Tips for Buying a Used Car in 2023: Checklist for Private Individuals and Professional Dealers

Independer689,170 second-hand cars were registered in 2023, 89 percent of which were by private individuals, who mainly opt for petrol engines (54 percent), while diesel continues to decline. Electric cars make up less than 2 percent of the number. Mobia reports these figures, which includes the mobility federations Febiac, Renta and Traxio. But what should you definitely pay attention to when purchasing a used car? With this handy checklist from Independer.be you won’t overlook anything.

Step 1: this is how you choose the best car

Are you going for an executive car from a professional car dealer/garage or a car from a private individual? The advice is not clear, because it depends on your personal situation.

If you have the necessary budget, then definitely go for an executive car. You do pay a little more, but it often concerns a car that has only driven a limited number of kilometers. You are also entitled to a one-year legal warranty.

If you are a bit tight on cash, it is best to buy a car from a private individual. But the risk is also much greater. You only have the technical inspection document and the mandatory Car-Pass as ‘guarantee’. More about that in step 2.

Also take the costs of annual insurance into account in your car budget: calculate how much they will be for your (future) car.

Step 2: Check all documents before sale

Before signing a sales contract, you must have inspected the following documents:
• The ‘pink document’: is the ‘vehicle registration application’ form, which the seller receives after the technical inspection and which you need to register your second-hand car with the DIV. Please note: this document is only valid for two months!
• The maintenance booklet of the car
• The certificate of conformity or proof of the technical inspection
• The vehicle’s registration certificate
• The second-hand technical inspection report
• The Car-Pass: this mandatory document may also not be older than two months and shows the mileage on different dates. The more odometer readings are listed, the more insight you have into the car’s past. Does the document show a sudden drop? This could indicate tampering with the counter. So ask the seller the necessary critical questions.
• The sales contract itself: this is not mandatory, but protects you as a buyer. It states the details of the seller and buyer, the details of the vehicle, the price and the warranty period (if any).

How do you obtain a Car-Pass? You can read it here.

Step 3: Pay extra attention to the warranty period

If you buy a second-hand car from a professional car dealer/garage, you are in principle entitled to at least one year and sometimes even two years of legal warranty. Just like with a new car.

If you need to invoke the warranty within the first six months after purchase, the seller will first be given the opportunity to repair or exchange the car. If that doesn’t work, you can have the sale canceled and get your money back.

Please note: warranty legislation does not apply to a sale between two private individuals.

From ‘invisible’ rust spots to color differences in the bodywork: How do you check that you are not buying a pig in a poke?

Step 4: you need these insurances

Just like a new car, you should have your second-hand car insured as well as possible. In addition to civil liability (BA), you can opt for a mini comprehensive or a full comprehensive. Motor vehicle legal expenses insurance is also interesting, because it entitles you to legal advice and assistance if there is a conflict about a claim involving your car.

Are you going for BA, mini comprehensive or full comprehensive? What do these terms mean? And what exactly do such car contracts insure?

Step 5: does a full comprehensive make sense for a used car?

That depends on how old the car is. For cars up to 4 or 5 years old, a full comprehensive is certainly an added value, because a second-hand car also still has a considerable value.

No matter how old your car is: if there is no total loss, a full comprehensive insurance covers the full repair costs. In the event of an accident, these costs can easily become high, so that consideration should also play a role in your decision.

Alternatively, you can also consider a mini comprehensive, which insures you against fire, theft or burglary, glass breakage, collision with animals, storm and hail and other natural forces.

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