Practical Tips for Buying a Great Used Car
Choosing to buy a used car rather than a brand new one is a great way of saving yourself some money. Not only will buying a used car save you money on the cost of your purchase, it will also save you money on your insurance too. The second hand car market is immense and when you set out to find yourself a new used car you are going to have to make sure you do your research before you head out to the car lot. Making sure you have a good idea in mind of the type and size of car that you want will save you a lot of time.
Avoid the Pitfalls
Of course there are pros and cons when it comes to buying second hand and it can be a long, drawn out process finding the car that you want. You need to be fully aware of all of the pitfalls of buying second hand so that you can avoid them, and there are definitely some aspects that need fully checking out before you hand over your money.- Know what you need. It is no good just turning up at a car dealership saying that you want a car, but then when asked cannot provide any more details about the size of car, the make or the engine size that you are looking for. Are you looking for a car to enable you to travel the length and breadth of the country or are you just looking for something to run you into town and back?
- Know your budget. Before you arrive at any dealership you need to have a firm idea of your budget, and what’s more important you need the determination to stick to it. Car salesman are known the world over for being able to get you to part with more money than you intended, so stick to your guns.
- Research your chosen model. Once you know the kind of car that you need and are fully aware of the amount of money that you have to spend start researching the models that you can afford. Find out which dealerships are stocking them and pay a visit to check one out in person.
Inspect the Car
Don’t just assume that because a car looks good on the outside that everything under the bonnet is going to be good too. You should make sure that whichever car you select that you can take it for a test drive. A test drive is important because you need to know how it feels to drive the car and whether you feel comfortable behind the wheel.- Inspect the body work. Give the car a good look over and make a note of any areas of the bodywork that show signs of damage or rust. Look for where repairs have been made, and point out to the seller any areas that need attention before you are prepared to part with your money.
- Look at how many miles the cars has done, and make sure that the mileage adds up to the way that the car looks and feels.