Buying used cars in Kenya

There are two types of used cars in Kenya, the ones that have been locally used and those that have been used abroad. Used cars especially those imported from Japan are becoming increasingly popular by Kenyans across the board. Hundreds of thousands of used cars are shipped into Kenya through the port of Mombasa from Japan and other parts of the world like the UK every month. Kenyans rush to motor dealership centers that the major car manufactures have set in Kenya. As a matter of fact used cars in Kenya make up well over 90% of all cars on Kenyan roads. Therefore it is important to learn a few tricks in order to go for the best deal.

Challenges in buying used cars in Kenya

Buying used cars in Kenya poses quite a number of challenges. This is absolutely true for cars that have been used locally. The greatest challenge is determining the mechanical soundness of the car. Unless you take the car to a qualified mechanic, most people cannot be able to detect by their own whether the used car has any serious mechanical problem. Mechanical issues such as slow engine knocks, engine mixing oil with water, leaks and many others can only be detected by an expert.

Where to look for used cars

Where exactly do you go searching for a used car for sale in Kenya? Well, this question may seem pretty straight-forward until you actually step out to look for one. Most people find it convenient to search for used cars online. This is one of the easiest and fastest ways of checking out various alternatives of cars. However, this is also fraught with challenges as conmen also use the same media to swindle people of their hard-earned cash. Additionally, some vehicles may look really good on picture even though they are beaten out in reality.

Another way is to visit used car yards which specialize in used cars for sale in Kenya. There are hundreds of cars spread across Nairobi selling both used imports and locally used cars. Most of these yards are located along Ngong Road, Mombasa road, Kiambu road and Thika road. Used car yards provide variety of cars where the owner can view the car physically. However, sometimes one has to take real long walks before finding a unit that meets their taste and budgetary limitations.

Talk to friends. Friends who have successfully purchased clean used cars for sale in Kenya before can prove really useful as they can advise you on most likely places to find the car you desire. If they purchased the used car from a car dealership and nothing has gone wrong, then probably you should begin by talking to that particular dealership.

Necessary due diligence when buying used cars

What due diligence must you undertake before buying a used car for sale in Kenya? Before you purchase any used car for sale in Kenya, you must carry out the necessary due diligence to ascertain the ownership of the car, the mechanical road-worthiness as well as conformity of engine and chasis numbers to the ones registered at KRA.

 The following steps may be useful before buying a used car for sale in Kenya:

 Have a qualified mechanic check out the car

Conduct a KRA search and cross-check the details on the logbook against what is in KRA and the car

If there is a reasonable level of doubt, take the car for verification at flying squad

Know the owner and obtain information on their location, contact details and possibly their place of work

Are used cars in Mombasa the cheapest

 Most people hold the belief that used cars for sale in Mombasa are the cheapest compared to other used cars for sale in the rest of Kenya. This is true only for used imports but not for locally used cars. Mombasa boasts hundreds of used car yards that deal only with imported used cars in Kenya and this explains why the prices are lower. However, for locally used cars, prices are somewhat similar to Nairobi and the rest of the country.