Qual è il chilometraggio del veicolo o quanti chilometri ha il veicolo? What’s the vehicle’s mileage or how many kilometres does the vehicle have?
Knowing the vehicle’s mileage is a good way of agreeing on a price.
If you’re unsure whether or not the seller is telling the truth or if they’ve messed with the odometer (odometro) reading, there are sites and apps that allow you to get an estimate of a vehicle’s mileage based on its registration date.
An acceptable mileage depends on a lot of factors, but usually speaking cars with more than 150,000km are past their prime.
Qual è lo stato o la condizione dell'auto usata? What 's the state or condition of the used car?
If the seller says the car’s condition is eccellente (excellent) then it may be a good sign. If they say it’s in condizione normale (normal condition) they may not know the true value of the car they’re selling.
Always thoroughly check beforehand (more on that below) just in case they're pulling the wool over your eyes.
READ ALSO: 40 useful words and phrases to get your car fixed in Italy
Da chi hai comprato questo veicolo? Who did you buy this vehicle from?
The less owners the better. If the seller is the primo proprietario (first owner) the better the chances of it having been badly treated by more people.
They may say they bought it from an autosalone (car showroom), and if it was new or seconda mano (second hand).
This may also be a good time to ask dove hai vissuto mentre possedevi questa macchina? (where have you lived while owning this car?) to know if the vehicle has been parked in places with extreme weather, or if it’s been driven in a coastal area where it may have picked up ruggine (rust).
Potrei vedere lo storico dei tagliandi dell'auto? Could I see the car’s service history?
This is one of the best ways to find out if the car has been in an incidente (accident) and that could appear whilst driving the vehicle in the future.
You should ask to see the libretto dei tagliandi (the car’s service log book) where a responsible driver should have written down any issues the car may have had.
You can also check the service history on the Portale dell’Automobilista (Motorist Portal) website, which is ran by Italy’s Ministry of Infrastructure and Transport
Che tipo di olio motore usi nell'auto? What type of oil do you use in the car?
This is in fact a good way of finding out how much care the vehicle has received from its previous owner; the more they know the greater the possibility that they’ve taken good care of the car.
Sarebbe ok se il mio meccanico ispezionasse l'auto? Would it be ok if my mechanic inspected the car?
Even if you don’t have a mechanic, this is sure way of quickly ascertaining whether the seller is not giving you the full picture. Obviously, if they’re more than willing it’s a good sign and if come up with some sort of excuse it’s a reason to stop inquiring about the car.
If you’re not a car expert, it may actually be worth getting a mechanic to check the car inside out. Otherwise, look for obvious signs of repaired damage, study all four tyres carefully, look under the hood, and start the engine but keep it idling so you can check for any smoke, strange noises, leaks etc.
Qual è l'ultima auto usata che hai venduto? Which is the last used car you've sold?
There are many people in Italy, like in in other countries who make a living from buying old cars and selling them at a premium. That’s not to say that no of car sales people can be trusted, but they will obviously understand the used car market better than you and may well know how to camouflage some of the vehicle’s shortcomings.
Sellers who do not sell often may not know all of the tricks of the trade.
READ ALSO: Five things you always need to have in your car in Italy by law
A quanti sei disposto a vendere l'auto? How much are you willing to sell the car for?
If you are not willing to meet the price the seller posted, due to multiple reasons such as the ad is old or problems upon inspection, this is a key question for negotiating another price.
Using the above mentioned site Portale dell'Automobilista beforehand and inserting information such as the cars brand and model will let you know in advance what it’s really worth its true value.
Posso provare su strada l'auto? Can I test drive the car?
It seems like a no-brainer but you should never buy a car without having driven it first. Any seller whorefuses this option should be avoided and agreeing to a test drive wis a fair compromise.
Key things to look out for are listening out for unusual noises, paying careful attention to the smoothness of gearstick changes, and asking yourself how the steering and brakes feel.
Have we missed any key questions? Share yours in the comments section.
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