A good while ago, I wrote up an editorial feature regarding buying a used car. I recently did exactly that – but the results are for another blog post. Instead, here are some further pointers regarding what to consider when buying used:
1) Decide where you are in the car buying phase. What I mean by that is consider whether you are just browsing, actively comparing or looking to buy there and then. There are many ways to break this down but I like to keep it simple. Deciding where you sit in those three categories will help you choose what to do next.
2) Narrow down the type of car you want to own. Whether this is by size, engine or manufacturer it doesn’t matter. As long as you have a rough idea, it’ll help you avoid a totally unsuitable car or ’emotional’ purchase.
3) Look all over the sales park. If you only look at a select few cars, the sales person might try to push you down one of those routes when another, more suitable car lies just around the corner.
4) Consider your budget. Whilst the deposit is important, more significant is the monthly payment level. Consider what you can practically afford, tell the sales person this and do not go over it.
5) Look over every aspect of the vehicle. Sit in every seat, look under the bonnet, open the boot, check the sills, listen to it idle, rev and gear change. Test drive it. Walk away and test drive it again another day. View the service history. If you can, have it independently checked.
6) When you decide on a car you like, check it on Parkers and Honest John. Is the price right? Any major issues with it?
7) Before parting with any hard earned cash, see how the total figure has come about. It may well include a warranty, GAP insurance, detailing such as Supagard and a host of other extras. They are all fine, but do you want all of them? Certainly, consideration should be given before signing.
8) Check which pre-handover checks will be done. Generally speaking, the better the garage the more vehicle preparation will be completed before the customer rolls up to pick up their new car.
9) Get the contact details of the company before you walk away, including registered office, general manager name and telephone number.
10) If something doesn’t look right, walk away. As I mentioned, I recently took the plunge on a new car. Whilst doing so, I came across a sales person who was very eager to talk and deal. A more in depth look at his car demonstrated a model that had some water ingress, a rear headrest missing and some exposed electrics. I didn’t buy that one strangely enough!
Look for more tips in the future as the editorial in this section continues to expand.
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