While everyone loves using Facebook for everything sometimes it’s not the best for vehicles in the marketplace as there are individuals that will post very cheap vehicles and meet you in strange places off base and these vehicles normally have problems with them that will cost you in the short term. When trying to contact the individual, his page is no longer there and that person simply creates a new one. Some important questions to ask:

1. Why is it priced so low?

2. How long have you owned it?

3. Is the title in your name?

4. Why are you getting rid of it?

These are just some of the questions that you should ask. If possible try to send it through the inspection line at the registration office on Camp Foster or Typhoon Motors also on Foster. Dealers provide vehicles with a warranty and that’s one of the biggest advantages of purchasing through a dealer along with having a new 2-year JCI on most of their vehicles but be mindful of what is in (and not) the warranty as some are limited warranties. We would like to think that workers at the dealers are professional but that might not be the case all the time so you should feel comfortable when looking at vehicles and your questions should be answered so you can make an educated decision on a vehicle. There is a lot of stress moving to another country and having to do a million things all at once when you arrive so buying a vehicle shouldn’t be stressful. If one feels like they are being ignored, not receiving the correct information (short answers or none at all), being pushed into or towards a vehicle you are not interested in or simply not feeling comfortable at a dealer should all be signs that your gut is probably not going to agree with. Reputation goes a long way here and reading reviews (good and bad) online can assist in making a judgement as well.

As mentioned earlier, your gut will tell you if things aren’t right so listen to it. Dealers here are straightforward with what they offer and won’t disappear after your purchase, and if you have a problem they will help as they depend on their reputation for repeat business and good word-of-mouth. Individuals are riskier for this reason and many times they are leaving island or disappear like mentioned above. One big area of concern with individuals selling their vehicles would be the air conditioning. One of the biggest scams is when they know the A/C isn’t working properly and you want to look at the vehicle. That person will go to the gas station to get the A/C charged about 30 minutes prior to meeting you and have it blow cold air. After a week or two of ownership, the A/C goes back to not working because of a leak that will cost a lot of money to fix. Another concern will be that individuals will need payment in full or cash up front and once a vehicle is in your name and has problems like the A/C, it doesn’t matter if the engine falls out after 5 minutes, it is your vehicle and you will have no legal recourse against that person you bought it from.

This auto advice provided by veteran and longtime Okinawa resident Don who is the General Manager at Johnny’s Used Cars and is available to talk vehicles anytime at 098-982-0312.