alresfordgarage's Journal

Tips and hints for choosing a previously owned car: how you can find the car that is best for you.
Purchasing a used car can certainly be a laborious affair, as you search for a car which you want and which doesn’t have pre-existing issues. This brief article offers some useful tips on how to find trustworthy vendor as well as a car that's suited to you.

Just like wiring money to Nigerian generals or long walks on short piers, purchasing a used car is the kind of activity that is associated with financial risk. That needn’t be the case, however. If one is careful and puts just a little thought into it, the work need be neither discouraging nor high-risk. To help you, we’ve come up with just a few helpful tips and tricks to make sure you get the best car that’s right for you.

Watch out for cars you're keen on. Most of us aren’t Jeremy Clarkson and for the majority of the time a car is simply a car. If you’re about to invest thousands in one, however, you might as well be sure that it’s one that appeals to you. Before you attack the showrooms and Web-sites, just pay some additional attention to the cars which are around you regularly; the ones you pass on the road, park alongside at work or see driving passed your window. Noting down the model and make of something you find attractive will provide a superb place to start when you begin your search proper, as opposed to simply hurling yourself blind into the arms of fickle fortune.

When you've identified a car you like the look of, consider if it’s something you could live with day-to-day. You might fancy yourself in that huge American muscle car that’s going for a steal, but it’ll most likely drink petrol like a mule. By contrast, can that dinky, fuel-efficient Smart carry three young children comfortably on a long school run?

Keep away from cars which are likely to be attractive to dangerous drivers. In particular here, we’re thinking of boy racers. Citroen Saxos, Vauxhall Novas, even Ford Fiestas are popular with the type of young, hot headed men who could very well have been driving recklessly and perhaps without insurance. Even if the car seems to be fine on the outside, there isn't any guarantee it has been well maintained and there may well be underlying issues. Of course, if your potential car has been owned by a boy racer then the massive tail fins and under car UV lighting will also be a clue.

Take a peek around used car dealers. They might have a bad rap, but the infrastructure of a business will give you an assurance of quality which you won’t get from a man in a lay by. Most second hand car dealers carry out their own quality checks on the vehicles that end up on their forecourts. Some may also offer a limited warranty and after-sales services.

In the event that car is more than three years old, check with the seller that it has a new MOT. It’s not enough for it too simply have an MOT; that could have been conducted ten months ago and any variety of issues might well have arisen since then.

The 'net is your friend; it can put you in contact with hundreds of traders you'd never normally have come across. It’s common practice these days for people to arrange a viewing on the internet, travel up on the train and then drive the car back if they like it. The same old rules still apply, of course. Do all the same inspections you would were it a car you'd found down the local garage, and just because you’ve travelled to look at the car don’t feel forced into purchasing. You’ll lose more money on a poorly chosen car than you will on a return rail ticket.

Set up a test drive and ideally one that permits you to keep it over night. Don’t simply use it for one trip to work and back: take it on a proper drive. You might spot the sticky clutch or grinding gears on the Colchester bypass, but you may not notice the tendency to overheat on extended drives or perhaps the old spring in the seat that pokes into your back.

Complete an HPI check. These are available very easily on the internet. Put “HPI check” into any online search engine and you’ll be presented with webpages which demand no more of you than to key in your potential investment’s registration number. In return, you’ll get a full rundown on whether or not the car in question has any outstanding finance, whether it has been reported stolen with the police, whether it is an insurance right off as well as whether or not it's a clone. A check will generally cost you between £20 and £30, but it’s worthy of that small cost for peace of mind. Less costly offers may be available if you’re checking several cars - and let’s be realistic, how many of us only look at one car when we’re buying?

First and foremost, always remember that you are a client. You might be buying a second hand car, but that doesn’t mean you should expect second hand service. Demand the very best and if it's not enough walk away. As a quick Google will prove, there isn't a shortage of used cars on the market and that gives you great power as a buyer.

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The article author works closely with used car professionals Alresford Garage, who provide a array of high quality used cars with excellent post sales service.