🛡 Safe buying guide
Simple rules for viewing, paying and verifying — stay clear of scams
💸 Payment: never pay a deposit before viewing
This is the most important rule. Do not pay any deposit, holding fee or full amount before you have seen the car in person and verified the seller. Be wary of pressure like “pay now or someone else will take it” — a genuine sale won’t rush you into transferring money sight-unseen. Prefer to meet, pay and transfer ownership in person.
🔍 Inspect the car in person
Arrange a viewing and test drive. Check the VIN against the registration papers, and review the WoF, registration and odometer. For imports, confirm the car is already in New Zealand and available to inspect — not still overseas with payment requested upfront. Consider an independent pre-purchase inspection.
💬 Keep communication on-platform
Use CarDeal’s in-app translated chat — it keeps a record and removes the language barrier. Be cautious of sellers who immediately push you to a private channel and rush for payment.
🖼 Spot stolen photos & fake listings
Some bad actors reuse photos from Japanese auctions or other dealers. Try a reverse image search on the photos to see if they appear elsewhere; a real in-stock car can be viewed by appointment. Be wary if the price seems too good to be true or the seller avoids a viewing.
✓ Verified dealers vs private sellers
Dealers reviewed by CarDeal carry a “Verified dealer ✓” badge (MVT and details checked), which lowers impersonation risk. With private sellers, it’s especially important to insist on an in-person viewing and ownership transfer.
🏷 CarDeal’s role
CarDeal is an information-intermediary platform. We never handle funds or take part in payment between buyer and seller. What we do: verify dealers, prevent duplicate listings, and moderate non-compliant content. If you spot a suspicious or inaccurate listing, please report it via “Contact us” at the bottom of the page.