The majority of British motorists change their car on a regular basis, and the second hand market allows one to aim a little higher and get more for one’s money. If we look at the high end market, with BMW, Audi being two of the most popular makes, a used vehicle can be obtained for a lot less than its new counterpart, and by dealing with a reputable supplier, you can ensure the car is in good condition. If you are not very knowledgeable about the inner workings, it is a little risky to buy a car without some form of guarantee, which is why you should look for an established dealership. If you are thinking of changing your wheels, here are a few tips to ensure you end up with value for money.
- Full Service History– Basically, this tells you everything about the vehicle’s history, with all work carried out, logged in the rear section of the user’s manual. Any car that does not have a FSH is to some degree a mystery. The damage that can be caused by skipping services won’t be evident at first, but after the car has done some miles, it might become apparent that the engine needs some serious repairs, and that will be expensive.
- Warranty – This is one reason why you should not buy from a private seller, as in that situation, the car would be sold as seen, and there are unscrupulous people who know how to dress up a vehicle and disguise noises from the engine and gearbox. There are many tricks that have given the used car salesman a bad reputation, and the only way to assure the car is, in fact, as described, is to buy from a dealer that offers an unconditional warranty. There are used BMW cars for sale in Huddersfield,for example, where the dealer offers a 12-month unconditional warranty, and you really can’t get much better than that.
- Affordability– A private seller would obviously look for the best possible price, whereas a dealer that focuses mainly on new vehicles would make their money on the sale of new cars, and the used section would be mainly as a service to customers who wished to trade-in their existing vehicle. The priority with their second hand section would be on quality and affordability, and they would need the forecourt space and would often be prepared to shave a little off the price. When buying a used car, price should never be the deciding factor, and with every used car having a book value for that make, model and year, you can easily know if you are getting a good deal.
Online solutions allow you source the right make and model, and with online finance facilities, you can actually complete the purchase without ever visiting the showroom. If, for example, you prefer BMW, there are registered BMW dealers that accept used models from their existing customers, and these are the cars to look at, as they are the pick of the bunch.
