It is very surprising how many places you can buy a used car, and how many adverts and deals are advertised on what seems like every corner. Living in a fast-paced world, with multiple children, my time can be very demanding and I often find I have limited time to check over and look at multiple used cars to ensure I get the best deal.
Whilst going through this process we have learned some tips and tricks which we thought we would share with you to ensure you can get a great deal without spending hours and hours looking around.
Choose the best car for your needs
The car you want is not always the car you need. When we first started looking I thought I knew what we wanted. However, when I started looking into the car in more detail, it became clear the boot would not be anywhere near as big as we need. This through a spanner in the works and made us think twice about the car we needed.
After realising this, we started to create a list of what we need the car to have. From a large boot to child seat fixing points, it was all added to our list. Therefore, we would advise you to do the same, before you start looking at a used car to ensure you start looking at suitable cars straight away.
What can I do before test driving a car?
In times we find ourselves in at the moment, and with a global pandemic upon us, it has never been more important to collect and view as much information you can about the car before vising the home of the seller.
You can speak on the phone to seller and gather more information about the car, as well as requesting additional images you require and cannot see on the advert they have placed. During these conversations, we would advise you get the most up to date information about the car, including the essentials such as current mileage, MOT information and so on.
As well as speaking to the seller, you can also find out the history of the vehicle within a few clicks. As well as doing this from the comfort of your home, this will also highlight any information they may not want to openly share on the telephone.
A complete car check can be completed for less than £10 as well as basic car information such as fuel types and engine sizes, you can also see the hidden history of the car. These types of reports will show you any outstanding finance and check against police and insurance records to see if it has been written-off or stolen and much more.
These simple checks, which can be done within a few minutes and in the comfort of your own home will do all the hard work for you and will give you additional peace of mind when buying used cars in San diego.
Online Valuations
Always check against other similar vehicles to make sure you are not paying over the odds for the car. I would like to highlight the key word in that sentence, similar. This means checking against the same car with a similar specification and mileage. For example, if a sat nav is on a must have list, there is no point in comparing the price on models which don’t have this option.
You may find it is still listed at a slighter higher price, so as a bonus, you can use this valuation information and other options to help you negotiate with the seller.
Day viewings and Test Drives
As we outlined before, you can check a lot of the information whilst in the comfort of your own home, however, they will be a time you will need to view the car.
Ensure you arrange viewing that is safe for all parties involved. As low light levels and raindrops can hide scratches, dents and blemishes always try to view the car in the day and when it is not raining. Ensure you check all aspects of the car. Check the child seat fixing points, the radio, electric windows and even sunroof to ensure everything works as it should.
Before getting in the driving seat for a test drive, make sure you are insured the drive the car. This is more import during private sales, so please do check your insurance documents to ensure you are insured.
Don’t do a quick test drive around the housing estate, make sure you take it on a good test drive for around 30 mins. As well as allowing you to get a feel of the car, it will also allow you to test the car on different road types and at different speeds. During these differences make sure you have the radio is turned off and you are listening for any usual sounds.
Also, don’t forget to test the brakes and tyre tread. In a safe spot, perform an emergency stop. You can also park on a steep hill and test the handbrake too!
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