Purchasing Used Cars

With the current economy going the way it is, buying used cars is constantly becoming a more and more popular option for people from all different walks of life with all sorts of different budgets. Yet regardless of where you are or the size of your budget, there are many points that everybody must consider when they are buying a new car if they want to make the best deal available to them and want to avoid any hassle which could present itself in the future.

• First things first, find a car you are interested in. Your interest should not just go as far as ‘I like the look of it’, whilst this might be a good obvious way to start, after spotting the car you should do a lot of research on the car that has taken your fancy to gage whether or not it will make for a good used car. This means reading reviews, you can also find reviews which are dedicated to used car and their longevity.
• After your initial research it is important to remember that all used cars will be different as they have had different owners who will have treated them differently as well as driven them differently. Therefore it is worth educating yourself on what you should be looking for when inspecting the vehicle in the way of any major faults which require repair work. Or even better, you should take a mechanic along with you, or at least a friend who is in the know.
• Ask for a good history of the vehicle including any documentation of repair work, replacements, service, maintenance or MoT etc.  This should give you a good indication of how well the owner has looked after the car. It is also worth thinking about the type of people who are likely to drive the model you're looking for. A large family car, such as the Hyundai i40 for example, is unlikely to have been raced up and down the country by a speed-hungry teenager. An Audi A3 might tell a different story however.
• Another very good idea, is to take the car for a test drive so you can get a feel for its performance and make sure everything is in working experience, if the owner is reluctant for you to take the car for a test drive, this is a bad sign and you should treat it suspiciously. If the owner is trying to cut the test drive short then also treat this with suspicion as they are probably trying to hide problems which present themselves after a certain amount of time.
• One great thing to do is ask the seller for a little warranty on the car, especially if you haven’t given the car a test drive. If the seller hasn’t got anything to worry about they should give you a warranty that lasts anywhere between 30-60 days, if they are willing to do this, take it as a good thing (obviously) because they are obviously confident in their cars ability. If you do agree on a warranty make sure you get it in writing and signed.