What to look out for when buying a used vehicle

The demand for used cars is growing significantly. Indeed, the used car market grew by 5.1 per cent in the UK in the first quarter of 2022. Meanwhile, new car sales in the UK experienced their second weakest sales figures for May in 30 years. If you want to follow the trend and buy a used car, there are plenty of benefits from a lower outlay to less depreciation even if the relative cost is rising. Below, we explore what to look out for when buying a used vehicle.

Documents

When you buy a used vehicle, you need to be sure that the car has a verified history. This can save you from any nasty surprises once you’ve bought the vehicle. The essential documents you need will be the V5C registration document (to help you tax the car) and the MOT history and status of the vehicle. Once you have the registration document you should make sure it’s not been doctored: it should have a watermark, have a matching number plate and a matching vehicle identification number.

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Mileage

The mileage is critical: the closer a car is to 150,000 miles, the closer it likely is to requiring comprehensive and expensive repairs. When you’re exploring used cars, you should aim to find something with as low mileage as possible. Once you’ve found something you like, you should check the car’s MOT history to verify the mileage.

Safety

Safety is essential too. You don’t want to buy a used car that’s been left in a dangerous condition. For a start, the tyres should be in good condition with enough tread to safely grip the road. Meanwhile, airbags should be fitted and operational; as should the wipers, seatbelts and all the lights. Finally, you should make sure that the jack and all other necessary tools are present.

Engine

You can also conduct some simple checks to make sure the engine is in a serviceable condition. When it’s started from cold, there should be no strange noises. Plus, you should check to see if the oil warning light remains on. Finally, you can examine the exhaust emissions to ensure that everything is in order.

Test drive

You should be able to conduct a test drive to check the car. During this drive you should make sure the brakes are effective and that all warning lights are operational. Plus, it gives you a good chance to see if you feel comfortable driving this model of car.

Buying a used vehicle is a sensible choice. And by undertaking the checks above, you should be all set to safely upgrade your car.