Cars are expensive, but there are many options out there for finding a reliable used car at a fraction of the price of a new car. Maintenance and insurance costs are high, so it’s common for an individual to want to sell an extra car for an immediate profit. If you’re in the market for a used car, Facebook marketplace can be a good starting point to find a local deal.
Facebook marketplace has some advantages over other selling options like Craigslist. With marketplace, you can see the profile of the seller and get an idea as to what kind of person you’re dealing with. As with any online buying option, there are several rules you should follow in order to avoid scams. By following a few common sense rules, you will be able to get a reliable car at a great price.
What Is Facebook Marketplace?
Facebook marketplace is a listing service offered by Facebook that can be accessed with any user account. You can see it listed on the left hand side of your Facebook user dashboard beneath the buttons for news feed, messenger, and watch.
To browse marketplace, click on the button and navigate through the items for sale. Be sure that you’ve set your current hometown in your user profile, or you will be taken to a marketplace for a distant city. Within marketplace there is a search option that allows you to determine price and distance from your current location.
In order to get a good deal on marketplace, you should:
• Check the seller’s profile
• Experiment with the search features
• Interact with the seller directly
Check the Seller’s Profile
Marketplace allows you to send a message to an individual on Facebook who is not in your personal contacts without it going to a slush message folder. Once you have found a vehicle that you’re interested in, you can send a message and check the profile of the seller.
Depending on the seller’s privacy settings, you should be able to get a good idea about the seller based on their public Facebook profile. This is no different than doing a Google search on an individual who you anticipate doing some sort of business with. If the profile seems legitimate, you can proceed with organizing a showing.
If the profile doesn’t have any pictures of the individual, or it was only recently created, you might be looking at a fake profile. Also, if the seller refuses to give you a phone number or other contact information, you might have discovered a scam and it is best to block the user.
Experiment with the Search Features
Marketplace has some very good options for refining a search, however you can’t rely on sellers to properly categorize the items they wish to sell. Marketplace does have a sub category for vehicles, however, some sellers fail to place their vehicle in that category.
If you are looking for a specific type of car, be sure to do a search both within vehicles and within the whole marketplace. Sometimes doing a search within the whole marketplace yields better results that don’t appear in the sub category searches.
Interact with the Seller Directly
Always schedule a meeting by phone and be sure to ask questions about the vehicle you wish to see. Be cautious about a seller that insists on doing all the interaction through messenger. That is not a definitive proof of a scam, but such behavior is suspicious. You will need a phone number in case you encounter a problem while on your way to see the vehicle.
Also be wary if the individual with the marketplace listing wants you to interact with a third party. This scenario removes the benefit of being able to examine a Facebook user profile. The more information you have about a person who is selling the vehicle, the better your chances of avoiding a scam.
Find a Great Car on Marketplace Today
There are more honest people out there than dishonest ones, but the dishonest ones are very good at getting your attention. When purchasing a used vehicle, common sense rules always apply. If you aren’t mechanical yourself, bring somebody along who is. A quick look at an engine, or beneath a car can reveal problems that aren’t obvious to the uneducated eye.
Facebook marketplace can be used to give you a large amount of valuable information about people who are selling vehicles. It’s not nearly as anonymous as Craigslist, but the platform can still be utilized in a scam. Be cautious, and listen to the inner warning voice if you feel something doesn’t feel right. By following some common sense rules, you can use marketplace to get a great used vehicle.
So whether you’re looking for an new car or your next luxury RV, then Facebook’s marketplace is a great place to start
