Buying a car can be tricky. Whether you’re buying your first car or sixth car, always follow these steps to get the right car to suit you:
There are loads of bargains out there, but you do need to be careful when choosing a car.
Don’t buy with your heart, always buy with your head. Regardless of your first impressions, ALWAYS give the car a good looking over. The car may look mint, but there may be nasty surprises hiding under the bonnet.
If you know someone in the motor trade, take them with you to look over the car.
If buying a used car, get an HPI check. This will check to see if the car is stolen, has been written off or is still on hire purchase. The sad fact is that if you buy a stolen car and the police find out, they will take the car off you and there’s nothing you can do about it.
Go see the car in daylight as it’s easier to spot issues!
Haggle, Haggle, Haggle…
…If you find an issue with the car, use it to get further discounts. Look for worn tyres, used window wipers and any other small issues which you can use to your advantage to get a better price!
Always ask them what they want for the car. There’s might already have a reduced price in their mind from the old advert. This way you won’t pay more than they’re asking.
Never “make do”
If there’s something you’re not happy with about with the car, walk away, there are plenty more cars out there.
Never take the sellers “word for it”…
…Taking a seller at face value could easily cost you more than you think. For example, if a seller shows you an issue with the car that will “only cost £30” to fix, walk away and check this out. The part to fix might only cost £30, but check the mechanics labour costs to fix this, as it could cost a lot more!
Make sure you get an insurance quote before you buy…
…It’s a sad fact, car insurance is likely to be the biggest cost after buying the car.
Make sure you can afford the insurance before you purchase.
Check out our top tips for buying a car here and learner insurance explained.
