Some of us are lucky enough to be able to afford a brand-new car, but most us still buy used or nearly new.
What is a used car?
A used car is basically any car that has previously been owned by an individual or company, generally more than one-year-old, and with a few thousand miles on the clock.
How do we go about getting the best used car?
Firstly, pinpoint exactly what you want – two, three or four door, large boot or four-wheel drive, petrol or diesel – and then decide what you can afford to pay. Are you paying cash or do you need finance? You could also get an idea of how much the insurance is going to cost and which cars have lower road tax charges.
Buying a car over two years old will avoid the steepest loss in a car’s value through depreciation; therefore, this is often a good place to start. The downside to this is that the warranty may well have run out. You can look on the internet to get an idea of prices, especially if you have a certain make of car in mind. If there is a specific car you have seen, there are online car valuation tools that enable you to enter the registration number and obtain a bespoke valuation.
Buying cars from private adverts is cheaper than buying from a car dealership, although the latter gives you a car that has been serviced and valeted and will usually come with a warranty.
Buying from a private seller means you are buying as seen; therefore, you have little legal comeback if there is a problem later. The same applies to buying a car from an auction, but you can often pick up cars fairly cheaply in this way.
Another option is to lease a car rather than buying one. This can be cheaper than financing a vehicle outright, as you are effectively renting the vehicle. Car leasing in Leicester includes options such as http://leasing.totalmotion.co.uk/.
Before you purchase any vehicle, you should check its provenance. This will show whether the car has been stolen, has any outstanding finance, or has been written off by an insurance company.
With all these things considered, make sure you negotiate a fair price and enjoy many miles of happy motoring.
