As soon as you drive your new car away from the garage, you immediately lose a load of money no matter what make or model of car you buy. That is pretty much the case wherever you live in the world. You will have lost at least two thousand in value just because you brought a new instead of a used car. To get better value for money it is well worth considering buying a nearly new car instead.
Used cars are good quality
Used car dealers have a reputation for being pushy, which puts some people off. Nowadays, most used car dealers are not at all shady or pushy buying from them is a very similar experience to buying from a dealership. Consumer law ensures that the cars they sell are of a good quality.
Most used cars sold by dealers are only a few years old with a few of them being less than 6 months old or with only delivery mileage on the clock. You can usually negotiate on price and extras if you buy from a reputable second hand car dealer. Some large dealerships offer good deals on servicing and maintenance if you buy the car from them, something that, over time, can be very valuable indeed.
Buying privately
If you decide to buy your used car from a newspaper ad, you should bear in mind that you have less guarantees and less clear consumer protection. However, it may still be a good idea because most private buyers sell their used car for several hundred less than a dealer would. Bear in mind that you only get what you pay for and if the vehicle seems ridiculously cheap it is probably not the bargain it appears to be.
Get the vehicle checked before you buy
It is important to get the vehicle checked over by a mechanic before agreeing to buy it. If you are spending thousands on a car the last thing you need is to get it home only to find that there are serious issues with it.
By all means, check the car over yourself first. You can do the basics like looking for signs of wear and tear, checking for fault lights and making sure that the internal electrics work. If you think, the car is basically sound you can then pay a mechanic to check over any car that you like the look of before you actually buy.
Finding a garage, workshop or mechanic to do this for you is easy when you use BookMyGarage. This website allows you to find an experienced mechanic regardless of where you are in the country. You can also compare prices and make an appointment via this site.
Most car dealerships are used to people having additional checks carried out before people commit to buying from them. Some private individuals do not respond quite so well to this. If they object, it really is best to just walk away and buy elsewhere. It really is not worth taking the risk of buying a used car without a proper mechanical check.