Buy A Second Hand Car
Buying a used car is like walking through a mine field since you could always end up stepping on a “lemon” because despite all the customer protection and lemon laws, you don’t have any guarantees that the car you’ll get will be a good one. Therefore you need to check out some things before you actually start looking for a car.
Very important: you must understand that a new car does not suffer the same dramatic depreciation a new car suffers therefore is more cost effective. You need to make a good budget so that you know what car you can and cannot afford to get. That involves keeping updated tabs on the prices and their fluctuation on the market.
In case you already have a car, than take into consideration the possibility of making a trade at a dealership. Don’t limit yourself only to second hand dealers. New car dealers that have leasing capabilities, are bound to have some used cars for sale as well. A trade in, with your old car plus a couple of thousands of dollars can get you in a great car that has barely been used (considering the clauses of the lease contract). Also take into consideration the fact that a car purchased through a dealer will offer you a lot more protection since, you are getting out of there with an extended warranty for your major parts.
Pick your car carefully. If you can find a car that is three or four year old, and has less than 15.000 miles per year, than you’ve found the perfect car. A car can be categorized as harshly used if it has more than 20.000 miles per year. Therefore, if your car after 4 years of use has 50.000 miles than it’s just great. Don’t take into consideration only the model or the appeal of the car. For example a saloon car might not be as attractive compared to a convertible or a luxury car, but it can be a lot cheaper and a lot easier to maintain.
Now that you’ve figured out what you need and want from a car. Let’s make sure that you don’t buy a lemon. The first thing to do when you see a car is check the VIN on the engine plate. Make sure that it matches with the number crossed on the registration documents because if it doesn’t than you might end up buying a stolen car.
Next step is the test drive. Under no circumstances you are to purchase a car without having it tested at least for a couple of miles. If you sense any kind of hesitation from the dealer or the individual you’re visiting regarding the test drive, than walk away without blinking because you’re dealing with a dishonest person that wants to sell a piece of junk.
During the test drive make sure to test everything. The way you sit in the car, if it’s comfortable and accessible, check the interior space and the features equipped on the car such as the air conditioning, audio system and other electronics. During the test drive, make sure to pay attention to all the details. From the engine start you can figure out the state of the engine. During the drive make sure to test all the elements. See how easy the steering wheel moves, the maximum steering angle, how easy it shifts into gear and so on. Make a few strong stops to test out the brakes and see how fast the car stops. Pay attention to these aspects when you purchase.
Post tags: Tags: automotive articles, buy a second car
