Used cars can represent solid low cost investments, but you do need to know what to look pitfalls to look out for, as although most used cars will be in the ‘as advertised’ good condition, there are also plenty that could have been misrepresented (either knowingly or not) and you could literally be wasting your time and money.

Here is a quick guide to buying used cars, to help you get the best deal for your money.

Research

Think about what sort of car models would suit your needs, and do some research into typical prices for the average used model in this range (2-5 years old, 60,000 – 80,000 miles). The Internet is a good resource for extensive research, as well as car trader magazines and official car price directories such as Glass’s. This will give you some idea of what a reasonable price is when you look through adverts, and will help to guide you away from cars that are too expensive, and also those that are suspiciously cheap.

You should also read some used car reviews on the models you are thinking of buying, so that you can find out common weaknesses such as bad electrics or faulty clutches, and this will help you to know what particular problems to look out for when you go to buy used car.

Budget

Don’t forget to include insurance, tax and running costs when you set your budget, as this can vary quite a lot from model to model and although you may get a great deal on a sporty, high powered motor it may simply be too expensive to insure and run. If you need to apply for a loan do this before you start looking for cars, so that you have the money ready and available when you need to put in an offer, and make sure you check around for the best deal you can.

Look around

Cars are advertised everywhere these days from local newspaper adverts to notices on the side of the road, so make sure you take some time to look around for the best deals, and don’t forget to look at used car sites as well, as you can get some great deals online.

Phone the Seller

If you are buying privately or have spotted a used car you like in a local showroom or online, then make sure you phone the seller and ask them a few critical questions before you turn up to look at the vehicle:

· Does the car have a recent MOT and road tax

· How long have they owned the car and how many previous owners

· What is the current condition of the car (anything could have happened since the advert was published)

· Why are they selling the car

· Has the car been involved in any accidents that they know of

· Are there any major/minor problems with the car (rusting, squeaky brakes, stiff clutch etc…)

· Sellers landline – make sure you get a landline number for the seller, as a mobile phone number will not be traceable in the event you have any serious problems with the seller themselves or the car they are advertising.

To be sure the vehicle is legitimate you could also pay for an additional vehicle check to be carried out, which will alert you if the car has ever been stolen, involved in an accident or has any existing finance still outstanding, and for this you will also need to ask the seller for the car’s registration number when you speak to them.

Toyota are one of the largest international car manufacturers in the world, and produce a wide range of vehicles for the modern market including compact city hatchbacks, family cars, SUVs and luxury sedans and sports cars. Toyota are also making advances in the future of hybrid alternative energy cars, cornering the market with top selling models such as the popular Prius range, which is a combination of electric and gasoline engines and has a reputation for low emissions, high fuel efficiency, reliability and low maintenance.

Toyota Cars For Sale is the perfect website to use if you are looking to buy a Toyota car, and you can search for your ideal Toyota using the ‘Car Dealer Directory’, which has details of Toyota dealers in over 500 different US cities.

This website also has lots of information about each individual Toyota model, and this can be very beneficial for those who are unsure which type of car will suit their needs best. There is an overview provided on each Toyota model, which includes key details such as:

• Summary of model design and development history
• Original market target (Japanese, European etc)
• Model sizing range (4 door sedan, 5 door station wagon, coupe etc)
• Petrol, diesel or hybrid options
• Main technological highlights such as Toyota’s Variable Valve Timing-intelligent engine (VVT-i), ABS, paddle shift etc.
• Future of the model including scheduled upgrades and upcoming new launches

Toyota also make a range of mid sized vans and trucks which are very popular in the US, and you can find out more about these vehicles on the Toyota Cars For Sale website, with details on the top selling models such as the Tundra, Hilux and Tacoma.

There are a number of ways you can save money on your car insurance, and here are just a few simple tips to get you started:

• Up Front Payment – you may be tempted to set up monthly insurance payments to spread the costs, but this can actually work out to be more expensive in the long run, as most insurance companies charge interest on these type of payments which can add up to as much as £50. It is much cheaper to pay for a year’s worth of insurance up front, and can even work out cheaper if you have to put it on a low rate credit card, as some insurance companies can charge up to 24% for monthly payments.
• Avoid Renewal Quotes – don’t just renew your quote with the same company that you had last time round, customer loyalty is not rewarded in the insurance business and you will almost certainly get a much better deal on your car insurance quote if you apply for one of the introductory rates with another company.
• Shop Around – take some time to look online at all of the car insurances offers currently available, and get a few different quotes before you choose a policy.
• Avoid Small Claims – avoid making claims for anything under £500 on your car insurance, as this will actually save you money in the long run. People who make lots of small claims on their insurance end up paying much higher premiums, and in some cases insurers may think you are too high risk, and will not be willing to cover you at all.
• Invest in Security – insurance quotes will be based partly on the security of your vehicle, so invest in some approved security measures such as alarms, immobilizers and tracking devices.

One of the quickest and easiest ways to save money on your car insurance is to go online and visit a car insurance comparison website such as CIQ (carinsurancequote.net). This way you can compare quotes from multiple insurance companies at once, without having to spend hours contacting them all directly and waiting for someone to get back to you. This is a fast and effective way to find quality coverage and low yearly premiums, and if you want find out more simply contact carinsurancequote.net by visiting the website www.carinsurancequote.net, and filling in the quick and easy coverage form, which will enable the CIQ agents to find you the right policy at the right price.

If you are self employed, need to provide vans for your workforce or just want a van for a one off job then a cost effective, practical way of getting the vehicle you need is to lease a van from Vanarama. You can choose from a great range of popular small, medium and large van leasing options, all at very competitive prices including:

• Fiat Ducato Van Leasing – from just £62.08 per week (£269 p/m)
• Fiat Doblo Van Leasing – from just £37.85 per week (£164 p/m)
• Ford Van Leasing (Transit) – from just £41.31 per week (£179 p/m)

Vanarama are experienced in van leasing and contract hire, and can provide a number of additional services such as expert advice to help you get the van best  for your needs, an administrative centre that provides van test drives, and also a competitive part exchanges service through the Vanarama vehicle centre.

You can also download free guides on the most popular models of vans from the Vanarama website in PDF format (you will need the free Adobe Acrobat Reader installed on your computer), including guides on the Vauxhall Combo, Volkswagen Transporter and Ford Transit. If you are interested in Mercedes van leasing there are also guides on the Mercedes Sprint and Mercedes Vito.

Vanarama offer free UK delivery (mainland) and financing options for both self employed and business owners, which provides you with a flexible, affordable way to purchase your own van. Finance deals with Vanarama will usually require an upfront deposit of the equivalent of three months rental, and options include a balloon profile, which defers the largest finance repayment to the end of the contract, (total repayment period 60 months). Vanarama offers those customers interested in obtaining finance a free 10 minute ‘Finance Consultation’, and one of the fully trained representatives will go through all of the different pro’s and cons of the various finance packages available, to ensure you find the right one to suit your needs.

You can also sell your used van with Vanarama, who are always on the look out for good pre-owned vans for stock, and you can get competitive prices for prestige vehicles registered from 1998 to 2005 with under 70,000 miles on the clock, either for cash or part exchange against a new van from Vanarama’s stock.:)

There are several large used car companies that specialise in transporting cars from Japan for sale in the US, and this can be a cheap way of buying models that are not available on the domestic market, or that have much better specifications for a similar price to domestic models. Remember though that while some models may be cheaper to buy directly from Japan, they can depreciate greatly in value when it comes time to sell them on and this is mainly because they will not be one of the official US models.

Japanese used car exporter Rezista and also Royal Trading make it easy to buy used cars from Japan, and have extensive stock lists available online so that you can view all of the makes and models of cars they currently have on offer. Shipping costs will depend on where you want the vehicle delivered too, but generally it will be shipped by ocean freight to your nearest port, and all the necessary paperwork will be sent to your home address so that you are able to pick the vehicle up when it leaves customs. Shipping can take from just a few days to several months, depending on when you order, which model your order (some already have deregistration documents and so are ready for immediate shipping) and also where you live.

Don’t forget to include in your budget the administration costs needed to arrange export and import paperwork, transportation from the car yard to the port and any document translations. This can add anywhere between $500-$1000 dollars onto the final shipping costs so it is important to check this before you order a car. Once the car has arrived and has been released by customs, you will need to register it, (this will involve a registration fee), and you may need to make a few modifications to ensure the car will comply with US safety standards. To find out more about registering an imported vehicle the Department of Motor Vehicles website at www.dmv.ca.gov .

Japanese used vehicles include a number of both left hand and right hand drive models, with a selection of automatic and transmission gearing, so make sure you check carefully before you order to make sure you have the right model to suit your needs. Japan is a right hand drive country so all models for the official Japanese market will be RHD. The left hand drive models available will have been designed for different LHD countries, but if you are keen on owning one of the official Japanese RHD models it is possible to source conversions kits yourself once you have received the car.

Many Japanese importers will also provide parts for vehicles upon request, but these can sometimes be very expensive to import, as many companies will only ship them by bulk. It might be worth asking the company if they can include some essential spares in with the car when it is shipped, and one company Japan-partner.com will do this for you, and are currently in the process of setting up an online auto parts shop, which would be a very useful resource for anyone buying a used Japanese car.

The A Class series are some of Mercedes most flexible vehicles, and offer impressive interior space in a small, compact and attractive package. Used Mercedes A Class cars represent good value for money, as you will be able to get a practical, powerful vehicle with that special up market image that the Mercedes badge can bring. However there are a few things you need to consider before you think of buying a used A Class model.

Problem Areas
The early models are known for their cheap, plastic moulded interiors and also that disturbing propensity to turn over under certain high-speed conditions, (failing the standard industry ‘Elk Test’). So avoid the early models if you can and go for the later versions that corrected this roll over problem and also upgraded the interior. Take the car for a test drive and if you are looking at one of the Sept 2000 and Jan 2001 models, give the brakes a really through test, as the brake master cylinder is a known weakness on these models and is expensive to replace. On all models try manoeuvring the car with the wheels on full lock, and listen out for any noises coming from the power-assisted steering pump, as this can often fail on the A Class models, and again is expensive to replace. Ignition systems and electrics are also a weakness, so listen to the start up carefully, and let the engine idle for a few moments and check the revs remain constant. Fluctuating revs can be a sign of electronic faults. Check over the wiper arms, door trims and window seals for signs of rust or excessive wear.

Service History and Ownership
Check the paperwork very carefully, and ensure the car has had frequent services over the years. Well maintained models represent a sensible investment, as the overall build quality of the car is very good, however if things go wrong it can start getting expensive so it is more important than ever to try and make sure the car you are buying has been well looked after. If there is no service history at all with the car, you should look into getting a professional engine and chassis inspection carried out before you hand over any money.

Diesel or Petrol
The diesel models balance performance and economy with ease, and you get a responsive, aggressive engine with high mileage capabilities. The petrol models provide just that little bit more performance and ‘driveability’, and although the mileage is lower than the diesel it is still not bad with around 40 -50 mpg achievable under normal road conditions.

Cost
The early standard A140 and A160 models with around 100,000 miles on the clock can be sourced privately for around £2,000, which really is a lot of car from not very much money. It is worth paying that little bit more and going to a dealership (around £2500) as many of them offer good 2-3 month warrantees with your purchase. If you can afford it you should try and get one of the later models (with the fixed roll problem) and these start from around £3,700 private sale for the standard A140 model with around 60,000 - 80,000 miles on the clock, or around £4,500 from dealerships. As with most cars the diesel models are more generally a bit more expensive than the petrol models, and hold their prices well with slow depreciation.