Any tips on buying a car ?

property.advert

I need a car, 5 doors, not too big, basically for the missus to drive around on the school run, trips to the shops and perhaps a few 20 to 30 mile drives.

I am toying with the idea of a new car as I don't know much about cars in the UK but a trip to see a dealer today was a wash out. It was all too much trouble for them really, especially when I said I just wanted to buy it, not lease or finance it.

I could make a sound economic argument for a second hand motor which has depreciated heavily in the first year or two but living near London and not having transport means even getting to places takes lots of time which I haven't got and then I have to deal with potential problems with the second hand car and warranties etc.

I'm pretty logical so I thought an easy way to value a car would be to see how much the websites which will buy your car from you will pay, though I hear they do try to knock you down when you go to take it in. If it was advertised at £7k but they would only buy it for £5k then I "know" there is £2k at least in the middle as "profit". Seems logical to me !

I also have a problem in handing over any significant amount of money to someone for a second hand car and would probably never buy privately. If over a certain amount then after paying the AA or someone to check it over and time and money spent running around to find a car, I feel as though I'm just better off (not financially) buying a new car, getting the full warranty and so forth.

I'm quite prepared for a dealer to make a profit, after all, they have to eat and I'm used to negotiating but I can go to one garage once a week and that is all the time I have. With new, you know their stock but with second hand, it is always changing.

I am on Autotrader quite a lot and I do see some cars at fairish prices but I don't know if I can trust the companies selling them.

With most firms only giving 3 years warranty, I think I'd like a car at most 2 years old so I have at least a year under warrant for anything major to go wrong.

So please, how can I get over these hurdles and get into the second hand market ?

oldtoolie

Sounds to me as if you would do best at an auto supermarket. Late model cars, big selection, fixed price, no messing about. Buy a car one or two years old and it will have manufacturers warranty. Don't get in a tizzy about it, just buy your car and drive around in it.

10JH

Why don't you just buy an approved used car from the official dealers.

Professional service and often they give a new or extended warranty.

DCFC79

Wasnt a similar question to this posted the other day