"I've been working in the car industry on and off for over 20 years, and during this time I have been amazed at the tricks and tactics car dealers and private sellers use in order to sell a sub-standard car to an unsuspecting buyer"
Now has never been a better time to buy a used car; so which second-hand car should you buy, and which should you steer clear of?
These days it’s possible to buy a car that cost £20,0000 when new, for less than a £1000! I know! I’ve done it! A few years ago whilst looking for a small car, I couldn't help but notice the price luxury saloon cars were selling for, and as I’d always wanted a luxury car yet never been able to afford one, I suddenly found myself in a position where I was old enough to get cheap insurance, and the cars that I aspired to buy were now readily available and surprisingly cheap.
So I listened to the little devil on my shoulder and flicked ‘Mr. Sensible’ off the other shoulder, and bought a Saab 9000 Turbo for £900, despite the fact that I was actually looking for a small economical car!
Yes it had high mileage, and there were a few scratches on the side, but on the inside it was great - full leather interior, every gadget I had ever dreamed of, and, to cap it off, the car went like a rocket!
However, once the honeymoon period had worn off (about 6 weeks), the reality of what I had done dawned on me - I wished that Mr. Sensible had been a little more forceful on the day of purchase because owning a big luxury car is not about the cost of buying it, instead it’s about the cost of running and maintaining it. You need big pockets if you want to keep your second-hand luxury car on the road for any prolonged period of time, and the bigger and more luxurious the car, the bigger your pockets need to be.
Just getting a simple service can set you back in excess of £300, and God- forbid that anything serious should go wrong such as an electric sunroof or the air-conditioning, then you're talking over £500.00 every time. The reason for this little story is - when you’re looking for a second-hand car, have a plan before you even think about going on a buying mission, and more importantly, stick to it! No matter how tempting other deals may seem, don't let your childhood fantasies take over your rational side when choosing the car that's right for you. Unless, of course, you have loads of spare cash and oodles of time!
Now, on with the tips and advice on buying a second-hand car.
1) Never trust the mileage of a car unless you have its complete history, and even then I’d advise you to be dubious. Why do I say this? It’s never been easier to spin back the clock of a modern car, especially if it has a digital dash. Did you know that with the right software and connections, a Vauxhall Vectra can have its mileage adjusted within minutes, and that’s just one of a dozen cars that I could mention - Clocking is also much easier to cover on cars that haven’t had their first MOT, and be amazed at just how many miles a car can do in a year. I have seen cars less than one year old with in excess of 60,000 miles on the clock, and whilst they still look great, all that wear and tear is building-up and getting ready to punch some unsuspecting person in the face. During this period, if a car isn’t serviced, then there’s no actual way to determine the correct mileage. A trick often used in the car rental industry is to not service the vehicle for at least one year, spin the clock back, hand it into a dealership for a service, and then get the service book stamped. Thus hiding a possible 30 to 50 thousand miles of wear and tear.
2) Check how many owners and ‘who’ has owned the vehicle, taking particular care to look for cars that have been owned by businesses, car rental firms, and leasing companies.
I’d be a rich man if I had a pound for every time a person slated a brand of car less than 2 years old, when in fact they’re completely unaware the car they thought they had, actually harboured a secret past. Their car had in fact been used by a sales-rep or was a rental vehicle, it had actually done 80,000 miles in less than two years, normally without proper servicing, and yet when they bought it, the odometer showed only 15,000 miles. No wonder the clutch is going, or the engine is starting to smoke! And don't think going to a big firm gives you any more protection - From my own experience, I have known very reputable firms turn-a-blind-eye to clocking, and yet they’ve stamped service books of cars which have finished a lease, even though they never actually did the service.
Why is the number of owners so important? Well, if a car has had five owners in the last couple of years, then there’s usually a reason for this, and normally it isn't good - A car with many previous owners, especially within a short time span, tends to indicate that they’ve become fed-up with either the cost of keeping it on the road, its reliability, or its general performance, and have decided to get rid of it just before major work is needed.
3) Never buy a car from a person in a pub car park, a supermarket or side of the road especially if they’re only contact point is a mobile phone. If you can't meet them at their business premises or their home, then run a mile and don't look back, as 9 times out of 10 there is a very good reason why they don't want you to know where they live or work, and none of those reasons are going to benefit you!
4) Don't be rushed into buying a car, especially if the person selling it to you seems nervous or gets agitated when you start to ask questions. Another great line spun on a regular basis is that there’re plenty of potential buyers lined-up, and if you don't buy now, then it may be gone tomorrow. Forget it! If you feel that you’re being unduly pressured, walk away, then go and spend your money with someone else. Or go back a week later, and if the car is still for sale, walk in and start negotiating, after all, you’re now in a strong position because according to the seller, there were plenty of buyers lined-up, so where are they?
5) Take your time, view the car during the day when there is plenty of light. Have a very good look over the car for obvious signs of usage that matches its age and the mileage reported on the odometer.
What are you looking for?
A) Wear of the pedals. If you are buying a car 3 to 5 years old, then there should be some wear on the pedals. If the pedals appear to be brand new, then start to be wary; why have they been replaced? If the mileage shows 25,000 miles and yet the pedals are worn to the point that they need replacing, once again be wary, as this could indicate it has done a lot more miles than indicated.
B) Check the steering wheel, gear stick, and conditions of the seats, especially the driver’s seat. If the driver’s seat shows sign of excessive wear in relation to the age or mileage recorded on the car, walk away and look for a better deal.
C) Open the bonnet and look in the engine bay. Is it very dirty? Does it look like it has been worked on?
D) Take the oil and water caps off and look at the liquid. If you spot water in the oil, or the oil is black with white running through it, then this tends to indicate a head gasket problem and that’s serious. The same goes for the radiator water. If it contains oil or is milky, shut the bonnet and politely walk away. CHECK there’s oil in the engine and not a substitute used to mask the faults. Do this by removing the oil filler cap and checking there is actually oil in it.
E) Look for rust under carpets, especially in the boot. Be prepared to get on your knees and have a glance under the car to check the exhaust and general condition of the underside of the car. Just because you can't see it, doesn't mean that it’s not there, and welding jobs can end-up costing you a small fortune or, even worse, prove uneconomical to carry out.
6) If possible start the car from cold. A warm engine can hide a multitude of sins - if you want to avoid these pitfalls, start the car from cold!
7) Take it for A TEST DRIVE and concentrate on the car and not the banter from the person selling it to you. Listen for unusual sounds, rattles, squeaks, and knocks when you go over bumps. Test how responsive the engine is, and whether or not it burns oil when you accelerate in a low gear. CHECK all the switches and lights to make sure they work and, if you find a problem, insist on getting it done before you part with the money. In my experience traders will say just about anything to get you to part with your money, but once you have, getting them to honour what they’ve said is a whole new ball game.
8) If you can afford to do an HPI check on the vehicle, then do it! , Especially if you’re spending a lot of money. What is an HPI check? - It’s a way you can find out the history of the car, whether or not it has finance outstanding, has been written-off or involved in an accident - ignorance is no excuse! What could be worse than parting with your hard earned money only to have a repossession company banging on your door and taking your car from you, because the last owner still owed money to the finance company?
9) Never just take the word of a person who is selling you a car as truth, and always insist on facts and proof; i.e. you ask the question, "Has the car been serviced recently?" They reply "Yes", and then your next step should be to ask them for the receipt or proof of the service. Check the logbook and make sure it tallies with the car, and ask for all the paperwork including previous MOTs, and check it for inconsistencies.
10) Beware of service warranties. Most garages will offer you an extended warranty, normally from a third-party company, promising you that if you take out the warranty, then in the unlikely event something major should go wrong, you will be covered and the car will be fixed at no additional costs to you. Well forget it! |Most of these policies are worthless, and when you actually come to claim on them, you discover that somewhere buried deep within the small print is a clause that voids your warranty, based on the fact that you did not do exactly as was stated in the terms. If you are adamant that you want to extend your warranty then take the time to read the small print and understand it. If you’re not sure, check online. A quick search of Google will soon put you back on track and could save you from wasting a lot of money on a worthless policy.
You get what you pay for! If you are paying a couple of hundred pounds for a car, then you are getting a £200 pound car! And finally, if it seems too good to be true, then chances are it probably is. If you spot a car selling for £1000 when similar cars are selling for double that, there’ll be a very good reason for it, and the likelihood is, it won't be the one you’re told by the person selling it.
Questions you should ask when on the phone to a seller. Plus easy to print version