subject: Buying A Used Ford [print this page] Buying a used car can be a daunting process, buying privately can be cheaper but there is neither warranty provided nor any pre inspection for peace of mind. If buying privately always make sure you carry out a HPI check and an independent vehicle inspection is advisable.
When buying a used car whether privately or from a garage there are lots of things a buyer should check, just because its from a garage doesnt mean it will be fault free. Always ask for the service history booklet, which will tell you when the car was serviced, how frequently and by whom. Cars with full service history are more desirable as all work done to it has been documented; similarly cars serviced at a main dealer agent tend to fetch more money.
Make the sure the mileage on the odometer is the actual mileage, clocking has been around for a very long time now, its used to make cars with high mileage look as though it has much lower mileage. Even newer cars with digital odometers can be clocked back. Always check for tell tales signs of high mileage, these include excessive wear on driver seat, wear on steering wheel and the less obvious one - misaligned numbers on analogue odometers.
As well as mechanical problems look out for body work damage or badly repaired damage. A good way to identify cheap repairs is by looking down the side of the car from the rear to the front and vice versa, look at the reflection, the reflection should follow straight with the cars body. If there is a misaligned reflection this may be evidence of a sub standard accident repair.
One of the best ways to avoid having your fingers burnt when buying a used car is by choosing a manufacturer approved car such as a Ford Direct vehicle, which under goes many strict tests and meets the same standard as a new car.
