Are you planning to purchase a used car from Europe but can’t figure out how? Check this post to find out how.

There are several challenges when you try to purchase a used car from anywhere abroad. There are a lot of paperwork to do and policies to understand when purchasing a vehicle abroad, which is challenging for car enthusiasts who are new to this.

If you are new to this, here are some tips on how to purchase a used car from any part of Europe.

#1: Check your seller’s background

One of the basic yet essential things you should do when purchasing a used car from abroad is checking the seller’s background for business legitimacy. Remember, fraudulent activities can happen anywhere. If you have enough time to personally go abroad and purchase the vehicle than agreeing on the transaction online, you should do it – it is safer and more convenient than following your instincts.

#2: Know the policies of buying cars abroad

Say you are thinking about purchasing a vintage Volkswagen in the Netherlands and bringing it back to your country, you need to know if there are any policies about foreigners buying used cars and policies shipping the car to your country.

Every country has different policies in terms of foreign car purchases. You need to make sure that you have the right documents to prove that you have the right to own it and be shipped to your country.

#3: Do a test drive

When purchasing a vehicle abroad, you need to be there personally; one of the reasons is to do a test drive. The test drive allows you to re-evaluate whether the car you are planning to purchase is worth purchasing.

#4: Check for data irregularities

Before shipping your newly purchased used vehicle, you need to check for possible data irregularities that may link to fraudulent activities. To find out, you need to have the vehicle’s chassis number, which is often located at the driver’s side door or the chassis area.

Chassis number is an 8-digit that uniquely identifies a vehicle. Vehicles manufactured before 1989 have an identification number called chassis number. However, it was later changed to Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), which has 17 digits.

To check the vehicle’s data using a chassis number, you need to use a reliable chassis number checker or a VIN lookup for VIN. Through this, you will be able to get essential data as follows:

• Vehicle’s manufacturing data
• Records about vehicle remodeling, repair, and attachment of essential vehicle accessories.
• Records about the car being stolen, wreckage, or involved in accidents.

When buying used cars, you need to know their data and history before proceeding to the shipment of the vehicle to your country.

#5: Prepare necessary documents of shipment

If there are no problems with the car’s data and history, your next step is to prepare necessary documents for shipment and documents for foreign car usage. Check your customs and find out what are the necessary documents to fill out.

Prepare the car’s original Certificate of Title or a certified copy of the original; it is necessary upon the vehicle’s arrival to your country.