Have car, will travel

Our practical guide to buying a vehicle that’s value for money

1 THINK ABOUT YOUR IDEAL TYPE

Do you need room for children, dogs, fishing tackle or golf clubs? Or an easy-to-park runaround? Check out different makes and models on whatcar.com, carbuyer.co.uk and honestjohn.co.uk.

2 DON’T JUST LOOK AT PRICE

Examine factors such as the cost of road tax and insurance. Find out a model’s fuel economy at whatcar.com, plus its reliability at Auto Express’s Driver Power, a leading car customer satisfaction survey (autoexpress.co.uk). For secondhand cars, check running costs by putting the registration number into the car costs calculator at moneyadviceservice.org.uk.

3 WHERE TO FIND YOUR NEXT CAR

Starting from scratch? Look for RAC or AA Approved dealers or put your postcode into the Retail Motor Industry Federation website (rmif.co.uk). For new cars, check dealer websites – look at the list price and factor in any offers. Sites such as carwow.co.uk allow dealers from around the country to pitch for your business, so the process is less stressful. For second-hand vehicles, small dealerships that depend on repeat custom can offer a good service. Autotrader.co.uk has cars for sale from traders and private sellers.

4 BUYING FROM A TRADE SELLER

Most dealerships will have insurance cover for test drives, offer a warranty, be able to take your old car in part-exchange, and handle the financial and paperwork side.

5 BUYING PRIVATELY

You might get a second-hand bargain but it can be risky as you get little legal protection and the transfer of funds has to be carefully managed. “Buy with your head rather than your heart,” says The AA’S Paul Watters. “Check the milometer hasn’t been tampered with.” If possible, pay by online banking and don’t transfer money until you have the keys.

6 IT’S GOOD TO TALK

Always phone before going to view a second-hand car – this gives you the chance to ask questions and get the registration number of particular models so you can then check them out online. You can also get a feel for the character of the seller/dealer.

7 DO YOUR RESEARCH

Once you have the registration number, find out if the car has been stolen, clocked or written off with an HPI check at Experian’s autocheck.co.uk (from £14.95). Check the paperwork: a V5, tax and MOT are essential. Do the chassis and registration numbers match the car? Get an insurance quote from confused. com or gocompare.com.

8 PAY THE PRICE YOU WANT

A proper valuation will give you confidence to negotiate. Check out the target price service at whatcar.com or get a valuation for an individual car at parkers.co.uk.

9 TESTING, TESTING

If buying privately, take someone with you for safety reasons. Inspect the car in daylight and good weather. Ideally, test-drive it on different road types and have a go at parking in a tight spot. Listen for unusual sounds and check the steering doesn’t pull. If in doubt, walk away.

10 PAYMENT OPTIONS

A popular choice for new car buyers is PCP (Personal Contract Purchase) deals, where you make small monthly payments that amount to about a third of the vehicle’s cost. At the end of the agreement, you can pay the final larger figure to take ownership of the car, return it or use its value to broker a finance deal on a new one. Other options are paying outright, taking out a hire purchase agreement, paying the whole value off in instalments, or leasing (where you hand back the car at the term’s end).