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Tips for Buying
Introduction
Buying a used car obviously carries a certain degree of risk. After
all, with a new car you get the peace of mind that no one has driven the
vehicle carelessly or failed to have it maintained on a regular basis.
And,  if
something does go wrong, the car is under warranty—at least for a period
of time. These safeties are not usually included in the purchase of a
used car. But used-car buying need not be as fraught with anxiety and
terror as some may think. Knowing where and how to buy a used car as well
as which cars to buy can alleviate most of the tension consumers feel
about this unknown process. If you are willing to spend time doing thorough
research, you will soon be driving the car of your dreams, secure in the
knowledge that you paid a fair price for your new set of wheels.
Choosing a Used Car :
How
much could you afford? -
Before you
begin your search for a good deal on a used car, spend time considering
many of the same factors that would apply to a new car purchase: how
will you use the vehicle; how long do you plan to keep it; and your
budget for the purchase, including insurance, operation, maintenance
and repair costs.
What
Car should you buy?
-
Decide what car best suits your lifestyle and image. Since you could
probably be owning and using the same car for many more years, you need
to anticipate future needs and lifestyle changes.
Today you could easily consider buying a mid-sized car as these cars
are available at great bargains.
Narrowing down your dream list is a bit more difficult for used cars
than new cars because there are so many more used vehicles. Talk to
friends or acquaintances who drive cars that appeal to you; word of
mouth is often one of the best ways to gather information about reliability
or quirks of certain cars.
How
Old is Old?
-
If Budget is top priority then you rather buy a smaller car that's newer
than a large car that's older. Owning a larger car will cost you more
as the running costs - fuel, maintenance, tyres, spares are costlier.
The best bet is to look for something almost new - Two years or younger.
You could get a real good deal because there are plenty of car owners
who don't want to be seen in a 'yesterday's model' - they want to be
seen driving only latest cars.
Buying a middle-aged car ( 3 - 5 years old ) that has been treated well
by its owner could be a great deal. You could find a lot of these cars
at a good bargain. Cars that have logged 14,000 to 18,000 Km a year
are prime buys.
 Cars
flogged badly by chauffeurs or heavily used ones are like buying trouble.
Odometer readings can be rolled back, or "clocked." This fraud is practiced
by thousands of fly-by-night, independent used-car sellers nationwide.
The effect is obvious: a high-mileage car is turned into a low-mileage
car to increase the car’s value. A car with low mileage, but with a
lot of wear on the driver's seat or the brake and accelerator, may indicate
tampering with the odometer.
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