First time buying second hand - what should I look out for?

aslird

I have only ever owned one car, which I had from brand new in 2003.  Time has not been kind to it, and now it has been scrapped so I am on the lookout for a new car.  With a budget of only £6k I can't afford brand new again, so I will have to get second hand.  What are some common pitfalls, mistakes, scams etc that I should look out for and avoid?  Should I look at private or trade? My technical knowledge extends to kicking a tire and checking the engine is there.

mij

Pay for an independent check if you know nothing about cars, something like an RAC or AA inspection if you don't know anybody else.

Even an experienced person can be caught out, so better to lose a few quid on a check than your entire budget.

Bl4ckGryph0n

If you budget is £6K then don’t spend more than £5K on the car. That way you have some money to put it right.

zeppelino

Might be worth considering finance? Not to increase the budget necessarily but to allow you to have a budget for repairs etc.

For example you could put £3k down and pay off the rest over 3/4/5 years.

If you buy from a dealer you may get a warranty or be able to add one on. I bought a three year warranty for my 2011 car I got in February, comes with two MOTs thrown in too.

AMc

What kind of car do you need?  £6K goes a lot further for a 2 door hatchback than a 4x4 or big people carrier.
As a general rule I've bought 3 year old cars with full service histories from non-franchised dealers with long trading histories and then run them into the ground.  At 3 years they are usually lease cars that are returned in time for their first MOT.
If you buy something mainstream you can google the common problems and avoid buying a turkey model with a common expensive fault.

I do know a bit about cars but last time I took along a friend who knows more than me who pointed out a couple of things I'd missed so if you have a pal or father in law or whatever then I would take them.  I'd avoid private sale but that's just my preference.

reiteration

use this website too - check out it's MOT history (especially if it's an older car)-
Check the MOT history of a vehicle

as I saw a car last year and the dealer said it would put it through it's MOT... it failed (which he could put right) - but there was also loads of advisory's which I'm not sure they would have dealt with...I walked away from that deal..

djbsom

This Is such an open question.
What do you need from a car?
Are you a single bloke looking for a two seater sports car?
Do you have 11 kids and need a transit?
Give us a little clue and we can offer genuine advice.
Assuming you are an average bloke, partner, two and a half kids and half a dog who knows little about cars but want maximum car ability for minimum financial outlay - I would buy a two year old dacia duster dci from a main dealer. Solid Renault oily bits with the remainder of the warranty and someone else has taken the major depreciation hit.
It's not the most luxurious car you've ever seen but probably the most 'bang for bucks' you're likely to find.

aslird

Thanks for all the replies

A bit more info that I should have included.  The car is just used by myself and the occasional passenger, so no big estate/SUV needed, limited budget (6k as mentioned), finance is not an option. I am also tall at 6ft5 so the little city type cars are probably not worth looking at (although they will technically be the ideal type of me, since my mileage is pretty low).

mjn

Do HPI check.
Check MOT history.
Check service history by ringing the garages in the book (as fake books are available on ebay)
Take somebody more knowledgeable when viewing.
If the mileage is “low” check the wear on the seat bolster.
Check for common issues and evidence of fixing in the form of receipts. If missing, use them to haggle cheaper price.
Check quality of tyres. Pricer tyres tend to mean a better level of maintenance.
Check the number of previous owners. Higher numbers tend to mean “costly to run” or a “big bill around the corner”

noiseboy72

Find a trustworthy dealer. Check the reviews online and find one with a good score and plenty of satisfied buyers.

£5-6k will get you a  6-7 year old car that with limited use last you another 6 years.

If you are tall, look at some of the mini SUVs, as these tend to be taller and with a more upright seating position.

What did you have before? Was it comfortable? See if the newer version is within your budget and stick with the same brand.

With limited mileage, get a petrol car, as it will be cheaper to buy and repair.

Budget £300-500 per year for servicing and tyres etc and if you look after the car, you should easily get 5 years out of it.