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.

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