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.

• 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 including for van leasing 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.:)

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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.

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