Archive for the ‘Buying a Used Car’ Category

Newer car models seem to just keep popping out of the market nowadays. You might want to know what cars are really worth it and what makes of cars are popular these days. I listed the top 5 most popular cars in the UK as of March 2010 below. I also included a little info about them that you might want to check out.

For the third time this year, starting from January 2010, the Ford Fiesta was still the best selling model. Last February, it had a total of 23,681 sales. One thing that people love about these cars is its sporty styling and attention to details. It also offers handling and acceleration that makes you feel like you’re driving a sporty super mini. I also like the way that the side mirrors turn inwards the moment you lock the car. And it comes with quality that justifies its price.

As of March this year, Ford Focus grabbed the second place selling 17,989 models. It is also the best seller for the years 2008 and 2009. Ford Focus has been the choice of buyers who are looking for a quality five door family hatchback. In fact, for every 20 cars that are sold in the UK one will be a Ford Focus. It was launched over ten years ago and over a million units have been sold since then, not counting the once launched globally.

Next up is the Vauxhall Astra. The all-new model was launched in December and is up to third spot as for this March holding the number of 15,326 cars sold. The latest Vauxhall Astra still offers a cutting edge design which maybe the reason for it to top the sales charts. It does pretty well for it to be able to find a place near the top of the charts with the Focus and VW Golf as its competition.

In fourth place as of the third month this year is the Vauxhall Corsa which boasts sales totaling 15,088 for this first 3 months of 2010. This car has been considered to be the choice for driving instructors. The reason for this is because of its ability as an easy to drive super mini. Their latest one is also more fun to drive and comes with a very low running cost.

Ranking fifth place is the Volkswagen Golf racking 9,976 sales as of this March. Shortly put, VW Golf is a really cool car. Despite being a little expensive, they justify their price with their solidly-built motors which perform exceptionally well while still having that element of class.

Most people find buying a used car to be a very complicated process. The possibility that a used car may have a long list of previous accidents, mechanical problems and other defects can turn a buyer off right away. This may be the reason why people don’t even consider buying a used cars at all.We have put together a list of 10 questions to ask the seller when buying a used car to help you out. Don’t be afraid of asking these questions as it is your hard earned money that your are spending.

1. Does the car have any current problems they are aware of?
2. When was the car last serviced?
3. Does the car have a full service history with a stamped book and a receipts of any work done?
4. Does the car have an MOT and how many months left does it have to run?
5. Has the car got any outstanding warranty or does the car come with any warranty?
6. When were the tires last changed?
7. What is the reason for selling the car?
8. Has the car been involved in any accidents?
9. Is there any outstanding finance on the car?
10. Can you take it for a test drive and if not what is their reason for not allowing you?

You may also want to watch this video on what to look out for when buying a used car.

If you are looking to buy a car but you are on a tight budget, the best option for you is to buy a used one.  Some of you might not prefer those used cars that are greater than 5 years old or so, so you might want to check out the nearly new cars. These cars are sold not long after they were purchased, so it is almost brand new quality. The price that comes attached with a nearly new car may not be as low as the other used cars, but you will certainly make a considerable saving on the price that the car would be when new.

Nowadays, cars are made in a way that they will last longer than their predecessors. Considering this, it is a better idea to buy a nearly new car rather than buying a brand new one. I am talking about the cost effectiveness of course, knowing the fact that they will still last almost as long as a brand new car and the chances are they will still be covered under some sort of warranty.

Depreciation is also one thing you should watch out for. Depreciation on brand new cars today is quite high. In fact the moment your brand new car is driven out of the showroom, it won’t be that new anymore thus decreasing its value. After a mere 2 years, your brand new car that you bought with your hard earned money won’t be even worth half of its original price. There is a really huge difference between the prices of these cars. So it would be financially wise to just get yourself a nearly new car for a lower price than a brand new one. Both will depreciate, but at least you spent less money.

Considering that you will spend less, you will still have some cash left to have some additions to your car should you wish. Even after having some additions, it still may even cost less than if you brought new. All in all, we recommend that you purchase a nearly new car rather than brand new as your money will stretch much further.