Purchasing a Second-Hand Car: What You Should Look For

Buying a second-hand car demands attentive focus and knowledge. After all, you don’t want a hand-me-down car that’s riddled with issues and prone to failure, so it’s important you secure the best buy and the right fit for you. People love their cars and consider them an important factor of their independence, so you need something that will run with certainty.

While second-hand cars might at first seem a gamble, they’re actually a hard and fast bargain. There are a few things you can look out for that enable you to buy with much more confidence, allowing you to cruise the roads more comfortably. Here’s what you should keep an eye out for.

Car Financing Options

Some dealers are abrasive and rude, keen to flog a flimsy product rather than sell a quality car. They don’t care about the car, and they certainly don’t care about the consumer, and are greatly responsible for much of the stigma that comes attached with buying a second-hand vehicle. However, the good dealers have certain qualities that allow you to suss them out from the bad ones.

The better dealers are equipped with the option to undertake car financing, meaning they can cater to more customers and clients who can’t necessarily pump thousands of pounds into a new vehicle in one go. It’s paying smaller sums overtime, showing a degree of trust in both parties. For example, Imperial Cars offer multiple types of car financing on second-hand vehicles, putting the buyer first. More than anything else, they want to help you get on the road in sooner.

Care and Control

Many assume that a used car must have something wrong with it somewhere. If someone else doesn’t want it, why should you? Well, perhaps they just wanted to upgrade their vehicle, and buy something a little snazzier. Nevertheless, it’s time to stop worrying and to start answering your own questions for yourself instead. If there is something wrong with the used car, there’s only one way to find out!

Take the car for a test spin, see how it handles and if it measures up to your expectations. Are there scratches? Does the ignition work in good time? Are the tyres of a good quality? The sketchy dealers will lie to your face and tell you what you want to hear, so the only person you can trust here is yourself. Go with your instincts after some hands-on experience, and you won’t be disappointed.

Paperwork and the Past

Cars aren’t just metal boxes that motor around on a whim. Like people and pets, they have a record, a documented history that winds all the way back to their origins. If the transaction seems a little easy, i.e. nodding heads and keys in hand, with no paperwork, then it’s time to cut and run; you’re possibly being sold an illegally obtained vehicle.

If the car history is not volunteered by the dealer, demand it. You need to ensure that your car is not stolen, that it’s passed all the relevant MOT assessments, and is able to be legally driven. Not to do so risks your safety, and the safety of other drivers should the car cause an accident. Being a responsible owner means looking out for the legal qualifiers, because in the end, it can save lives!