"I found the same one, just 3,000 euros cheaper" – a phrase we hear constantly. Sometimes it really is a good deal. But more often a low price is not a gift but a transfer of risk: the seller knows what you do not.
The price of a car is not the figure in the listing but the total you will spend over the coming year. Let us break down what that sum consists of.
Where the real cost hides
The purchase price is only the first line. On top of it come: work needed immediately (tyres, brakes, fluids), work waiting around the corner (clutch, dual-mass flywheel, turbo) and loss of value if the car's history is damaged.
A cheap car facing a 2,000 euro repair is more expensive than a tidy option costing 1,500 euros more.
Typical reasons for a low price
- Accident damage and a hastily "fixed" history.
- Rolled-back mileage – the car has actually driven 100,000 km more.
- Upcoming expensive repair that the seller knows about.
- Legal problems: pledge, seizure, unclear import.
- Urgent sale – the only innocent reason, but everyone uses it as cover.
How to tell a good price from a trap
A good price has an explanation you can verify: documented history, a clear reason for selling, the ability to inspect without pressure. Traps are recognisable by urgency: "others are looking already", "deposit needed today", "no inspection needed, everything is fine".
The rule is simple: the better the price, the more thorough the inspection must be. Nobody gives money away on the market – if the price is significantly below market, there is always a reason.
What we do
Before recommending a car we calculate its full cost: purchase, necessary work, upcoming service and real market value. That is why we sometimes advise buying a more expensive option – because the final sum will be lower.