Having a car here is very useful, but maybe not entirely necessary if you live in the big cities, but if you live on the outskirts you will find it more of a challenge to get around. Buses are available in some places but the most common are minibuses, known as Dolmus. They are slightly irregular and it can be tricky when having to carry your shopping or to get from one city to another.
A private car provides much more freedom here. New cars are plentiful, as are used. New car dealers are plentiful and they also have some used vehicles in stock. The Largest range of car dealers is located in Lefkosa/Nicosia, where there are many traders in the same district offering competitive prices. Also try the newspapers, where they have private ads by the owners, and various North Cyprus Forums on the internet.
If you decide to buy a used car, there are some things you should be careful to check up on before you buy. This applies whether you are buying privately or through a dealer.
You should check that there are no road tax liabilities on the car and that it has been inspected regularly.
Make sure the engine code matches with ownership proof and that engine number has not been tampered with in any way. If they have changed the engine without having registered the engine replacement, you may be liable, you may not be able to get rid of the car, and receive a huge fine because you are the owner. The same applies to the chassis number.
If possible so also check that the car is fully redeemed by the previous owners.
Needless to say, most people are honest, but if you are not careful you may encounter unnecessary trouble.
These are easy things to check and when you have done this, you can safely begin to negotiate the price of the vehicle you decide on and can devote your time to explore our wonderful island.
