It’s obvious to say that used cars will be less expensive than brand new ones. However, do you know just how much cheaper they are? The average new car has a list price of around £25,000. As soon as you drive it off the forecourt it will have dropped in price down to about £18,000 (depending on the state it’s in). That’s a huge reduction of more approximately 26%. So, picking an older model will dramatically reduce your upfront cost. Plus, you won’t be loosing out on as much if you do decide to sell it later on. Here are some of our top tips for buying a used car.
Research Which Used Cars Are Cheaper To Run
It’s pretty easy to work this out if you think about it but we have summed it below for you…
Smaller Engines
A larger engine will usually burn more fuel than a smaller one. Meaning it will guzzle up your money much quicker. Engine size is a vital element to think about if fuel economy is an important factor in your decision. Of course, this does also depend on how you use the car. A smaller engine is most efficient when it’s used for small trips, going at slower speeds. If a smaller engine is used at high speeds, it will need to work much harder, inevitably burning more fuel.
Petrol Over Diesel
Diesel engines are often more economical than their petrol counterparts. However, don’t let this fool you into thinking this makes diesel a better option for you. The cars themselves are generally a lot more expensive, and will cost more at the pump than that of petrol.
Manual Over Automatic
Manual cars are cheaper than automatic cars, simply because automatic cars take some of the work out for us. Which is why they come with a higher price tag. An automatic of the exact same style and age will be approximately £2,000 more expensive than that of an automatic.
Hybrids
Hybrid cars are cheaper to run, but cost far more to buy new or second hand. The low cost fuel and non-existent tax rates make these cars seem a lot more appealing. You’re likely to make up the difference over time and they generally keep their resale value better.
Insurance
Smaller cars are generally cheaper to insure. So, if you’re looking to save yourself some money, go for something smaller to save on costs. The cheapest cars to insure tend to be the newer models as they’re more environmentally friendly and are seen as more reliable cars.
Cars are placed in groups ranked between 1 and 50. This is based on a range of information that includes – performance, safety features, price of a new model and cost of spare parts.
The Best Time To Buy A Used Car
Once you’ve decided which car you want to buy, you now need to get the best deal. One great way to reduce the cost is to buy at the right time. However, how do you know when the right time is?
Well it’s easy when you know and here are our tips. Dealers have targets to meet, with a variety of bonuses up for grabs. These are generally based on quarterly sales meetings, which makes the end of these months the best time to purchase. March, June, September and December. They will need to shift as many cars as they can to reach these targets so will be more willing to negotiate a better deal for you. However, if you’re buying from a private seller, this won’t be the case so you can buy at anytime.
Reliability Of A Used Car
You’ve decided on the car you want and when you want to buy it but how do you know the dealer is reliable? Could they sell you a dud that dies as soon as you get it home. The best thing to do here is to look up the dealership online and ask around. Has anyone else had any issues with this dealership before. Reviews from past customers are great as they have no loyalty to the company, giving honest feedback. Most car dealerships that sell new cars will also sell used cars and going through this type of dealer will offer you more protection than buying through a private seller or dealership. For example, KAP Motors offer a huge variety of used cars. Visit their website to browse through KAP used Ford cars for more information.
Try Before You Buy
As with anything really, you wouldn’t buy something without making sure it worked or fitted you before buying it. This is just the same, or even more so with buying a car, especially if it’s second hand. You should test all the gadgets in the car to make sure they work – the radio, the windows, the seat adjusters, the boot, does it have a spare tyre, the windscreen wipers, the headlights…etc.
However most importantly, take it for a test drive. ALL dealerships will allow you to take the car for a test drive before you buy it, however they will likely come with you to ensure you don’t try to steal it and for insurance purposes. make sure you test the brakes, the gear stick and the other pedals to make sure they are in good working order and don’t feel as though they are sticking or too loose as you drive. It is also a time for you to get a feel for the car. Does it feel right for you? Can you see over the steering wheel and reach the pedals? It might be the car you have always wanted but there isn’t any point in buying it if you can’t drive it properly or comfortably.
Try Your Luck At Haggling
There’s no harm in trying to get yourself a better deal but don’t go in asking for £10,000 off a £12,000 car as this will be seen as being rude. However, you could perhaps ask for £500 off and see what they say to that. They may well say no or come back to you with a different offer but don’t just accept there and then. Perhaps your counter offer could be £400 with an extra years free servicing or insurance…see if you can tack a few freebies on to your offer as they are ore likely to say yes to this than money off. Once you have gone backwards and forwards a few times, I would leave it there as you dot want to end up annoying the sales person and get no discount at all.
Know Your Rights
Second-hand cars are one of the most commonly complained about according to Citizens Advice and Trading Standards who apparently receive over 10,000 complaints a year! These companies are often about smaller faults or niggles, but sometimes the problems are so bad the car has to be scrapped. This is why you need to really test the car as much as you can BEFORE you buy it. Even take along a mechanic if you can to give the car a once over before you sign on the dotted line. They should be able to give you an indication to the car’s general well-being. Obviously if the car had a flaw when you bought it, such as a wing mirror missing or a dent in the side door, that’s on you to negotiate a better deal and one you would be happy with. But if you paid a fair price for the car and then it dies on you once you get home, you usually have rights – even if it’s a new problem… In this case, you should immediately let the dealer know the issue and take the car back (if possible) or take photos to send on.
However, if your complaint falls on deaf ears, there are other steps you can take to get your money back such as going through the Small Claims Court guide to take legal action.
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