Buying used cars in Turkey .. a comprehensive guide

A comprehensive guide on buying used cars in Turkey in detail and in English.

How to buy, the most famous markets to sell used cars in Turkey, what are the things that you should check while buying a car in Turkey  And many important information for all those interested in cars in Turkey.

General information about used cars in Turkey

About half a million used car is sold in Turkey annually, as the Turkish market is one of the largest used car markets in Europe.

There are many different options for buying used cars in Turkey, as the car models and year of manufacture vary in addition to many other factors that affect the price of the car.

A foreign person in Turkey can buy a cheap second hand cars in Turkey exempt from customs and taxes that are subject to Turkish citizens under certain conditions.

General advice when buying used cars in Turkey

1. The price of diesel cars is higher than the price of gasoline cars in Turkey, because diesel fuel is significantly cheaper than gasoline.
2. If you plan to buy a car in Turkey as a foreign citizen, it is best to buy cars with Turkish license plates, because you can only sell cars with foreign license plates to foreign citizens of other countries, which reduces the chances of resale.
3. Make sure to deposit the price of the car in the notary, and after transferring the car documents to your name. It is better to transfer this car price directly from your bank account in Turkey and write in the description of the EFT that it’s for car sale.
4. Be sure to obtain car insurance immediately upon purchase.
5. If you are planning to buy a used car, make sure to do a technical check before anything else. As the expert examination is one of the most important steps to ensure the safety of the vehicle you are purchasing.
6. Cars made in Turkey are known for their high quality, as hundreds of thousands of cars made in Turkey are exported annually to European countries.
7. The ÖTV “car tax” is collected annually from the owner and the tax amount varies according to the car’s cylinder size, make and year of manufacture.
8. There are two types of car insurance in Turkey, which are compulsory car insurance, and optional insurance, which provides additional features.
9. The name of the used car in Turkish is “ikinci el araba“.
10. The prices of used cars in Turkey vary according to the type of car, its condition, and the number of kilometers it has driven.

Where to buy a used car in Turkey

You can buy a used car in Turkey through three main ways:

Internet sites

Internet sites provide a huge opportunity to buy used cars in Turkey, as tens of thousands of ads are available on various sites, the most famous of which is Sahibinden.

Sahibinden website provides a direct communication service between the seller and the buyer, where you can contact the owner of the car and inquire about all the information you want.

Sahibinden is characterized by the presence of many different cars in it, in addition to the ease of use of the application in English.

You can search for used European cars for sale in Turkey on the Internet sites in Turkey that offer many different types of cars.

Is available at the site arabam also thousands of ads for used cars in Turkey, where the site is characterized by his specialization in only cars, unlike Sahibinden, which contains all the different types of used products.

Open auto markets in Turkey

Open car markets are one of the most important places to buy and sell used cars in Turkey. Open car markets in Turkey are organized by municipalities and are called in Turkish “ açık oto pazarları ”.

In the used car market in Turkey, there are many sellers ready to display their car directly, and within the markets there are many auto and mechanical experts to check the car and give a detailed and neutral report on it.

We recommend that you bring your auto expert to the open car market when you buy a used car in Turkey.

In some open markets there is also a branch of the Notre Office, in order to make it easier for the seller and buyer to complete the purchase process directly.

You can find out the nearest open car market in your city by asking or typing oto pazar next to the name of your city and searching for the nearest market.

Newspapers

The newspapers provide many car advertisements that can be viewed and then contact the car owners and inspect them before purchasing.

Examination of a used car before buying in Turkey

It is known in Turkey that, before completing the sale of the car, a comprehensive examination must be made on the car by the expert, which is called in Turkish “ Expertiz ” .

The expert performs a comprehensive examination of the car to discover accidents that occurred in the past in addition to any changed parts of the car, and the damaged parts. in general the expert job is to examine all parts of the car that may incur costs to the buyer in the near future.

Examining a used car before buying is a pivotal and important process that you must do, You must refuse to buy any car whose owner refuses to show it to the expert

When the comprehensive inspection process is over, a written report about the vehicle and an information display are given to the buyer.

Rent a car in Turkey

In the event that you need to rent a car in Turkey, before you buy a used car, you can do so easily from the Internet.

You can choose the car you want to book from Rentalcars which offers the best rates by searching all car rental locations, by entering the city and the time of delivery and pick-up.

How to buy a used car in Turkey

After you have decided on the car that you want to buy, and after obtaining the expert’s report and making sure that the car is safe and that it matches the information presented by the seller, you must do the following procedures to complete the sale.

1. You must go to the nearest Notary Public to register the car that you bought in your name.
2. Noter will ask you to bring an official sworn Turkish translator if you don’t speak Turkish. (You will bear the expenses of the translator and the notarization the contract, which may amount to about 250 Turkish liras)
3. The seller bears the previous expenses of the car, such as unpaid taxes and fines, as they must be paid before completing the sale.
4. After payment, the vehicle document and the car card are received.
5. After completing the purchase, you have one month to get a car license plate.

Get a car insurance in Turkey

After you have obtained the car documents from the noter, you must obtain car insurance, as the maximum period for obtaining insurance after purchase is 15 days.

After the sale is made, the previous car insurance will be canceled automatically, even if it is valid, and therefore, it must be reinsured again. It is also advisable to get insurance on your car right away and not to delay this important issue.

Obtaining a license plate in Turkey

After you get the car documents, card and insurance, you must obtain the car license plate within a maximum period of one month.

You must book an interview appointment to obtain a license plate through the official website provided by the Turkish Ministry of Interior.

After that, go to the nearest central police station to you with your passport, tax number, and your residence in Turkey in addition to the address and request the license plate.

When you get the license plate for your car, the plate will contain the letters Ma to Mz, where these letters indicate that the car is owned by a foreign citizen in Turkey.

Buying a used car is tax free in Turkey

Turkish law stipulates that foreign citizens in Turkey can purchase tax-free cars, and thus the car is significantly cheaper.

The car sold by a foreigner to a foreigner, or the car that entered Turkey with a tax exemption system, is exempt from VAT and the annual car tax.

The following individuals can buy a tax-free car in Turkey:

• Turkish expatriates holders of the Blue Card.
• Foreign athletes who play in Turkey.
• Foreign lecturers and teachers who hold a work permit.
• Foreign undergraduate students, graduates, and students attending MA and PhD in Turkey.
• Foreign media professionals and journalists of foreign institutions.
• United Nations and NATO personnel.
• Foreigners retired abroad and living in Turkey.

You will need the following documents when buying a tax-free car in Turkey:

• Notre sale certificate.
• Residence or work permit.
• Bill of sale.
• Highway Conformity Certificate.
• A receipt for payment of the Special Consumption Tax (SCT).
• Compulsory traffic insurance.