Car Buying Guide

Car Buying Guide

Finding the Car You Want

The process of buying a car starts with you deciding that you need / want to buy one. The first step then, is to do what they call, ‘survey the market’. You have many options for this, but of course, Autoworld is as good a place as any for you to commence your research.

Through our considerable amount of resources, in the form of used car postings, forums and test drive reports, you can gather a great deal of information regarding the car of your choice. Through us, you have the means do your research on cars of various make, model, and year of the manufacture.

On top of that, you can use our Affordablity Calculator to evaluate your own spending power in the car market, and see if your preferred car is within your means.

However, if you have already decided what to buy, use our search tool to find the car you want (by car make/model or price range) and this searching will bring you straight to used car listings where you can find the best deal, see the car asking price in your area, make the selection and contact the seller .

Click here to find the car you want.

 

Check for the Car’s Market Price

Car prices vary and here is how / what you can do to find out what your car is worth.

1) Search for similar car based on Make, Model, Year and Transmission and do own estimation on your car price. Click here to search. (OK, feel free to try our rivals too.)

2) Research offline (newspaper, magazines, calls to dealer) to enquire.

 

Check Car History

It’s important to check the used car history record to protecting yourself against buying it with costly hidden problems. Give the seller a call.

Prepare a list of questions to ask the seller, and make notes while speaking to them.

1. How long have they owned the car?
2. What condition is the car in?
3 .Why are they selling it?
4 .Has the car been involved in an accident?
5. Has the car got any outstanding finance?
5 .What features does the car have?
6 .Is it in full working order?

Though you’re not likely to get an honest answer to your questions, the manner in which your questions are answered should give you clues of the seller’s honesty. Was he dodging questions? Did she hesitate uncomfortably when you question her on accidents?
Contact JPJ and Polis Diraja Malaysia to find out important information like car severe accident, number of owners etc.

JABATAN PENGANGKUTAN JALAN MALAYSIA (JPJ)
HOTLINE : 03 88884244
Tel : 03 88866400
Faks : 03 88889645
www.jpj.gov.my

Polis Diraja Malaysia
Tel: 03-22626222
Fax: 03-2273 9602
www.rmp.gov.my

 

Get Loan & Finance Advice

You can then use Payment Calculator to estimate what your monthly payment might be or to find a financing company through whom you can obtain an auto loan.

Consider other potential costs such as registration, title transfer, and road tax.

Click to calculate the car road tax.

Another point to note is that any outstanding amount from the seller’s loan must be settled in full first, before the bank would approve any loans for your used car.

Banks are also less inclined to issue loans for used vehicles, with interest rates increase with age. As a rule, cars more than 10 years old do not get loans, and cars approaching that landmark will only get short tenure loans.

With these difficulties in mind, the buyer is advised to apply for loans from multiple banks.

 

Insurance & Road Tax

Get your insurance quotation from various agencies.

You may also consider applying online.

Remember that the insurance policy of a car is attached to the owner’s name. An official transfer of ownership requires the buyer to purchase a new insurance policy to take over the car’s coverage from the preceding one.

For road tax, no such restrictions apply. If the previous owner had paid for the car’s road tax, it remains valid until the stipulated expiry date.

 

Contact Seller for Checking & Test Drive

Meet the seller to check the car thoroughly and take a test drive. Ensure you see the original Car Registration Card. Ask for any service/maintenance logbook and inspection record the seller may have one. Have a trusted mechanic to inspect the car, and note the contact details of the workshops listed in the car’s service booklet. Speak to their representatives to find out more on the car’s maintenance history. On another note, please arrange for viewing of the car in a safe public place. Exercise precaution as you do not know the seller.

You may request the seller to have the car inspected by a third-party service. AAM (Automobile Association of Malaysia) offers such services.

– Phone: 03-2162 5777
– Email: mru@aam.org.my
– Website: http://www.aam.org.my

However, current regulations mandate that any vehicle must be inspected by PUSPAKOM SDN BHD (Formerly known as Pusat Pemeriksaan Kenderaan Berkomputer) before JPJ would approve of the ownership transfer. Inspection fee is RM30 if you go personally. Expect dealers and runners to charge you more (you gotta let those guys make a living).

– Phone: 1800 88 6927, 03-2052 7474
– Email: customerservice@puspakom.com.my
– Website: www.puspakom.com.my

 

Ownership Transfer and Payment

Follow below procedure:

General JPJ transfer car ownership. (both seller and buyer must be there)

1. Get the forms ready for transfer. You can download the forms from JPJ website. Forms you need are as follow: JPJK3, TM-1, TM-AB (photocopy both buyer/seller IC).
2. After completing, go to JPJ and submit all the forms together with the original Car Registration Card and also new buyer insurance cover note.
3. Pay RM100 (you can buy postal order from JPJ itself).
4. Wait for the transfer name to complete and collect back the transferred ownership of car registration card.
*PUSPAKOM also offers car ownership transfer service, click to find out more.

 

The Payment

Bank Loan:
1. Buyer and seller need to be at the bank with the car registration document in order to apply the loan. If buyer is from outstation, then seller needs to fax over the car registration.
2. Upon approval, the bank will issue an undertaking letter and after that the seller need to transfer the car ownership to the buyer’s name.
3. Upon completion, bank will release the fund to the seller.
4. Any additional fees in loan/transfer ownership shall be paid by buyer.

Cash Deal:
Ask the seller to write two receipts stating the date, amount paid, make, model and registration number, along with the names, addresses and signatures of both parties.