Buying a Used Car can be a great way to save money and time, though it isn't without its pitfalls. We give you the questions to ask and the techniques to value a used car and check it thoroughly.
This used car buyer's guide gives you a set of 10 questions to ask the seller and a checklist to tick as you assess your potential buy. Good luck!
For most people the reason is their budget, but for many in the growing market of 2-3 year old used car sales it is the refusal to simply throw away hard earned cash to the depreciation demons.
Buying used has also never been better! Thanks to great strides in engineering, technology, quality of material and components, vehicles are often maintenance free, very economical, safe and durable.
If you are in the market for a nearly new vehicle and worried about depreciation, we would recommend that you check out our new car prices before purchasing, as we offer heavily discounted prices on new UK dealer supplied vehicles which often means you can purchase a new vehicle for around the same price as a year old one.
Once you have researched and shortlisted the vehicles you are interested in you may find it useful to read through our tips to establish the right questions to ask the seller.
The answers to these questions will help to accomplish a few things. First of all, this will help you rule out certain vehicles without even leaving your home. It will also give you an expert's perspective on the vehicle before you see it, reducing the chance of you being distracted by a single positive or negative aspect of the vehicle.
Last of all, by keeping a record of the seller's responses to your questions, if you subsequently decide to test-drive the vehicle, you can double-check what the seller told you on the phone with the actual car.
If there are any discrepancies, it's a good sign that you shouldn't do business with that person.
It is more than likely the seller has a valid reason for parting with his vehicle, however it is important to ask this question to see what sort of reaction you get as he may be trying to hide something. Make sure you use our check-list to be thorough.
Many vehicles with today's technology will cover hundreds of thousands of hassle free miles as long as they are regularly maintained, however a used vehicle's mileage helps determine its value, and is an important factor to keep in mind during negotiations. It is particularly important when purchasing a used vehicle that a full service history is available to warrant the mileage and to verify the vehicle has been maintained at its correct intervals. If when you meet the seller you find the mileage to be higher than advertised or the service history incomplete it may be time to walk away.
The condition of the vehicle will usually be reflected in the price, if a vehicle is cheap for its age and mileage then there is usually a reason for this. A vehicles condition can be quite a neutral question as peoples expectations differ but ask the question and see how the seller responds. You know what kind of problems you can live with. Generally a vehicle that has been well maintained i.e. Full service history by main dealer will usually be well looked after and this will be reflected in the condition of the vehicle. If you find that the seller has not been totally honest in his description of the vehicle it may be time to walk away.
You will probably already be aware of the vehicle specification from the advert, but this is still an important to clarify the exact specification and check that all extra features are operational. There is no doubt that the way a vehicle is equipped can affect the value and certainly its desirability.
Typical questions to ask:
The most important aspect of any used vehicle is its condition in relationship to age and mileage and the service history to prove regular maintenance, after all a vehicle can have dozen good owners or one bad owner! However In general, one owner vehicles are preferable. This is because the owner should know the vehicles history from the offset and be able to answer any question you may have? Further to this one owner vehicle will generally be of a higher standard.
An important question! The vehicle may have been involved in a light collision and repaired by a reputable repairer in which case should not make too much difference and the seller may actually be unaware himself anyway, but if the vehicle has been involved in a heavy collision it is more than likely the seller will be aware of this and the vehicle may or may not have been repaired well? However vehicles that have been involved in heavy collisions and repaired will usually be prone to further problems, and are worth less. A trained eye (qualified inspection, please visit link)or an HPI report (please visit link) will usually confirm this for you. If you have asked the seller this question and he has replied no and then you determine that it's been damaged and repaired, you'll know that the seller is untrustworthy or, at best, not as familiar with the vehicle as you would hope. Whatever the reason, it may be time to walk away.
The majority of car owners nowadays realise the value in maintaining their vehicles and having the servicing carried out at the required intervals. This is very important that a vehicle has this history so you check that required work has been carried out and to verify the mileage. Note - when a vehicle has a full service history it will usually be reflected in the condition of the vehicle, as an owner who is meticulous in maintaining the vehicle will usually care for its condition as well.
It may be important for you to establish this before viewing the vehicle as you may have a certain budget you are trying to fit into? You may want to be a little tactile when asking this question as some dealers may take offence if you try and negotiate before viewing.
This handy list includes things you need to know - but might forget to ask.
While this guide may help you to avoid cars with potential problems, we strongly advise you to have the vehicle inspected by a mechanic or an approved inspection company prior to purchase. There are many components to a car that can only be properly inspected in a professional service facility. If you feel in any doubt about that then get the vehicle checked by a professional as the additional cost will be saved in peace of mind in the future
Author: John Stephens
Date: June 2009
