Inspection21 Aug 2026 · 9 min
The imported-car inspection that actually protects you
Paint can lie. A scan tool, a VIN plate, and a cold start cannot. This is the pre-purchase checklist BetterDeal TV uses before anyone should wire a deposit.
Field notes
Guides
Buyer-protection briefs for international vehicle deals — inspection, scam handling, landing cost, and what to do if money already left the account.
Scams12 Aug 2026 · 11 min
How international dealership scams actually work
The car is rarely the product. The deposit is. A field guide to bait listings, cloned lots, advance-fee clearing, and the pressure scripts used on overseas buyers.
Inspection20 Aug 2026 · 8 min
VIN, chassis, engine: the three numbers that must agree
A perfect paint job over the wrong mill is not a sleeper build. It is a liability. How to catch swapped engines, restamped plates, and 'matching numbers' stories.
Scams15 Aug 2026 · 8 min
Deposits, wires, and the payment traps used on car buyers
How to move money for an international vehicle without becoming the next advance-fee case. Escrow, named accounts, and the channels you should never touch.
Import18 Aug 2026 · 10 min
Landing cost, duty, and the 'too cheap' import
Levy cuts, green taxes, freight, and clearing. Why a low auction price is not the price you will pay at the port — and how fake landing quotes are used as bait.
Aftercare25 Aug 2026 · 7 min
If you already paid: a calm aftercare playbook
What to do in the first 48 hours after a vehicle scam — banks, police, platforms, and what not to do when someone offers to 'recover' the money.
Scams22 Aug 2026 · 7 min
Private sellers: the red flags that show up before the test drive
No lot, no company, still a deal — sometimes. How to buy from a private party without inheriting someone else's problem car or a phantom listing.
Import17 Aug 2026 · 8 min
Petrol, hybrid, or EV: what actually works after the duty cut
Zero import duty on EVs sounds like a verdict. Charging, outages, parts, and residual value are the rest of the sentence. A buyer-first comparison.