Monday, July 02, 2007

Top 5 Tips For Buying A Used Car

By: Louis Rix

While you can get a great bargain by purchasing a second hand
car you can also get nothing more than an old banger if you
don't take care. When it comes to purchasing a second hand car
from a private dealer there are different rules than if you
bought from an established dealer. One of the biggest
differences are your consumer rights - or lack of them.

While there are many honest and trustworthy people out there
selling used cars there are also some "dodgy" characters and of
course sometimes it is hard to tell the difference. One of the
best tips when buying a car from a private dealer is to pay a
small fee to have a car data check carried out. This will check
such things as the previous owner of the car, mileage data
associated with the vehicle and if there are any problems
relating to finance or insurance.

When going to look at a second hand car sold by a private buyer
you should consider taking someone with you who knows about
cars. If you don't have someone who knows enough about cars and
what to look for when buying second hand then it could save you
money and heartache in the long run if you were to pay a
mechanic to go and look over the car with you before committing
yourself to purchasing it.

When buying privately make sure that you learn as much as you
can about the make and model of the particular car that you are
going to look over. Do an online search through used cars for
the model and make sure that you have a very good idea of what
that particular make and model is selling for.

When buying privately always make sure that you go and look over
the car in daylight. If the seller is wary of letting you do
this then it is very likely that they have something to hide.
The seller should be able to answer all your questions willingly
about the history of the car. If they tell you they don't know
or are unsure because they are selling the car for a friend or
relative then you should stay clear and look elsewhere. They
should also be able to provide you with all the necessary
documentation relating to the cars history.

If you are buying from a dealer then be aware of all the added
extras which they could try to entice you with and ask yourself
if you really need them. Also be careful when it comes to taking
any payment protection insurance associated with any car finance
through them as this can boost the price up drastically of the
car.

About the author:
MotorCarLoans offers a free to use and independent service for
car finance and car loans. We also provide car
insurance
as well as other car-related products such as
breakdown cover, gap insurance, car warranty, as well as useful
articles.

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