subject: What To Look For When Buying A Car [print this page] If you're the type of person who enjoys shopping for and buying a car, chances are you already have a good idea of what you should be looking for when you go out on the hunt for a car. Should you be someone who shies away from the whole process, however, you can often need a helping hand when buying a used vehicle and these seven points should all be looked for during the car buying process.
1. What car finance deals the dealership is offering - although paying by cash is recommended good way to buy a car, it's always advisable to ask what finance deals such as car leasing or hire purchase the dealership currently has available. It might be that car finance is actually the right option for you. Car loans are another form of car finance but you will need to source these deals from a bank or a high street lender. There are two types of car loans that you may be interested in:
A personal car loan - which is where you borrow the money from a bank and you own the car and if you default and do not correct this the bank comes after you, NOT the car; or,
A secured car loan - which is where the bank actually owns the car until you have paid the car loan our in its entirety. If you default and do not correct the default, the bank will take your car away.
2. Its history - understanding a car's history is extremely important, as it allows for any buyer to see what problems have occurred, if any and how well the car has been maintained throughout its life to date.
However, what must be taken into consideration is that if a car hasn't got a full documented service history or it hasn't had a lot of work done to it by a professional garage, it doesn't necessarily mean that you have to walk away from the sale - you just have to take this into consideration.
3. Shop around in other dealerships - if you've seen a car in one dealership but it's too expensive or there's something not quite right about it, be sure to take a look in nearby dealerships, as there's a good chance the same car will be available elsewhere.
4. The overall appearance of the car - if the salesperson says that the car is in a great condition, although it's highly unlikely that they're lying, it's strongly recommended that you give the car the once over yourself, both inside and out.
5. If there are any other suitable models - if you've a picked a car in a dealership but something doesn't feel right about it, whether it's the car's history or the price, ask to see what other similar cars they have available, as you might be surprised at just other suitable another model can be.
6. Look at the new, used car garages and private seller prices - before you go out looking for a car, it's worthwhile finding out what the new, second hand garage and private seller prices are for models that you might be interested in, information which is available easily and for free online.
By doing this, you can instantly see if the car you're looking at is over priced or whether you'll be getting a bargain.
7. The HPI report - costing less than 20 pounds, getting a HPI report could be the best money you've ever spent, as it can flag up a whole host of different issues, from whether the car has any outstanding finance on it or whether the car has had any major accidents.
by: Mark Rourke
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