How to buy a car (and not be fooled)
All those pesky April Fools’ pranks may feel like a distant memory, but it’s still possible to feel like you’ve been taken for a ride throughout the rest of the month or even the year. Especially if you’re buying a car.
There’s nothing worse than something going wrong when getting a new set of wheels. We’ve put together some simple advice to stick to if you’re buying a car, so hopefully, you won’t end up feeling like a fool.
Dealership or no dealership
No, we’re not saying you should only buy your car from Noel Edmonds. What we’re saying is that you should always think about where you’re buying your car from.
Dealerships come with a lot of advantages, the biggest being the rights you’re guaranteed on the sale. Purchasing a car from a dealer (not a dealership) may be cheaper and more local, but you won’t get the same rights. This means if something does go wrong, it may be harder to sort out.
Check, mate
It seems obvious, but it’s so vital we couldn’t not mention it. Check, check and check again.
The only way to properly check out a car is to get up close and personal, looking at every nook and the odd cranny. As well as giving your potential new motor a good once, twice and thrice over, there are some handy online checks that are always worth completing.
The main check is from the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA). If you have the car’s make and registration number, head to this website to get valuable information on the vehicle and its history.
Another vital check is to make sure the MOT information you’ve been provided is true. Thankfully, there’s a website for that as well.
Get chatty
If you’re buying a used car from someone, and you’re in the middle of your checks, strike up a conversation with the dealer.
Try and get as much information from them as you can. Ask if there’s anything you should know about how the car feels, or even why they’re selling it. The answers may give you information you might otherwise not find out until you’ve handed over the cash.
If you don’t get any answers, that silence may say an awful lot in itself. It’s worth remembering; if you’re ever in doubt, it’s probably not worth the risk.
Keep your mind on the money
Buying a car often means making a pretty big transaction. Except for you, because you’ve found a deal that’s too good to be true! You can’t believe how cheap the car is!
Stop right there. If you’re buying a used car, and the deal sounds too good to be true, it is. In fact, even away from the wonderful world of cars, this is true 99.99% of the time.
Sneaky scammers with authentic ads offering mind-blowing savings can be very good at luring you in. Keep your mind on the money and remember, if it looks too good to be true, maybe keep looking (or head to a dealership instead).
And there you have it, some simple advice to make sure you don’t feel like a fool when you’re buying a car.
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