Those who arrive in Germany for the first time notice the large number of residents who use their bicycles on daily basis, whether to buy necessities, or to commute between work and home, or even to go out for a walk with family or friends.
But when one needs to travel long distances, or carry many things, a bicycle may not meet all the requirements.
It is well known to many that the German public transport system including trains are characterized by order, cleanliness, punctuality and dedicated stops and
stations, and this makes the daily commute to work or study easy and comfortable for many, especially those who cannot ride a bicycle to reach their work. But waiting for
the bus or the train, and changing between two or more means of transportation, may cause loss of time and prolongation of the trip, especially if this trip is daily to work, for
example. Therefore, many resort to buying a personal vehicle for daily use to avoid waiting in winter times, and give them greater freedom of movement and flexibility
in departure and arrival times.
In this context, we would like to provide some tips for buying a vehicle in Germany, especially for those who experience this for the first time after their arrival.
New or used vehicle
The first question we need to answer when thinking about buying a vehicle in Germany is: Should I buy a new or used vehicle?
Many people in Germany resort to buying a new vehicle, although the prices of new vehicles may be a multiple of the prices of used vehicles, to avoid the need for a lot of
maintenance, as vehicle maintenance in Germany is very expensive compared to our some other countries, due to the high cost of labor.
For example, you may find that to replace an item that is not worth more than 20 euros, you need to pay 100 euros in labor costs.
Of course, the prices of new vehicles vary according to their type and specifications.
However, some people prefer to own new cars for various reasons, including:
- A warranty for the new vehicle. And this depends on the manufacturer, as its the warranty can extend from three to six years, or up to a certain driven distance. The warranty includes malfunctions that appear in the main parts of the vehicle later during the warranty period such as the engine and its accessories, transmission and parts that are not worn out or should be periodically replaced.
- The possibility of configuring the car to suit the personal use, and one does not have to adhere to the specifications available in the used vehicles that were purchased years ago.
- Some people want to keep the vehicle for a long time, so they buy it new and keep it for many years. Therefore, buying a new vehicle is considered an investment.
Used vehicle
On the other hand, the prices of new vehicles decrease significantly after their purchase, due to the maintenance prices that we talked about earlier. For this reason, many prefer to get the vehicle used at prices much lower than the new vehicle, but after examining the vehicle’s safety and mechanical condition and the absence of hidden faults that lead to high maintenance costs later.
How do I check the condition of the used vehicle I want to buy?
This question arises in the minds of any of us when thinking about buying a used vehicle, be it in Germany or abroad. But since most of us came to Germany a few years ago, they may not know how to answer this question. Fortunately, it is not difficult to ascertain the condition of the vehicle used in Germany, thanks to the bureaucracy. There are a few things, if they have been seized and inspected in the vehicle, will help us to ascertain its technical condition.
- Has the vehicle passed the technical vehicle inspection recently, or what is known as the TüV? The technical inspection of vehicles in Germany takes place every two years, except for new cars it takes place after three years after the buying, in which the vehicle is examined in all technical aspects related to safety and the main functions of the vehicle. No vehicle is allowed to drive on the street if it does not pass the vehicle’s periodic technical inspection.
- One of the most important points at all, is the availability of the vehicle maintenance history booklet, where the periodic maintenance of the vehicle is recorded according to the manufacturer’s recommendations, and if this booklet is complete, that is, there are no interruptions in the maintenance periods, and that the last maintenance period was done recently, this indicates that the previous vehicle owner was taking care of the vehicle on a regular basis.
- Ensure that the vehicle has not beenin any accident in the past, and this is done by looking at the vehicle’s papers issued by the vehicle registration office in the city to which this vehicle belongs.
- Looking at the milage of the vehicle compared to its age. Here, it should be noted that some vehicles can travel longer distances than others, depending on the manufacturer, type of engine and field of use of the vehicle. It is important to compare the milage counter with the maintenance booklet and make sure that the number in the booklet matches the number on the car’s dashboard, to make sure that the vehicle’s counter has not been tampered with, as statistics show that one out of every three cars has had its mileage tampered and set back. To delude the buyer that the car is not used a lot. Check this report from ADAC: https://www.adac.de/rund-ums-fahrzeug/auto-kaufen-verkaufen/gebrauchtwagenkauf/tacho-manipulation/
- It is always recommended to buy the car from someone who had bought it to keep it for a long time and was keen to maintain it periodically. This can be seen from the history of the car, how many people owned the car before, and the date of its maintenance.
- Pay attention to the known problems of the type of car to be purchased, and make sure that there are no such problems or that they have been addressed before buying the car. This website offers a very good forums that are rich with info, but it is only in German: https://www.motor-talk.de/
Inspect the vehicle before purchasing it by a specialized technician
One of the procedures followed before buying a vehicle is to have the vehicle inspected by a specialized technician. The technician checks the technical aspects of the vehicle in addition to the safety and security aspects, external and internal signs in the vehicle, and checks the vehicle from the bottom to ensure that there is no rust in any part of the vehicle. You can find specialized technical inspection workshops approved by the German Automobile Club (ADAC). The inspection center issues an accrdited report that shows the details of the examination result, necessary maintenance recommendations, if any, and approximate prices for the car in the local market at the present time. A list of test stations in your region can be found here:
https://www.adac.de/rund-ums-fahrzeug/ reparatur-pflege-wartung/reparaturrueckruf/pruefdienste/
Vehicle Engine Type
The options for the type of vehicle engine to be purchased are no longer confined between gasoline and diesel engines, the car industry has developed in the last two decades greatly so that there are many electric cars that have recently spread and become increasingly desirable in Germany due to their saving in the monthly expenses, and the absence of restrictions on its movement, especially within cities and in environmental areas, and it also enjoys financial support from the German government that covers part of the cost of its purchase in addition to the disposal of many maintenance points found in traditional fuel cars such as engine oil, transmission oil, and others. However, there is a problem faced by those who want to buy an electric vehicle, which is the distance that the car can travel without the need to recharge. This distance ranges between 200 and 350 km in most cars, which limits its usability for long-distance travelling such as a vacation, or going to work daily in another city. The driver may have to stop while traveling to charge his car, which takes about thirty to forty minutes, and this is considered a long time, especially if the travel distance is long and the driver needs to stop several times to charge the battery. Of course by having super charging stations, this problem can be less pronounced.
Here, some prefer hybrid engines, which run on both fuel and electric systems at the same time, and these engines are economical and save fuel, and do not need electric charging to operate like electric motors. However, the vast majority of cars still run on conventional fuels, i.e., gasoline and diesel. We will present another article that examines in detail the differences between these two engines, and the foundations and criteria for choosing each of them.
Where to find vehicles for sale
Alright, after learning what to search for, and what to check in a vehicle, where can I find my next vehicle? There are many ways to search for a vehicle at the present time, including going to car showrooms directly, whether local or linked to a series of exhibitions in several cities within Germany. These include vehicle search sites such as autoscout (https:// www.autoscout24.de/) and (https:// www.mobile.de/), or general online buying and selling sites such as https://www.ebay- kleinanzeigen.de/ or Facebook market place.