Help on buying second hand car?

drdog_2

2 questions: how and what?

What is the way to get the best value purchase and best chance of getting something reliable? Is it a local garage, private sale, ebay or dealer. I need car to get to work and I want a quick stress free sale, get a reliable car quickly but are far from rolling in money.

Is there any advantage to buying on a credit card in terms of the guarantee from them? What does a credit card guarantee cover, and for how long, with respect to second hand car purchases?

Current car ford focus diesel probably doing at least 15k miles year - cars time are a means of transport, so cheap and reliable is good to me, oh, and comfort, but looks and name matter not! So Ford again or what for 2 to 3Kish?

Ultrasonic

What is wrong with your current Focus that is making you want to replace it? Any car you buy for £2k to £3k has a fair chance of having things wrong with it, so if it is an option you may well be best keeping the car you've already got.

Edit: What age/engine focus is it actually?

Foxy-Stoat_3

You should check your credit card terms and conditions about vehicle sales, as many may have different terms so anyone answering that would be a guess. You would have to buy from a dealer with a card machine (extra costs).

The way to get the best value would be to research the car your after, year, spec and mileage and keep watching ebay, autotrader, gumtree, friday-ad and pre-loved sites for like for like vehicles as best you can.

Know what the going rate is for a private and trade sale, so you can spot if the seller is asking too much or priced too low...maybe something wrong with it or just priced to sell it quick. Watching a dozen cars on ebay will help as if they re-list when they don't sell (at a high price probably) you have the additional information that they aren't selling maybe because its too expensive and you can knock them down. Private sellers are more likely to accept a cheeky offer were as a trader needs to make a margin so less likely.....no point in texting/emailing a seller on ebay asking whats the best price or making an offer without first seeing the car, total chancers are normally ignored.

Know how much a set of tyres, new cambelt and waterpump, clutch, brake pads/discs etc would cost you. That way you can best value the car.....no point in paying over the odds if the seller says its just had brake pads for example when a set of pads would be like £60 to buy.....but a car that's just had a cam-belt/water pump replaced would save you say £400 if another one needs them replacing soon.

Try and see as many cars locally as you can, take someone who knows what to look for if you don't.

Stress free quick purchase would be find a car at a local trader but may not be the best value.

reason2

i wouldnt say any car for 2-3k would have problems if you do your research

i bought my vaxhaul corsa for £1500 - its an 03 plate and it has absolutely zero faults..

the only thing i have had to do on it is replace a cracked connector pipe for windscreen wash.. total cost £0.70p

passed 2 mots with no advisorys.. low milage.. cheap to insure..

check parkers for what fits in to where.. it shows you which cars are in the lowest insurance category and how much it is to tax them and reports on comfort and handling and resale value etc..

my car is currently selling for £2100 privately so i can even make a profit if i sell..