1. Buying a second-hand car?
What you need to know
Buying a second-hand car is a great option for many motorists. Brand new vehicles can be incredibly
expensive and will lose a lot of their value even as you drive away from the dealership. So a
second-hand vehicle can be much better for the bank balance and is not necessarily any less
reliable or enjoyable to drive. But there are several things you must be aware of when shopping for
second-hand vehicles, so read on for the top tips from www.autovip.co.uk.
Set your budget
Before you begin you must be honest about what you can afford. If you
have a current vehicle to sell this could provide much of the cash. Or
you might consider a loan or overdraft.
Don’t forget the additional and ongoing costs as well – insurance, tax,
MOT and fuel can be big bills.
Consider the options
It will make the search much easier if you have a good idea of what
makes and models will be most suited to your needs. Think about how
many passengers you will regularly have in the car, how much boot
space you will need and the fuel and insurance costs. All these factors
will help you decide which cars are best for you. Then you can narrow
down your search by going to see a few of the options.
Contacting sellers
There are four main ways you can buy a
second-hand car:
Private sellers
Internet sites
Dealers
Auctions
They all have their pros and cons but
however you find your new car be sure to
speak to the seller and arrange a viewing.
Ask question about the car’s past and
condition, why they are selling and how
much it costs to run.
Inspecting a car
It is vital that you go to view the car and give
it an inspection. This should be done in
daylight and when the weather is dry – rain
can hide scratches and dents in the
bodywork.
Check the car thoroughly inside and out,
looking for things such as scratches and
signs of repair, rust, wear to the seats and
the condition of tyres. Have a look under the
bonnet – excess oil or fluids over the engine
can signal a problem. You should also check
that the Vehicle Identification Numbers on
the windscreen, under the bonnet and
under the driver’s seat carpet all match with
the VIN in the logbook.
Get behind the wheel
You should take the car on a test drive to
check that all the features work and that the
vehicle runs smoothly.
Hit the roads for at least 15 minutes and
carefully assess how the car handles. The car
should be started from cold so you can see if
there is any smoke or noise when you turn
the key. As you drive, go through all the
gears, test the brakes and keep an ear out
for any vibration or noise.
You will need to arrange suitable insurance
for test driving cars so speak to your
provider before getting behind the wheel.
Haggle
Don’t be afraid to haggle on the
price. If you have done your
research properly you will know
what similar cars sell for so can
avoid paying over the odds.
Start with a low bid and meet the
seller somewhere in between as
he comes down from his asking
price. Stay calm and don’t be
tempted to pay more than you can
afford – there are plenty of other
cars out there.
Doing the deal
Once you have agreed a price you
and the seller will need to work
out how payment will be made.
Private sellers usually expect cash
or a cheque, but they will then
wait until this clears before
handing over the keys. If you
leave a deposit be sure to get a
receipt.
If buying from the internet, at a
dealership or online you can often
pay by debit or credit card.
Once you have the keys you need
to complete the new keeper parts
in the logbook and send it to the
DVLA. Arrange insurance cover
before you drive away.