A car represents our style and taste, economic status and character. There may be various reasons for people opting for used cars, some of them being saving money and choosing a certain car model which they would not afford to buy. Whether we buy a new or an old one, proper investigation is essential in the process. There are certain pros and cons in buying used cars.
The main advantage is the price factor because for the price of a very small new car, we can afford to buy a much bigger second hand model. The disadvantages are that if we are not fully knowledgeable, we could be misguided by the dealer, legal protection is limited and we may pay more than its worth. One-way of selecting the car would be first to identify the size and model of the car that we need and plan to purchase. Then we can hunt for a person who wants to dispose of his or her car. If this fails to work, a used car dealer would be a good choice.
In this way, we may also choose a reconditioned car even if it is slightly more expensive than the existing price a used care of the same model. Six months or one-year guarantee is offered as an incentive in this case. It is better to avoid taxis and rally cars and cars owned by government organizations because they would be overused. One should find out all the facts about the parts that have been replaced namely the "service history" of the used car should be studied carefully so as to avoid troubles after the purchase. After selecting the car, a routine check of its papers is essential. Registration details, its previous owners, insurance papers and available of warranty period should be crosschecked.
Then the buying process can be initiated. We should never buy a used car without test-driving it, and should not view the car under artificial light or car parked at a public place or pub. A good car should start at one go. The most important aspects to check at are the conditions of the engine, pedals (for brakes, accelerator and clutch) gearbox and the steering wheel. As broken down engine or a healthy engine can be easily detected. A noisy gearshift indicates extensive wear and tear and may require expensive repairs.
Diesel engines are lethargic compared to their petrol counterparts. The quality of the clutch and brakes should be checked upon. If the price of the car is satisfactory the paper work is to be completed by the seller because the transfer is the seller's responsibility.
Adam Boulton is an expert in automobile related matters. He has contributed several informative articles on topics such as used cars and auto loan to webguides - http://www.getbestcars.com and http://www.autoloanguide.info
