo looks nothing like the one you’re seeing in person. Now that you think of it, it might seem a bit odd that the supposedly local photo in the ad also had snowy peaks or another not-so-local background.


Appreciate a Good Story

Isn’t it nice that the seller launches into a story about why they’re selling the car instead of listing the details? While this might be more entertaining to read than a bullet list of details, there’s usually a reason why they haven’t included specific details about the car for sale.


Skip the Inspection

Once you’ve scoured the Craigslist SF Bay area postings for cars and narrowed it down to the one you really want, why put off buying it as soon as you can? Having it inspected could reveal that the car has some questionable issues or needs certain repairs, but that would mean having to wait longer to make your purchase.


Let the Seller Choose a Mechanic

So, you’ve decided to get an inspection after all before buying your new car, and the seller offers to pick the mechanic for it. As helpful as this seems, don’t be surprised if the seller’s mechanic conveniently failed to note problems with your new car that you’ll now have to fix.


Don’t Get Everything in Writing

Although you’re relying on the internet to find Craigslist SF cars, you’ll likely be chatting with the seller on the phone or in person. The seller comes across as friendly and honest enough, so you don’t really need to get all the details of your purchase in writing, right? This makes things more convenient as long as you don’t mind taking the risk of not having paperwork to back you up if there are any disputes over your purchase.


Don’t Check the Title

Since the seller from SF Bay Craigslist seems trustworthy to you, you don’t really need to bother checking the title and making sure it’s clean. This would mean having to look it up through the DMV and run a report on the VIN number. If you don’t mind running into complications and headaches getting the new car in your name, you can go right ahead and skip this part.


Forget the Test Drive

You’re so eager to take off with your new car from San Jose Craigslist that you just want to pay for it and be done. This is a clever way to save time and a quick way to discover that your freshly purchased vehicle doesn’t run as smoothly as the seller promised.

If you need to improve your driving record before getting that new car, attending an online traffic school can help. Contact us for more information on our CA traffic school before starting your Craigslist car search.