What You Should Watch Out For When Buying A Used Car

Shopping Guides

Tested & Recommended

Published on Thursday, 26 September 2013 11:00

Last Updated on 25 September 2013

Monica Costa

0 Comments

If you’re relatively new to the car scene and the thought of buying a car seems alien to you, it’s essential to know what to consider when looking to buy a used car and what to watch out for. Although these two terms sound quite similar, they’re actually very different in meaning – consideration might be thoroughly thinking where you want to buy the car from, is the dealership right for you? Whereas watching out for something tends to be looking out for any hidden nasties and/or possible problems that could arise from you buying a certain car.

Arguably the most important thing to watch out for when buying a used car is making sure that you’re getting the quality you’re paying for. You don’t want to pay for a car that is meant to be ‘as good as new’ only to find out that it’s rusting all over and needs a whole new engine. Therefore, really take the time to inspect the car that you’re interested in, even if you have no idea what you’re really looking out for, try and read up on the main areas of concerns prior to your visit to make sure you look over the right things. If that’s not enough, try and get someone who is knowledgeable about cars to go with you. After all, more often than not, two pairs of eyes are better than one, especially when you’re buying a used car and not a brand new model. Sometimes you can get blinded with your ‘love’ for the car that you overlook certain crucial aspects that someone else might not.

Also, watch out for the dealer you’re dealing with, unless you’re fortunate enough to end up with a newbie whom hasn’t had much time in the car sales arena, you’ll more than likely be negotiating and talking with a very seasoned salesman/woman that knows exactly how to talk the talk and walk it. Therefore, do your homework before you jump right in and start haggling prices and asking for discounts. Discounts are something you should definitely push for when looking at a used car, but just make sure you’re as clued up as possible before attempting to do so.

In addition to the above two points, make sure you don’t get sucked into buying a diesel car if you’re a low mileage driver. The way a diesel particulate filter works is to take in the smoke that the engine creates and burn it off in the later journey, however, if you never drive far enough to have a ‘later’ stage of your journey, you end up doing your diesel engine quite a bit of damage without even realising. Therefore, if you go in wanting a used petrol car, don’t get side tracked and talked into looking at a diesel car. Remember, these are sales people, although their pay is often based on commission, they’re there to help you, so take full advantage of it and make them work with you, not against you.

Dealerships like carshop.co.uk are often the best places to look at and use if you’re a novice when it comes to anything car related. Their services are second to none, they listen to your needs and help you choose the car that matches everything you’re looking for and more.