subject: Top Five Tips: Buying Used Cars [print this page] Buying a used car can be a slightly daunting task. You never really know how good the vehicle is going to be until you've run it for a few months and got to know it well. However, there are a few things you can do to reduce the risk of buying a wreck. The most important thing to do is to do your homework, and always approach a viewing with your logical head on; don't get carried away or feel pressured into parting with your money. Remember, when you're buying a car it's your hard earned cash you're spending so it's you in the driving seat...not the seller. This article goes through five aspects that should help you when making your decision.
Paper Work
Always, always, always check the paper work. Unless you are paying hardly anything for the car it should be being sold with at least a minimal amount of documentation. The first thing you should look at is the service history. This will give you a really good idea as to how well the car has been maintained. Also worth checking is the user manual, to see if anything will need doing in the not too distant future; check the last MOT certificate; and make sure the log book is OK. If any of this is missing, or raises some questions then ask yourself why, and try to get to the bottom of it.
Mileage vs History
Checking the mileage of the car vs the history and maintenance schedule is something that a lot of people forget to do. First of all, the numbers should add up. For example if the car has only 40,000 miles on the clock yet there is a service stamp in at 60,000 miles you'll know something is wrong! Try to look at the maintenance schedule to find out when major works are scheduled to take place. If some major work is due soon, check for receipts to see if it has been done already, and if not try to negotiate on the price to make up some of the difference.
Exterior
The quality and condition of the exterior of the car doesn't necessarily matter if it's just cosmetic, but it will give you an idea of how well the car has been looked after. Make sure you check for rusty wheel arches, rusty sills, worn out tyres and signs of accident damage. All these things will cost you money if they aren't sorted out so either ask the seller to fix them or negotiated money of the purchase price to cover the work needed.
Interior
Again, this won't always effect the reliability of the car you are about to buy, but it will give you an idea of it's past and how much it has been loved. Try to look for things that may irritate you; windows not working, broken plastic, faulty seat rails etc. These are things that may end up costing you money so it's best you check for them now. Having a good test drive will certainly help you identify potential issues.
Under the Bonnet
This really is a crucial check. Open up the bonnet and take a look at the engine. Spend your time looking for evidence of oil leaks. check for patches of oil, or old stains. This could indicate that the head gasket is about to go or there is an oil leak somewhere. both problems will leave your wallet severly dented. Also take a look at all the fluid levels and make sure they are ok. Looking under the car for signs of fluid is also a good idea, if you see a big puddle on the pavement underneath the sump or radiator then it might be best to walk away.
