• Never fit a rearward facing child seat in front of an active airbag – it's a lethal combination, and it’s also illegal.
• Always use a child seat that's appropriate for your child, no matter how short the journey is or how much of a rush you're in. The law says that any child under 12 years or 135cm tall needs a proper child seat, but that’s a minimum – there’s no reason why older/taller children shouldn’t continue to use boosters up to around 150cm.
• Failure to comply with these laws could result in a £30 fixed penalty fine, or a fine of up to £500 if the case goes to court. Parents shouldn’t need the threat of a fine to ensure the safety of their children, however.
• Help is available. Seat manufacturers will be able to tell you which seat to use, and stores such as Mothercare should have a trained staff member who can advise you.
• Children grow at different speeds but broadly speaking you'll be looking for a group 0/0+ seat for newborns and babies up to nine/15 months (up to 22/20lbs), a group-one seat between nine months and four years (or 20-40lbs), a group-two seat between four and six-years-old (or 33-55lbs) and a group-three seat up to 12-years-old (or 79lbs). All occupants over this age still need to wear a conventional seatbelt.
• Make sure you know how to use your seat. Read the instructions carefully and seek advice if you don’t understand them. Pull belts and buckles tight and check them before each journey to ensure they haven't slackened off.
• If your car has ISOFIX mounting points, it's best to use them. But remember that you may need to use an additional top tether or support foot to secure them properly.
• Check your car. Brakes, tyres, windscreen wipers and lights are all critical. See our maintenance tips for more advice.
• Concentrate. There's a lot happening, so stay on the ball. Look well ahead to spot potential dangers and always be ready to react.
• Keep calm. Don't let congestion get to you. Accept that the journey that used to take 20 minutes now takes half an hour, and leave more time.
• Don't tailgate. Slow drivers hogging lanes on motorways are annoying, but intimidating them is not the answer.
• Slow down. Everyone's in a hurry but speeding to your next appointment could mean you don't arrive at all.
• Be aware of weather conditions and that they can change quickly. Just because the roads weren't icy where you started off doesn't mean they aren't covered a mile away.
• Never use a handheld phone. Even if you've got a hands-free system in your car, it's best to limit conversations as they'll distract you.
• Don’t drive tired. If you're flagging, you have to stop. Take a 20-minute nap and drink some caffeine. Opening windows and turning up the stereo don't work.
• Don't drink and drive. Your ability at the wheel is seriously impaired even by one drink.
• Always carefully read the label of any medicines you are taking. You should not operate machinery if taking certain medicines – this, of course, includes driving a car.
• Emergency braking. Most cars have anti-lock brakes. Press the pedal as hard as you can and remember that you'll still be able to steer. If you don't have ABS, pump the pedal and brake in a straight line.
• If your brakes fail, try to stay calm. Pump the brake pedal, gradually apply the handbrake and use the gears to slow your car down.
• If you start to skid steer in the direction that you're skidding in to counteract the movement.
Video: How to adjust your seat
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Fitting accessories to the outside of your car – such as bike racks, roof racks, roof boxes and tow bars – can end in tears if you don’t do it properly. So what do you need to watch out for?
• Always fit accessories by following the instructions to the letter. Incorrectly fitted attachments are unsafe, and a hazard to you, your car and property, and other drivers. Bikes falling off a rack on the motorway, for example, may cause a serious accident.
• If you’re unsure about fitting, ask a mechanic or your local dealer.
• Be careful when attaching and loading accessories – it’s easy to damage paintwork.
• Never exceed the carrying capacity of attachments – check the instructions if you don’t know what this is.
• Ensure that rear-mounted bike carriers don’t obscure the number plate or lights when loaded. If they do, you will need a supplementary light board to stay legal.
• Check that the attachment’s fastenings are secure before, during and after every journey.
• Drive with extra care and attention.
• If you’re carrying anything on the roof, it’s worth putting some kind of note on the dash to remind you to avoid multi-story car parks and the like.
• Remember that exterior attachments cause drag, can affect the car’s handling, and significantly reduce fuel economy. Always remove them when not needed.
Whatcar.com
Here’s our guide to some easy DIY jobs and pre-MoT checks.
• Check all fluids once a month, or before long journeys, and top up as required. Always make sure the car is parked on a level surface. Use the dipstick to check the oil level, and monitor coolant, windscreen-washer fluid and brake-fluid levels by checking them against the markers on the side of their respective reservoirs. Hydraulic power-steering systems and automatic gearboxes may also need periodic fluid checks. Dashboard warning lights often alert you when levels drop too low, but you shouldn’t wait until this happens.
• Check the condition and pressure of your tyres, from cold, at least once a month. Keep them inflated to the pressure recommended in the owner’s handbook to keep the car safe and save on fuel bills. Don’t forget to check the spare. Use a tread-depth gauge to make sure all tyres exceed the legal minimum depth of 1.6mm across 75% of the width of the tyre. It’s best to replace tyres when they reach 2mm.
To avoid wasting money on a failed MoT test, check the following items beforehand. Even if you’re not able to fix problems yourself, identifying them early can limit repair bills.
• Check the windscreen for chips and cracks.
• Check the horn, wipers and washers work properly.
• Make sure door mirrors aren’t broken.
• Check all the seatbelt buckles work.
• Ask a friend to help you check all exterior lights work correctly. Replace any blown bulbs and watch for broken lenses.
• Make sure the handbrake will hold the car on a hill.
Want to know how to change a tyre? Click here to see our six-step guide.
• Go to www.motorindustrycodes.co.uk to find a garage that has signed up to the Motor Industry Code of Practice for Service and Repair. The self-regulating code of practice is designed to promote and safeguard consumers' interests by helping them identify better businesses, while encouraging garages to raise their standards of customer service.
• Shop around – costs even vary between franchised dealers, so don’t just return to the one where you bought your car.
• You can now get your car serviced at a non-franchised garage without invalidating your warranty, so call local workshops for prices too.
• If you do go to an independent garage, ensure it is VAT-registered and make sure the parts and fluids used are genuine manufacturer products. Get receipts and part serial numbers to prove this.
• Always stick to your car’s servicing schedule and ensure that the servicing book is stamped.
• Always read your warranty document thoroughly before booking your car in for servicing.
• If your car needs a repair or some warranty work carried out, however, this must be done at a franchised dealer in order to keep your warranty intact.
In between services, you can keep your car in tip-top condition by keeping fluids topped up and by carrying out regular checks. Find out what simple DIY jobs you can do.
Whatcar.com
• You can expect fuel consumption to be worse than the official combined figure. As a rule of thumb, expect 10% to 15% less mileage than this figure suggests due to the fact that real-life driving is more demanding than the official EU tests.
• Accelerating as slowly as possible is not considered the best option to save fuel – and it can also irritate other road users. Accelerate normally through the gears to your desired speed and then change to the highest gear possible.
• When cruising, try to use top gear from around 30mph up, and aim to keep the engine speed to between 2000rpm and 3000rpm.
• Switch off the engine if you're going to be at a standstill for more than a minute.
• Look at the routes you frequently take – your drive to work for instance. Are there less congested roads you could take? They might add miles to your journey but, if they cut out stop-start motoring, you could be quids in.
• Keep windows and sunroofs shut, and make sure your tyres are at the right pressure. Wind resistance and drag from under-inflated tyres will increase fuel bills. Always remove roof racks and bike racks when not needed, and don't carry unnecessary items in your boot.
• Use of the stereo, rear demisters, lights and air-conditioning adds to the fuel bill.
• A dirty engine with lots of sooty deposits can worsen fuel economy. Changing the oil can help to improve things here.
• There are lots of 'snake oil' solutions on the market, which supposedly improve performance and lower fuel consumption and emissions with simple tablets, magnetic strips or a squirt of additive. If it sounds too good to be true, it almost certainly is.
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web buyer
If you are buying a new car you will automatically get three years' warranty cover. If you are buying used, however, it could be worth investing in an after-market warranty to ensure you're covered should anything go wrong.
• Used car warranties are available from main dealers or from warranty specialists such as Warranty Direct, Warranty Wise and Warranty Works. You can usually save money by dealing with the warranty company direct, rather than through a car dealer or warranty broker.
• Shop around for cover because prices vary dramatically from company to company. However, be sure to compare like with like because not all warranties offer the same level of cover.
• Make sure you know exactly what is covered by the warranty you buy, and what you must do to keep the cover valid.
• Most used car warranties require you to have your car serviced according to the manufacturer's schedule but you should be able to take your car to any garage for servicing and repairs.
• Always read the warranty document thoroughly.
For more information on the What Car? warranty, click here.
For more information on whether to buy new or used, click here.
Whatcar.com
documents
When you buy a new car, it's covered by the manufacturer's warranty. This is basically a mechanical breakdown insurance policy in which the manufacturer promises to pay for repairs to the car should certain things go wrong.
In order to benefit from the warranty, you must stick to the rules laid out in the individual policy – so read it thoroughly.
• A warranty is a contract like any other, so read its terms very carefully before taking any action, and be careful to check what is – and what isn't – covered. There is a tendency to assume all defects will be covered but this is rarely the case.
• Most warranties have strict rules attached to them. For example, many are invalidated if a car is not serviced at precise intervals – such as every 10,000 miles. The amount of leeway will depend on the manufacturer. Stick to these rules if you want to be able to make a claim should anything go wrong.
• Car makers are no longer allowed to include restrictive servicing clauses in their new car warranties. You don't have to use a franchised dealer for servicing, but check your warranty for any rules relating to this.
• Where a warranty is offered, it can’t diminish any of the rights a consumer has under the Sale of Goods Act (for example the right to reject a faulty car) and should contain a statement to that effect.
• The Unfair Terms in Consumer Contracts Regulations 1999 also apply to warranties. These regulations strike out any term in a contract which is deemed to be ‘unfair’ to a consumer. So if the terms of your warranty are unreasonably difficult to stick to, seek legal advice.
The manufacturer’s warranty covers a new car usually for three years, although some cars can have up to a seven-year warranty – so, if your car is older, you may wish to consider paying for an independent warranty.
Whatcar.com
breakdown
Cars are complicated machines that need to be cared for to keep them reliable and safe.
• Don't ignore problems. If you can't fix it yourself, take it to a workshop to be put right. If you get a recall notice, take the car in for free repairs.
• Service your car according to the manufacturer's schedule.
• Don't think your car is safe for the next year just because it has passed its MOT.
• Check your lights regularly. Try them out in your garage or parked next to a wall and you won't have to keep on getting out to see if they're working.
• Check your tyres at least one a month and don’t forget the spare. Keep them inflated to pressures listed in your handbook and replace them when the tread depth reaches 2mm (even though the legal limit is 1.6mm).
• Keep windscreen washer, oil, coolant, power steering, clutch and brake fluid levels topped up but not overfull. Don't wait for warning lights to come on.
• Park on level ground to check oil levels, and make sure you do it when the engine is cold. Remove the dipstick, wipe it clean and then reinsert it to get an accurate reading.
• Replace worn wiper blades. Smearing dirt across the windscreen instead of wiping it off is a recipe for disaster.
• Adjust washer jets with a pin to make sure they spray on the windscreen and not in a huge arc over the top of the car.
• Click here for some specific tips on caring for you car through the winter, and here for the equipment you don't want to leave at home.
Whatcar.com
Non Car Dealership
If the car is not as expected, you may need to act quickly to save the situation.
• Keep all records and paperwork, in case you need to refer to it later on.
• If you are concerned that the car is not as advertised, you should let the seller know before you take ownership. If buying privately, it might be more difficult to negotiate an agreement. If you are not happy, avoid taking delivery of the car.
• Although private sales aren't covered by the Sale of Goods Act, you can still pursue the seller if they have misled you by falsely describing the car.
• If you intend to reject the car, you need to formally do so in writing as soon as possible. If you do this within two weeks, you stand a far higher chance of success and a full refund – especially if the case goes to court.
• Send a letter to the dealer informing them of your intention.
• If buying from a garage, it may try and negotiate a settlement with you. This may take the form of an additional discount or extra incentives. Look at these carefully and decide if they are fair compensation.
Whatcar.com
V5
When buying a new car check the paperwork carefully to ensure you get no nasty surprises.
• Examine the V5C registration document and check the registration date, number of owners and chassis.
• When you complete the sale, ensure that the new owner's section of the V5C is filled out correctly, and that you take the relevant sections with you.
• Look at the service history and see if it has been completed and, if buying a used car, see if important services have been carried out.
• If the car is old enough to require an MoT, check the expiry date to make sure that you can get the car insured.
• Make sure you get an invoice and sales contract showing that you have completed the deal and that the balance has been paid.
• If you’re opting for a finance package from a dealer, check the paperwork and sign.
Whatcar.com
handshake
When the big day arrives, you’ll want to pick up your new car with the minimum amount of hassle. However, get complacent or rush things and you could end up regretting it.
• Arrive on time and inspect the car before you hand over any money or complete any paperwork.
• Don’t try to do a thorough inspection in the dark or wet: you won’t spot bodywork problems. If buying from a garage, take delivery of the car but ask it to be recorded on the sales invoice that you have not been able to adequately examine the vehicle.
• Walk around the car and check all corners, along with body panels and windows.
• Check that the car is as specified and that all the options you expected are present. If buying used, check that everything works correctly.
• If buying from a dealer, make sure any accessories have been fitted to the car as requested.
• If buying a new car, check the pre-delivery inspection (PDI) has been carried out, and the service book is stamped to reflect this.
• Make sure you ask for both sets of keys, especially if buying privately.
Whatcar.com
documents
When you’ve found the right car and you want to leave a deposit, make sure you get a sales contract – or, if buying privately, a receipt. This will not only give you peace of mind, but could protect you if things go wrong.
• Ensure that all the details are written on the contract, including your name, address and the full details of the car.
• Make sure that the purchase price is clearly displayed so that there can be no confusion later. Details of the deposit should also be recorded so you can easily see the balance to pay.
• If buying from a garage, take five minutes to read the terms and conditions, which should be on the back of the paperwork. If they are not there, ask for a copy – you are entitled to see them before you sign. If you are unsure on any points, ask. If you don’t feel comfortable, don’t sign.
• Sign the paperwork, and make sure the other party does as well.
• Even if you’re buying privately, you can still ask the seller for a receipt.
Whatcar.com
money
Once you’ve found the perfect car, you will probably be asked to leave a deposit before you pay the full amount and take delivery.
There are some simple rules to follow to help things run smoothly.
• Remember that a deposit is just that; it removes the car from sale on the premise that you will buy it. If you cancel because you’ve changed your mind, or have found another car, you could stand to lose your deposit.
• The level of deposit required will depend on where you are buying. A small independent dealer may only require £100 against a cheaper car, while prestige dealers could want £1000 against a factory order. When buying privately, negotiate a sensible amount – £100 is fair.
• At a garage, you can pay a deposit with cash, cheque, debit or credit card. Personal cheques take time to clear and credit cards offer the highest level of protection because any payments made are covered by the Consumer Credit Act. This will give you greater rights if the garage tries anything underhand.
• Only pay the balance of the deal when you pick up the car. Personal cheques and bankers drafts are easier but personal cheques take time to clear, while bankers drafts take just 10 minutes to verify.
• Don’t try and pay large sums of money in cash. A garage should refuse to accept it. You are not allowed to pay more than £10,000 in cash for an item, as a result of money laundering regulations introduced in 2003.
• Credit cards may be the safest way to pay but a dealership may charge a handling fee on larger amounts due to the commission they have to pay on every card transaction. Debit cards don’t usually have the same commission system.
Whatcar.com
Key
Depending on whether you’re buying new or used, you can expect a variety of delivery times - but make sure you know when the car is ready to be picked up.
• New cars may have to be ordered from the factory, depending on the specification, so you can expect to wait as long as six weeks, or more if the car will need to built in another country and shipped to the UK.
• Pre-reg and used cars should be ready for collection fairly soon after you agree a deal, so agree a delivery time of no more than two weeks.
• When buying privately, the seller usually wants to arrange the hand-over as soon as possible, so you should expect to set an early delivery date.
• If the car requires servicing, optional extras fitted, or any other work, agree on a realistic timescale for it to be completed. Allow time for the work to be carried out correctly.
• Stay in contact with the seller to ensure that you can collect the car when agreed.
Whatcar.com
happy punter
If you’ve got a car to part-exchange, you’ll want to get the best price. There are a few simple things to do in order to get the most money for your old car.
• Make sure you can find all of the paperwork, including the V5C registration document and current MoT certificate.
• Check the details on the paperwork are correct, and get them corrected if need be.
• Make sure your service history is up to date. If you have missing stamps or have lost the service book, speak to your garage about filling in the blanks. Your car will worth more if the history is intact.
• Find all the sets of keys, including central locking remotes.
• If the car needs any servicing or remedial work, investigate getting it carried out. However, it's possible this may cost more than the additional value your car will gain.
• Dealers are unlikely to be bothered by a dirty car but ensure that it isn't filthy or unhygienic.
Via: Whatcar.com
lawton
To many, haggling is a dark art but, without it, you could end up spending thousands more for a car than you have to.
It doesn’t have to be this way, and there are some simple pointers to help you become an effective negotiator and clinch a great deal.
• Do your research. Before you visit a dealer, do some homework and find out the size of discounts that companies are offering. Brokers, internet companies and even car supermarkets have information online, and the What Car? Target Price will show you the average price that you can expect to pay for a car.
• If buying privately, find out what similar cars are going for, set your price and then negotiate to it with the seller.
• Stay calm. You’ll get a better deal if you are cool, calm and collected.
• Decide on your specification of car, know what you're looking to buy, and don’t be talked into taking a lower specced car unless the price reflects it.
• Start at a low opening price but be realistic. Let the other person negotiate you up to a price you are both happy with.
• Don’t be put off by special offers in the showroom. Check the details to see if they are as good as they look. It might better to get a bigger discount than to go for a special offer.
• Show commitment. If you look as if you want to do a deal, the other person should work harder to reach an agreement.
• Deliver an ultimatum. If you are getting close to a deal, say that you will buy a particular car at a particular price – if they agree now.
• Walk away. Don’t be afraid to leave if you can’t reach the deal you're looking for. There is always another car and another deal.
Via: Whatcar.com
If buying privately, used cars are usually ‘sold as seen’, so check everything carefully.
It is also advisable to check the vehicle's history to make sure the car is what it claims to be. To find out more click here to find out more.
•1. Check the condition of the tyres. Don’t forget tread depth and side-wall damage. If a tyre has uneven wear, it could be a sign that the wheels are not correctly aligned.
•2. The steering wheel should rotate smoothly from lock to lock without any unusual noise or vibration.
•3. The gears should engage easily and smoothly without any grinding with the clutch fully depressed. A weak or extremely stiff clutch pedal could be a sign of worn components.
•4. The engine should idle smoothly and rev evenly. Check the oil dipstick and the inside of the oil filler cap. If you find a brown sludge, walk away – the engine is damaged and will need expensive repairs.
•5. Check the exhaust doesn’t produce lots of blue smoke when you rev the engine – this shows sign of excessive internal engine wear.
•6. Check the body work and underside of the car for rust. Look at the exhaust system, does it look like it needs replacing soon?
•7. Be suspicious of a very clean engine bay. Has it been cleaned to hide something?
•8. While under the bonnet, look for signs of flaking paint and rust around the panel joints at the front of the car. This could denote repairs after crash damage.
•9. Does the wear on the interior of the car match the mileage on the odometer? A low-mileage car with very worn seats and pedals could have been clocked.
•10. Open and close the doors to check they work correctly, and examine the rubber seals for signs or paint, another indication of crash-damage repairs.
•11. Look down the side of the car to see if all the panels and bodywork line up smoothly. Be suspicious of wavy panels or cars with uneven gaps between panels.
•12. When on a test drive, the brakes should feel responsive and provide adequate stopping power when travelling at speed.
•13. Check all items work correctly, including electric components. This should include windows, sunroofs, seats etc.
For more information on whether to buy new or used, click here.
• Sometimes dealers pretend to be private sellers. When phoning about a car you’ve seen advertised as a private sale, ask: ‘I’m phoning about the car you have for sale.’ If they ask: ‘Which car?’ be on your guard.
• If buying privately, arrange to view the car at the seller's house – this way you can be more certain the car is not stolen.
• Pay for a vehicle history check to see how many owners the car has, if there is any outstanding finance on it, if it has been written off, etc. It is vital that you carry this out before deciding if it is the right car for you.
• Compare the data from your research and the V5C (the vehicle's logbook) to the car itself – make sure it all matches. If it doesn’t, you could be looking at a stolen car.
• Ask the seller questions about their time with the car, why they are selling it, and check that they are the owner, or that they have the owner's permission to sell.
• Examine the service history, and note the locations of the garages who have carried out work. Does this match the rest of the car's history? Also, check invoices to see if any other work has been carried out.
For more information on whether to buy new or used, click here.
Whatcar.com has more than 500 used cars reviews online now, from the smallest and cheapest to the fastest, biggest and most expensive.
Each review has our expert advice on what the car's like, which model you should get, how much it will cost to run and the things you should be looking out for.
They reviews are also packed with free valuations, performance data, equipment information, picture galleries, rollover images and verdicts from key figures in the used car trade.
Browse through by sector from our Car Reviews homepage here, or use the drop down menus through the site to pick out the particular models you're interested in.
•1. Steering
•2. Gear change
•3. Acceleration and brakes
•4. Overall size
•5. Ride comfort and noise
•6. Seat adjustability
•7. All-round legroom
•8. Boot and storage space
•9. Visibility
•10. Entertainment systems (radio, CD, DVD etc)
Via: Whatcar.com
A test drive is a vital part of the decision-making process – never buy a car without one. Here's how to get the most out of your test drive.
• If you’re comparing a wide range of cars, try to test-drive them back to back, or with the smallest gap between each. It’s difficult to remember how one car compares with the last if you drive them two weeks apart.
• Weekends are a bad time for test drives if you’re looking at a popular car from a dealership. Test-drive in the middle of the week when the dealership and the roads are quiet.
• Once you’ve decided on the best car for you, give it an extended test drive. A dealership will probably resist but push for at least a half-an-hour drive.
• Don’t just drive around the block, make sure you cover a variety of different road types. Try towns, country roads motorways and A roads to get a feel for how the car handles.
• If you have a bad back or suffer health issues, make sure you can easily get in and out of the car, and sit comfortably for a period of time.
• If the car is to be used as a family vehicle, make sure they all fit in the car, can easily get in and out, and check for cubby holes and storage space if you need to.
• If you have a hobby, or a particular need from your car, make sure you try it out with that in mind.
Via: Whatcar.com
• Research used car prices here at whatcar.com or using the What Car? Price Guide. Look at completed sales listings on eBay to see how much similar cars went under the hammer for.
• Reputable sellers usually take advantage of the extra space the web permits to give details on the car and display multiple photos. Study the listing thoroughly, and email the seller if you still have questions. Establishing personal contact helps buyer and seller suss each other out too.
• Before you start bidding, set yourself a clear limit and stick to it. It’s easy to get carried away with the excitement and pay over the odds for the car.
• If the car advertised is local, try to view it before you bid.
• Always run an HPI check on the car. Don’t forget if you win, your offer is legally binding, so you need to make sure the car’s history is clean. eBay offers low-cost history checks for cars advertised on its website.
• Check the seller’s terms and conditions before you bid, and make sure you’re happy with them.
• Look at the feedback ratings for the seller. Do they have a good reputation with others?
• Finally, be very suspicious of anything that seems too good to be true – it probably is.
Via: Whatcar.com
• Keep you wits about you and keep to your agenda.
• Answer any questions truthfully and stick to what you use your car for and the sort of car you’re looking for.
• Listen to what the salesman has to say, but don’t be talked into accepting something that you don’t want.
• A common sales trick is to try to intimidate customers, so don’t allow yourself to get bullied into committing to something you don't want.
• Sooner or later, you’ll have to talk money and you may find yourself in front of the sales manager. Their job is to try to get you to spend as much money as possible. If you have a budget, stick to it. Be wary of being talked into increasing it.
Via: Whatcar.com
• Main dealers' sticker prices – those you see on the windscreen – might be the most expensive, but you should be getting the best service. You’ll be quoted the highest prices but you can haggle a good discount. Remember, the What Car? Target Price is the most you should pay for a new car. Check out the What Car? Price Guide or wharcar.com for used car prices.
• Brokers put you in touch with dealers offering competitive new car prices but you might have to travel to pick up the car.
• Internet companies allow you to quickly search and find the best prices on a wide range of cars. However, just because they’ve advertised a car, it doesn’t mean that they’ll be able to supply one quickly. Sometimes they sell used cars as well.
• Independent car supermarkets offer a huge number of cars covering the popular brands but, if you're looking for something unusual, you may be disappointed. These are sometimes a good place to pick up a nearly new car.
• Importers can often supply cars at lower prices than anyone else, depending on exchange rates. It might also be a route to securing a car with a waiting list in the UK - but make sure you’re buying a car with the correct specification.
• Smaller independents usually stock a wide range of used cars but might not have the largest choice in terms of specification and colour. They tend to sell the cars that are too old for franchised dealers but they are more expensive than buying privately.
• Online auctions like eBay are becoming more popular. You could find a bargain through the internet like this, but there's lots to bear in mind so take a look at our dedicated advice page.
• It's never too early to start thinking about it. Dealers love buyers that haven't done their homework and uncovered the competitive rates they can get. Leave it to the last minute and you could lose all the money you've saved haggling and getting a decent price on your trade-in.
• Do your research. Find out the deals that the manufacturer currently has on offer. These might include interest-free or low APR rates, or even deposit contributions.
• Compare like with like. Check all the details and don’t just focus on the rate or monthly repayments. Look at the total repayable amount to understand exactly how much a loan will cost you over its lifetime.
• A dealer should provide you with a written quote upon request, so don’t be fobbed off with excuses. Get everything in writing, so you can confirm an offer later.
• Shop around. Don’t assume that the dealer is the best place to get your finance. Many internet companies now provide competitive loans. Or check out a loan comparison website or whatcar.com's own loan comparison tool.
• Haggle. A salesman will not offer you their best deal straight away. Bargain hard and you could make some worth-while savings.
• Don’t be talked or tricked into something you’re not sure off. It’s easy to get confused with numbers, so if you are unsure of something, say so. Don’t sign anything that you don’t understand.
Via: Whatcar.com
Look through our tips to get some pointers on making your cash work for you.
• Set a budget and stick to it, no matter what the dealer or finance company says you can afford.
• Work out how much cash you realistically have to spend after mortgage/rent, tax, bills, entertainment and other outgoings have been considered.
• Besides any repayments on the car itself, you also need to consider other running costs such as fuel bills, insurance premiums and servicing – these will cost you thousands each year. Look at our pence-per-mile or true-cost figure to see how much the car you've got your eye on will cost to run, on top of the loan/finance.
• Consider whether you really need a brand-new car. Depreciation is the biggest cost in owning a car, with the biggest drop coming in the first year. If you buy used, even just a one-year-old model, you could save plenty and still have two years of warranty protection left.
• Use the What Car? Target Price to find out the most you should be paying for any new car. There are very few models that you will need to pay the full list price on.
• Use What Car? Deals to find out the best deals available on cars today.
• Use the What Car? Price Guide or online valuations to get the best price for your old car when you trade in, or to make sure you're not paying over the odds for the second-hand model you're after.
Our section on showrooms also unravels how showrooms work, and translates the way dealers speak so you need never feel intimidated during the process.
If you qualify for the Higher Rate Mobility Component of Disability Living Allowance, you can have the payments made to Motability to cover the cost of purchasing a car.
Preferential loan rates are also available to make purchase more cost-effective, while grants for lessons, cars or modifications are also on hand to get you on the move.
While the majority of cars provided through Motability are unadapted, the charity also gives advice on how modifications can be made where necessary.
For more information visit Motability at www.motability.co.uk or call 0845 456 4566.
Click here if you need some help narrowing down your choice.
Ask yourself these questions:
• How much cabin space do you need? Do you ever actually use the rear seats or would even a five-seat compact MPV be too small to cope with your family plans?
• Do you need a lot of boot space or will the car only ever be used for the weekly shop? If you carry lots of kit around, you’ll benefit from added room.
• What sort of journeys will you make? A tiny runabout is great if you just need to buzz around town but, if you take to the motorways often, a little more power and comfort would be welcome.
• How many miles will you cover? The more miles you do, the more likely it is you’ll be able to pay off the added cost of a diesel and start saving cash.
• Is outright performance important to you? Would you spend the next three years kicking yourself if you got a 1.6 instead of that 2.0-litre?
• Is safety the top priority? Do you want the best Euro NCAP score and as many airbags as possible?
• Whatcar.com has more than 1000 new and used cars reviews online now, from the smallest and cheapest to the fastest, biggest and most expensive. Use them to help you make a choice.
Via: Whatcar.com
• Depreciation is the single biggest cost in running a car. Even if you only buy a one-year-old model, you'll be missing out on some seriously large losses as the biggest drop comes in the first 12 months.
• Look at the sums, and you might be able to buy a better equipped, more powerful version of the model you want by opting for a used model. You might even be able to upgrade a whole class thanks to big second-hand savings.
• Our reliability and owner-satisfaction reports can show you which models are proving robust and which are proving disappointing. Pick one of the best, and there's no reason to think you'll be left stranded by the roadside just because you bought second-hand.
• Even if the car you're looking at is more than three years old, it doesn't mean it can't be protected by a warranty. Most approved-used schemes will provide 12 months of cover, and you can always take out your own policy with an independent provider for a few hundred pounds.
• If you've got the budget and you're determined to buy new, haggle hard. Use the What Car? Target Price to find out the kind of discounts that you should be able to get on any new car, and you'll offset some of those nasty depreciation losses.
• A new car will also obviously come with the full balance of the manufacturer's warranty, which repairs many faults free of charge. This will usually give you three years' peace of mind but it can be as long as seven if you opt for a Kia.
• Special offers such as interest-free finance are most commonly attached to new cars, so this might be enough to convince you not to go down the used route.
• A new car will be to your exact specification, and you can't put a price on sitting in your own new car for the first time.
• Whatcar.com has more than 1000 new and used cars reviews online now, from the smallest and cheapest to the fastest, biggest and most expensive.
Via: Whatcar.com