Traveling every day can be such a hassle, especially if you do not have your own means of transport. Not only do you ruin your clothes with public transport but also your hair, and get all your face and skin dirty.
But, on the other hand, who has the kind of money it takes to visit a showroom and get a car? But then again, if you had one, your travel every day would be so much easier!
We know what you can do. Buy a second-hand car!
Here is the perfect guide on buying a used car.
Why Buy a Used Car?
Buying a second-hand car is not only cheaper for you but better for the environment too. How is that possible? You see, you are cutting down on the pollution created to manufacture an entire car, even if it is a hybrid car. Hybrid cars use batteries that are made up of lithium-ion, lead-acid, and nickel-metal hydride, which are much more harmful to the environment.
Besides, you get to utilize the lower customization costs since you are not getting expensive dealership add-ons when buying a used car. Moreover, if you understand how depreciation on technology works, the bulk of depreciation has already happened for your car. So, you get to pay lesser for the car than it should actually cost.
Moreover, given that you buy from the right place, you get a vehicle thoroughly inspected. Sometimes, you might even get vehicles with their original warranty still intact.
So, in every way that we can tell, buying a second-hand car is worth it.
Buying a Used Car – Everything You Should Know
But there couldn’t be a catch. Nothing is too easy. But sometimes, just sometimes, you will get a guide on buying a used car (like ours over here) to help you through the entire process so that everything, for once in your life, is easy.
So, here goes the guide:
1. Before Anything Else, Research
The most important part of a second-hand car-hunt is research. No matter how fast you want to get it over with, we urge you to give a substantial amount of time to the research phase for your car-hunt.
But when we say research, we mean not just about the car. If you want to get a killer deal, there is much and more that you should research. Here is what:
1. The Budget: the budget for your car is the most important thing for your decision. This will have sway more than any other factor in your decision.
2. Why: In addition to just knowing what you want to spend on your car, learning why you need the car is also important. Your needs dictate your choice of car, and what good is a car that does not fulfill your requirements?
3. Insurance Costs: probably linked to the budget, but insurance costs are another huge factor that dictates how much your car costs you. So, when you do look for a used car, also look for a great insurance deal.
4. Fuel Consumption: when your reason to buy a used car is to save costs, and you should look into the fuel consumption of the car that you are getting.
5. Car Parts: It is essential to check if the car that you are buying has its spare parts available in the part of the world you live in. If not, it is going to be a huge hassle.
2. Inspection is Key
But research is not all that there is to choose a used car. That is why our guide on buying a used car also emphasizes the need to inspect the car before buying it.
But what if you are not sure if you know about a car as much as to tell a good car from a bad one? Simple, you find yourself a car specialist willing to help you out. Usually, for a small fee, a car specialist will help you out.
Here is what you have to inspect:
1. The Tyres: when checking the tyres, you are mainly checking to see how much tread they still have on them. This is also an indication of how much the car has been used, in case you do not trust the meter reading. Check the tread on them against the minimum legal requirement before you buy it.
2. The Body: Every car that has left the showroom acquires dents and scratches. It's unavoidable. But what you should look for is the dents that have been hidden. To make sure you do catch these, check the car in full daylight.
Do not be put off by the small scratches and dents. You could fix them for a small sum. While inspecting the body, also keep your eye out for gaps between panels. Too big panel gaps are an indication of significant car crashes.
3. Gasket Health: while we may not advise you to look out for the oil levels, we want you to check the oil. When you do, look out for a while substance under the oil cap. If you do see it, you should immediately understand that the gasket has failed.
Sometimes the substance may also form as a result of the use of coolant. So, do check the coolant check to be sure.
4. The Wiring: Of course, checking if all the electricals are working fine is just as important. Test every equipment in the car, the power windows, the lights, air conditioning, and so on. The repair doesn’t cost much but you can negotiate on these factors.
Final Words
While the guide may serve as the basis of whatever you should look out for when buying a car, know that this is not the only way to check cars. Every buyer has different needs, and these dictate how you check your car and what you do before buying a car. Also, don’t forget that a test drive is very important!
But whatever you do when buying your car, do not forget to negotiate. You never know how great a deal you can find only if you negotiate. Browse our approved used cars for sale online.