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Buying a second-hand car
Set your budget
Work out how much you can
afford to spend, and don’t forget to
include registration, insurance and
regular maintenance and running
costs. Both for insurance, and if you’re
going to get a loan, shop around to
get the best rate.
Do your research
It’s important to have a thorough
look at what’s out there before
buying a used car. To get an idea of a
model’s current market price, spend
some time searching our used car
ads online or in your local newspaper.
Also check out our price guide to
help you avoid paying too much.
Be wary if you find a used car
where the price is much lower than
the market suggests it should be. If
you’re determined to take it further,
have the car checked thoroughly.
If something seems too good to be
true, it probably is.
Find the right car
Browse cars by body type, make
or price to find out which make and
model might suit you. Go window
shopping by make and model, age,
location… and all kinds of other
helpful details. Read expert reviews
of the car you’re looking for. Check
the latest car news to see if a new
model is coming -- which can reduce
the price of previous models when it
arrives.
Contact the seller
And when you do, don’t be afraid
to ask lots of questions…
- how long have they had the car
- why are they selling it
- has it ever been damaged
- what condition is it in
- will it meet a RWC
- does it have any `bad habits’
Looking at the car
If the seller is a private party
rather than a dealer, always go to
their home address. Don’t arrange to
meet them somewhere. Check that
the home address is the same as the
one on the registration certificate.
Take a printout or copy of the seller’s
advertisement with you to check that
details like the odometer numbers
are accurate.
Check the car’s history
No matter how genuine the seller
seems, you should check the history
of the car to make sure it’s not stolen,
encumbered by an outstanding loan,
or even a previous write-off. Get the
car’s VIN number and check against
the databases in the state in which
it’s registered. For a small fee (free
in some states), this simple step
could save you a lot of money and
problems.
Checking the car
Make sure you have a thorough
look over the car yourself, and best
of all, have an independent mechanic
or automotive centre check it out
properly on a hoist. It could save you
thousands by revealing mechanical
problems and previous damage.
- always look at the car in full
daylight, never in the dark or in
rain that could conceal body marks,
dents, rust and other defects
- check under the car, the bonnet
and the interior carpet for rust and
signs – such as welding marks -which may show the car has been in
a crash
- under the bonnet, look for signs
of oil leaks on top of the engine,
and underneath. Use the dipstick to
check the amount of oil. If the level
is low, the owner hasn’t been looking
after the car properly
- look around the oil filler cap for
a white mayonnaise-like substance
- this is an indication of a damaged
head gasket which can be very
expensive to put right
- take a look at the tyres to make
sure they’re in good condition with
plenty of tread
- get down in front of each front
wheel and look along the length of
the car. Both front wheels should be
directly in front of the rear ones – if
they’re not, it could mean the car has
been in a crash and ended up with a
slightly twisted or `crabbed’ chassis
- check the gaps between the
body panels are equal – if they’re
not, the car could have been refitted
badly, or may have been in a crash
- inside the car, make sure the
seatbelts work correctly, the steering
wheel and dashboard are bolted
on correctly, the front seats move
properly and all switches work
- start the car with a cold engine,
which will make is easier to reveal
problems like poor starting or too
much smoke
Test drive the car
- before you set off, turn the
steering wheel from one lock to
the other to make sure there is no
screeching, banging, or knocking
- to test the handbrake, pull it on
and