Top Reasons to Avoid Craigslist and Lease Your New Car from a Dealer

Unless you’re looking to get scammed or worse, it’s better to stay away from Craigslist if you have the option. While the appeal of a cheap deal might be tempting, it’s always better to search for car lease deals in your area, or go for certified pre owned vehicles. Here are the top reasons to avoid Craigslist and go for car lease deals instead.

You could get robbed

Yeah, you might get “robbed” when you purchase a car that turns out to be junk, but there’s the very real possibility that you might have money stolen from you when you meet with the Craigslist dealer, especially if it’s in an isolated location. Unless you have a small team of bodyguards at your disposal, it’s best to avoid putting yourself in a potentially dangerous situation.

You could get scammed

There is no guarantee when you purchase a car from a Craigslist ad. Most of the time, the car needs repairs and the owner might not give you the history report. “As is” vehicles are never worth the effort of repairing them unless you own your own shop and can do it yourself.
Purchasing certified used cars or opting for car lease deals guarantees that you have the history and that they’re road-ready. In the event the car has a problem early on, you’ll be able to take legal action against the dealer as opposed to the seller on craigslist who will be long gone.

There are no perks associated with the purchase

Car lease deals usually include prolonged maintenance, a boost in your credit, free oil changes and more. While a Craigslist car might be old and dirty, your new lease will be cleaned to perfection and you’ll get plenty of perks for leasing your car with a reliable dealer.

Lump-sum versus monthly payments

A Craigslist car will be unlikely to want monthly installments if you can’t pay everything upfront in a lump-sum you may not have. The owner will simply want to take your money and send you on your way. With a certified pre owned vehicle or other car lease deals, you’re able to give a down payment and then opt for monthly installments. This will allow you to strategize your payments and adhere to a monthly budget you’re comfortable with.

While purchasing a new car is always a challenge, choosing an unreliable source for your new vehicle might leave you with more problems than you bargained for. People looking to purchase a new vehicle will spend nearly 60% of their time searching online for car options. Instead of slogging through the hassle of Craigslist, consider choosing reliable Ford dealers in your area when you want to lease or purchase a new car.