Buying a cheap car

venomx

I'm new to driving but looking to get a car soon.

Budget is about £1500
Do most people buy cars in cash or bank transfer? 

MalMonroe

If you can, I'd buy using credit card (Section 75) or debit card (chargeback) because you can claim your money back if anything goes wrong. 

If you use either cash or bank transfer and anything does go wrong, you may not get any money back at all. Old cars are often a liability, I hate to say but I say that because of my own experiences - or I could have just been very unlucky? 

venomx

Thanks. 
How old is old, In your experience? I'd have a max of £2000, should be enough ?

I'm guessing dealerships accept card 

Ectophile

If it's a private sale, most people will only take cash or bank transfer.  All the other common methods of paying are reversible, and private sellers won't want the risk.

If it's a dealer, some may accept credit cards, others won't (because of the fees).  Many will accept debit cards.

daveyjp

For £1500-2000 will get a far better car from a genuine private seller.

forgotmyname

daveyjp said:

For £1500-2000 will get a far better car from a genuine private seller.

Not always, some private sellers may have spent hundreds on service and repairs and think that
increased the cars value by that and then some.  Past few cars i bought for £2000 have been
from dealers.

Its easier to shop from most dealers also, you don't usually need to make calls to arrange a time
as most are open 9-5 at least.  They may also have several cars that maybe of interest.

AdrianC

MalMonroe said:

If you can, I'd buy using credit card (Section 75) or debit card (chargeback) because you can claim your money back if anything goes wrong. 

If you use either cash or bank transfer and anything does go wrong, you may not get any money back at all. Old cars are often a liability, I hate to say but I say that because of my own experiences - or I could have just been very unlucky? 

This is simply overstating consumer rights and liability...

If you pay by credit card, the card provider is equally liable for the fault with the vendor.

BUT... for a £1.5k-£2k car, it's simply that there's a very low bar of reasonable expectations. You cannot reasonably expect a car at that end of the market to be fault-free. It's likely to be a tiny fraction of the new price, and very near end-of-life. Most failures can be reasonably expected to be related to wear and tear.

If you have had a car for 10yrs from new, or 5yrs from it being 5yo, would you expect it to be perfect, and fault-free? No. Would you expect any come-back on the vendor? No.
So if that car is 10yo, but you only bought it last week, why are reasonable expectations of it being fault-free any different? They aren't.

Paying extra from a trader at this end of the market, and expecting the difference in price over a similar private-sale car to be worthwhile in comeback for faults, is simply not realistic. And remember, that trader that's selling a £1,500 car probably paid half that, and has only given it a quickish wash. He cannot afford to do more, because he's got to make a living off his profit margin...

Grumpy_chap

Only a week or so ago, the OP was looking for advice on getting their licence back following medical suspension, and planned to use their parent's car initially:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6205925/getting-a-car-what-is-the-process/p2

It may be sensible to delay buying a car until the license is resolved.

venomx

Grumpy_chap said:

Only a week or so ago, the OP was looking for advice on getting their licence back following medical suspension, and planned to use their parent's car initially:
https://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/discussion/6205925/getting-a-car-what-is-the-process/p2

It may be sensible to delay buying a car until the license is resolved.

Yes 100%.
I have the physical pink card now. And I have to send off the medical form declaring my mental health. That's been filled out and I will send it off in a few weeks after speaking to my psychiatrist.  Once that's all cleared I'll start looking. 
I'm just being pro active and learning about buying cars .
Thanks 

venomx

It wasnt suspended. I just lost the pink card when I was unwell 

Grumpy_chap

Do you have any friends or family that can assist you with choosing a suitable car, and come with you for viewing?

Unfortunately, any car at the £1,500 - £2,000 range is something of a gamble and the decision need to be made assessing the car as a whole for condition and history.  The main advice I give is not to be afraid of walking away from any car - if it doesn't seem right for you, then there will always be another car come along.