Things You Should Know Before Buying a Used Car

With the price of new cars always going up and the downturn of the economy meaning that fewer people than ever can afford to buy a new car, buying a used car is getting more and more popular. A new car can lose up to 30% of its value in its first year so it makes sense to buy a used car instead of a new one, but how do you make sure you are making the right decision when buying a used car? Here are a few things to look out for when buying a used car that will ensure that your next car ownership will not be plagued by expensive trips to the garage.

Even before you go and see an advertised used car, there are a few things you can ask the seller over the phone that will avoid you a fruitless car shopping trip. Ask the seller the following questions and if you feel that he or she is hesitating a lot or sounds insincere, you know that buying that car would be a mistake.

How old is the car? The older a used car is, the cheaper it is, but this also means that the condition of the car is probably not as good as if it was one or two years old. Make sure the used car is priced accordingly to its age.

How many miles are on the odometer? This should be consistent with the car's age; the average car has a yearly mileage of about 10000 miles; be very weary if someone tries to sell you a ten year-old used car that has a low mileage; this may mean that the odometer has been tampered with, a practice that is unlawful and that you as the buyer may eventually have to pay for.

What features does the car have?

If you live in a country where the weather gets very hot, go for a used car with air-conditioning; if you are a music lover, you will need a car with a good stereo; the features add extra value to the car you want to buy and if there are not many features on the used car you are interested in buying, you can use that fact to try and get a lower price, but not until you have seen the car.

Why is the car being sold? If the previous owner is replacing his or her car because it keeps breaking down, you know that you probably should not be buying this used car unless you are a mechanic and know how to fix the car's problem once and for all, or that you are prepared to waste a lot of money on garage bills. A seller wanting to buy a bigger car or a smaller one or moving abroad are better excuses for selling a car.

How many people have owned the car before? It is always better if there has only been one owner of the used car as he or she will be able to tell you more about the car's history. If possible, ask for a record of services that the car has had done.

What is the condition of the car?

The wording of this question is very important; don't be tempted to ask if the car is in a good condition because no used car seller will tell you that he or she is selling a useless heap. Instead, "what is the condition of the car?" will prompt him or her to give you more accurate details on the exact condition of the car, and not merely whether the used car is in a good or excellent condition (of course, they would say that!).

Has the car ever been involved in an accident?

Even if the used car looks like new, it may have been involved in an accident before and it will be difficult to spot after the bodywork has been fixed and the car has had a fresh coat of paint. Even if the seller tells you that there has never been an accident, when you go and see the car, get down on your hands and knees in front of both front wheels and make sure they are perfectly aligned with the back wheels; if not, say your goodbyes because this means that the car has been in a crash and its chassis is twisted.

This takes us to seeing the actual car; of course unless you are satisfied with the seller's answers to your questions, don't bother making a worthless trip. If you are unsure about how to assess the condition of a used car, bring a mechanic you trust or a friend who knows about cars with you. Avoid looking at a car in the dark or in the rain as these make it more difficult to spot imperfections. When you are talking to the seller, if he or she tries to avoid making eye contact with you, take it as a sign that this person may be dishonest. Avoid doing business with such a person.

As well as checking the used car's chassis as previously described, check for dents, scratches and rust on the bodywork but also under the car, beneath the bonnet and under the carpets. Any imperfection may be a sign that the car has been in an accident.

Make sure everything works in the car; pay close attention to seat-belts, switches, make sure you are able to adjust the front seats and check if the steering wheel and dashboard are correctly fitted.

Open up the bonnet and check that the oil, brake fluid and water are at the correct level; make sure there are no signs of oil-leaks around the engine and that there is no funny-looking white substance around the oil filler cap.

Check the state of the tyres; if these are unsatisfactory, you can still buy the car but mention this to the seller and use this to haggle the price of the car.

Take the car on a test drive; if you hear any funny banging or clanging noises coming from the engine or the steering wheel, there is something fishy about this car. Make sure that all gears are working properly, test the handbrake as well as the break pedal and the clutch. If you are happy with the result, you can move on to haggling and settling for a price. Make sure that you see all the documentation related to this used car; it doesn't matter if you are in love with the car, you definitely don't want to keep chasing the seller for a logbook or worse, buy a stolen car!

Once you know what to look out for when you are buying a used car, you can confidently go ahead and buy a reliable used car. Look after your used car like you would look after a new car, have it regularly cleaned and serviced; if you followed all of the above used car buying advice, you won't have to go car shopping any time soon.