Buyer's Guide

This guide will help you when buying a car. It covers the main points from where to buy, how to buy, and important questions to ask.

There are two main methods of buying a car. They are private and trade. Buying privately is much more risky, however cars are generally cheaper.

You are protected to some extent if you buy from a dealer (trade). The dealer has many laws and restrictions they must abide by. This is reflected in the price of the vehicle.

You can also get warranties and other options from a dealer. Decide if you want to take the risk and save money or pay the extra for added security.

Petrol or diesel? Manual or automatic? Coupe or saloon?

These are the questions you need to ask yourself. Petrol is more expensive to buy however the performance is slightly better and servicing costs are generally less. You will get more miles to the gallon with a diesel, however a diesel is more expensive to tax.

Alternative fuels are available which are cheaper to run. The main problem is finding a garage which supplies the fuel.

The first method of contact is the telephone. You should prepare questions and get ready to write the answers down.

Start the conversation with "Hi, I'm phoning about the car advertised.." and not "Hi, I'm phoning about the Ford Escort.". This way you will be able to find out if they are a dealer masquerading as a private advertiser to avoid legal costs.

Some useful questions are listed below:

• Is the mileage accurate?

• How long have you had the vehicle?

• How many previous owners are there?

• Why are you selling the vehicle?

• Are there any dents or scratches?

• Has it been involved in any accidents?

• Is there any outstanding finance?

• Tell me about the service history?

• Are you open to fair offers?

Never arrange a viewing in a public place, always view at the seller's home address. Ask for a home telephone number if you don't already have one.

While on your way to the sellers address make a note of the route and any other vehicles the seller owns.

It's always a good idea to bring someone with you. Remember 2 pairs of eyes are better than 1!

Look out for signs of rust and try to get to know the seller. Ask them questions about the car and ask to see the documentation. Check the car inside and out looking our for rust, dodgy electrics, panel gaps, worn tyres, paintwork, worn seats, and mis-aligned odometer to name a few.

There are various ways of paying for your car. They include cash, cheque, bank transfer, or banker draft. Ask the seller what they would accept and arrange a method. This may mean waiting for funds to clear before collecting the vehicle.

If this is the case make sure you take some guarantee away with you, such as the logbook.

Remind the seller to send off the registration document to the DVLA. If you haven't received the document in the post within 6 weeks contact the seller.