Top Ten Tips for Buying a Used Car

Posted on January 12, 2010
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Are you in the marketplace for buying a second hand motor vehicle? Choosing the right vehicle which is good value for money and will be reliable in the long term can be quite difficult. You can help yourself make the right decision by following some basic guidelines that can help you choose between the bargain cars and the ones that will cause you long term misery. Read our top ten tips for buying a used car guide.

1) Pick a Budget and Stick to It.

When you are buying a used car it is easy to get carried away when you’re already spending a lot of money- a few hundred pounds more to secure the ‘car of your dreams’ can easily seem reasonable, but could leave you in debt. Remember there are always other expenses that you have to pay for when you buy a car, such as Road Tax and insurance. Before you start looking for a new car decide on a budget and religiously stick to it, that way you can be assured good value for money.

2) View the Car in Daylight

When you do finally decide to go to look at a car, don’t make the mistake of going to see the car at night. Perhaps you have a full time job and it isn’t possible to leave work to go and view a car in the week and you think that the car in question may be sold by the time the weekend comes around. Although it can be a temptation to save time and ‘jump the queue’ of other potential purchases, going to see a car at night can leave you open for an upset. Basically you will not be able to get a good look at the condition of the car in poor visibility. Instead of being impatient either wait until the weekend or take a day off work and go and see a group of cars to make the most of your time.

3) Consider an Inspection

Lack mechanical knowledge about motor vehicles? For those who don’t know their big end from their fuel injection system perhaps a professional mechanical appraisal may be a sensible option. Although there will be an expense involved with this you will get peace of mind from discovering what if anything is wrong with the vehicle. Also by telling the vendor you are going to get a mechanical appraisal then you will be able to see how they react to this. If they suddenly looked panicked and try to dissuade you then you can presume that there may be something wrong with the car that they are trying to hide. If a mechanical appraisal does highlight problems with a car, this doesn’t mean that you should walk away from the motor vehicle- all cars can develop faults. Instead judge as to how much these issues are likely to cost to repair as this can give you additional bargaining power with the vendor to get a discount. However, if in doubt walk away from the deal, there is always another car out there!
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Tags: Buying, buying a used vw golf mechanicals, Tips, top ten tips for buying a used car, Used

Used Car Pricing: The Insanity Of Used Car Prices!

Posted on January 12, 2010
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Used car prices are elusive, despite numerous attempts to harness them. We’ve all heard of Retail, Private Party and Trade-in values. But do these “help” in determining a vehicle’s real value? When we turn to the web for prices, it gets even more elusive. One web site places a retail value on a car at $18,000. Another puts it at $21,000. What should we believe?

If sellers are looking to get the highest price for the car they’re selling, and the buyer wants to get the best deal possible, is there such thing as a fair used car price for both parties?

The answer is yes, but both parties have to be on the same page.

We’ll call this “page” Fair Market Value.

That being said, how do we interpret the market to determine fair market value? Since most sellers and buyers are going to try to interpret the market to his or her advantage, let’s even the playing field.

One of the most profound remarks I’ve heard to establish a better playing field for used car pricing comes from industry expert and owner of Medway Imports, Barry Roth. He states:

“To find market value, you need to take all the pricing data you find for a particular vehicle and throw out the high and low prices. What’s left in the middle is where you’ll find a fair market value.”

While this doesn’t address the used car pricing problem entirely, it does remove the unrealistic numbers that many clutch to like the drowning to a life preserver. It moves folks to more reasonable prices according to the market.

A lot of time is spent on popular web sites (for better or worse) to “help” determine used car pricing. But one should also follow and watch the market to see what cars are being advertised and sold for-if they’re being sold at all.
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Tags: Insanity, Prices, Pricing, Used

Repossessed Cars For Sale

Posted on January 12, 2010
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Repossessed Cars for Sale:

It is sometimes difficult for people to find good prices for new or pre-owned cars. The cost of extras options continues to rise, and even the cheapest models can set an average person back for many years. If you want to buy a car, but do not have enough money, a government car auctions might be a great opportunity for you. You can find the best deals, and you will save thousands of dollars.

Most of vehicles at a government car auction have been repossessed from criminals or people who did not make payments on government loans. You can also find car auction vehicles that are “retired” police cruisers or other government vehicles that are no longer in service. It is not uncommon to find a wide range of makes and models, and it is even possible to find classic cars that are not available at most dealerships are government car auctions all over the country, and you locate one in your area by simply searching online. In fact, the internet has deep affected the government car auction.

Cars For Sale:

There are a number of websites that allow you to bid on vehicles from the comfort of your home. They can also direct you to parts for salvageable cars at auction. The best sites guide you to make a complete search, so you can find exactly what you are looking for. Whether bidding online or in person, it is essential to be well-informed before you get into an auction. The most important point of going into a car auction is to save money. If you ignore the true condition of a vehicle, you can end up paying more money than it is actually worth.

Used Car Buying Tips – Buying a Used Car Guide

Posted on January 12, 2010
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Shopping around for big ticket items is always a good idea. Buying a used car is included in this. Low prices attract many a buyer to a used car lot. Actually, there are more people who buy used cars than there are individuals who purchase new cars.

The challenge is, however, that not all used cars are maintained in top notch condition. There are several factors to keep in mind concerning the condition and performance capability of a used car. It’s always a good thing to search out some used car buying tips before starting to look around.

Here are some used car buying tips that will help you make an informed decision.

Buying a Used Car Guide

Used Car Buying Tips 1. Every safety feature of the car should be functional.

This include anti-lock brakes, seat belts, hazard lights and, if applicable, air bags.
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Tags: Buying, Guide, Tips, Used

Top 10 Best Sellers Cars of 2009

Posted on January 3, 2010
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The fat lady has not sung Auld Lang Syne yet, so here are the UK’s top selling cars of 2009 for the years until today. Since we amateurism in nostalgia, we have also got 1999’s Greatest Hits for you.

What were you doing 10 years for our buying habits? Well, while we are supersizing at McDonald’s, it’s a different story on the atria. Ford and GM still dominate the top 10, but also big brands Salons drop well down the ranking, to be replaced by smaller cars.

The first four have not changed a bit, but also small fish Fiesta and Corsa are now pre-selling their bigger brothers Focus and Astra, while Renault has dropped out of the race at all. It is hard on our roads without the mini-busts, which is now in the top 10, but it was present even a gleam in his eyes BMW product planner in 1999.

One of the secrets of the past ten years, remains – exactly when minicab drivers and police officers lose first dibs on a white car?

2009’s Top 10 (year to date) 1999 Top 10

1) Ford Fiesta                                                                           1) Ford Focus
2) Ford Focus                                                                           2) Ford Fiesta
3) Vauxhall Corsa                                                                    3) Vauxhall Astra
4) Vauxhall Astra                                                                      4) Vauxhall Corsa
5) Volkswagen Golf                                                                  5) Opel Vectra
6) Peugeot 207                                                                         6) Ford Mondeo
7) BMW 3-Series                                                                      7) Renault Megane
8 ) Mini                                                                                        8 ) Renault Clio
9) Vauxhall Insignia                                                                 9) Volkswagen Golf
10) Ford Mondeo                                                                     10) Peugeot 206