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Experts With Decades Of Experience Reveal Common Mistakes That Cause Many Brazilians To Lose Money When Buying A Used Car. Sincere Tips To Avoid Traps And Identify Good Opportunities Even In High-Mileage Or Premium Brand Vehicles.
Buying a used car may seem like a good deal at first glance, but it requires attention, experience, and, above all, rational choices.
This is the view shared by two major names in the Brazilian automotive sector: Sérgio Habib, president of JAC Motors in Brazil and founder of the SHC Group, with over 30 years in the industry, and Boris Feldman, journalist and automotive engineer with over five decades of experience in the field.
Both participated in the PrimoCast program. At the time, Sérgio Habib explained that the first mistake of those looking to buy a used car is choosing based on color or license plate ending.
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“Sometimes the red car is in much better condition than the black one, and for the same price, but the person lets it go because they wanted a black one,” he exemplifies.
The same applies to the license plate ending: many São Paulans reject vehicles with endings that limit circulation on weekdays, even if they are in better condition.
Habib’s recommendation is clear: “Set a price range, not a specific model. Look at the maintenance and don’t get stuck on color, brand, or license plate ending.”
More than that, he warns that trying to make money reselling used cars is a trap for most.
“Used cars are an extremely complicated business. Each car has its history, its cost to look presentable, its purchase and selling price. It’s not a business for amateurs,” he emphasizes.
Habib reveals that he has had 4,500 employees and that many have tried to open used car dealerships, but “80% to 90% went back to looking for jobs at dealerships,” according to him.
The sector requires total control and a lean team. “If you buy and sell 10 cars a month, you can make it. But if you grow and depend on others, it gets complicated.”
The Myth Of Cheap Imports
Another common mistake is opting for imported cars over five years old for the same price as a lightly used national model.
“You see a Virtus for R$ 110 thousand and a ten-year-old BMW for R$ 90 thousand. The person thinks they’re getting a good deal,” comments Habib.
But Boris Feldman warns: “When it comes time to replace the windshield of the Virtus, it costs R$ 300, while for the BMW, it’s R$ 10 thousand.”
“You buy a used Mercedes and pray it doesn’t crash. One headlight costs R$ 15 thousand, and a rearview mirror costs the price of a television,” reinforces Habib, highlighting the high maintenance costs of used premium cars.
Besides the cost of parts, there is also the risk of the vehicle’s history. Feldman notes that many of these cars may have been in accidents, improperly repaired, and put up for sale looking pristine.
“You think it’s cheap, but it’s the cheap that ends up being expensive. You’ll regret it in the second week,” he states.
Maintenance Is Worth More Than The Year
Regarding the age or mileage limit for a used car, Boris Feldman debunks myths. He uses his own vehicle as an example:
“I have a 1985 Voyage with 250 thousand km. I’ve had it since it was new. I take good care of it. I’ve seen cars with 50 thousand km that look like tractors from all the potholes they’ve been through.”
In other words, mileage alone does not determine a car’s health. Feldman explains that dealerships, for example, avoid selling models with over 80 thousand km because they don’t want to take on the risk of offering a warranty.
“If you want to avoid unpleasant surprises, don’t buy a car with over 60 thousand or 70 thousand km. The chance of having to replace the transmission or engine is high,” he advises.
The Transmissions You Should Avoid
A valuable tip brought by the experts relates to the type of transmission. Sérgio Habib points out automated transmissions as constant sources of headaches.
He mentions the models known as “Dualogic” at Fiat, “iMotion” at Volkswagen, and “Easytronic” at GM. “These are manual transmissions with an electronic module that tries to manage the shifts. They jerk, break, and are hard to fix,” he explains.
Boris Feldman goes further and recalls the case of the PowerShift transmission, used in models like the Fiesta and EcoSport.
“There are two types of EcoSport with this transmission: the one that has already broken and the one that will break,” he says, ironically. “They call it PowerShift, but the nickname in the community is ‘PowerShit’,” he jokes.
The recommendation, therefore, is to prefer cars with manual transmissions and mileage below 40 thousand km, to reduce the risk of problems and facilitate future resale.
Savings In Use, Losses In Maintenance
Another point of warning is the so-called “psychological price.” The buyer sees a luxury imported car for R$ 100 thousand and forgets that the replacement part still costs as if the car were worth R$ 500 thousand.
“The new car costs R$ 500 thousand, the used car costs R$ 100 thousand, but the windshield still costs R$ 20 thousand,” observes Habib.
This illusion of savings is what leads many to abandon the car after a crash or a more serious defect.
“You’re going to abandon the car because just one suspension can cost more than the car is worth on the market,” he adds.
Expert Tip To Avoid Falling Into Traps
As a final tip, Sérgio Habib recommends caution, research, and reading. In any case, both experts insist that it is indeed possible to buy a used car and do well, as long as the buyer has discipline, realism, and basic technical knowledge.
“You’re not buying a car. You’re buying a story. And that story can be costly if you don’t know how to read the previous chapters,” summarizes Feldman.
Given so many details and risks, the question remains: would you know how to choose a used car today without falling into traps hidden beneath a shiny paint job?
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