OTEPSPHERE

Image courtesy by Memegenerator

You have limited budget and need to buy a car maybe you’ll use the car for business or you just  feel like having your own car. Whatever your reason may be for buying a used car , you will definitely need some tips so you can make a good choice. Today, we’ll give you some pointers that can help you along. Okay let’s start!

1. Plan and set your budget. Okay let’s face it, let’s be real, we have limited budget (It’s obvious that we decided to buy used cars, make sense? ).First we should set our budget, setting your budget will narrow down our choices to what we can afford. Having a planned budget on the money to shell out lessens the risk of overspending and avoiding car prices that are beyond your budget.

According to HintsandThings.com, “…Get your finance in place before choosing your car, this saves time as you know exactly which vehicles you can or cannot afford.”

2. Know your preferred car brand and model. Knowing what car brand you want to buy will give you more time and focus on your research which in turn will help you make the best to purchase. After choosing what brand you want to buy, choose  the car model? According to ConsumerReports.org, here’s their BEST and WORST used cars:

“Models built by Toyota and Honda dominate the list once again, and many of the best used vehicles are from Asian manufacturers. But high-quality vehicles are available from domestic and European automakers as well.”

Reliability Survey 2012 results by manufacturer

Image Credit to Whatcar.com

You can also check this article by BBC.CO.UK  -  Japanese cars are ‘most reliable’ used car brands in UK. Used Hondas are the most reliable of all, according to the survey.

3. Check out the car body. Check out the car body. Here’s a great trick on how to know if a car has undergone repair from Yahoo Car News:

“….Here’s one trick to know if a car has undergone some serious repairing or repainting: Place a magnet on the vehicle’s body.

“It should cling to it fast if the vehicle is still in its original form,” Liberio explains. Otherwise, let’s just say nothing beats the value of a second-hand car that’s “never been touched.””

Check also the paint job of the car; if there are rusts spots, dents, or scratches.

4. Check the engine. Inspect the car’s engine condition, checks for leaks and corrosion, and other unusual marks . These are indications that the car was poorly taken care of or that the car hasn’t been properly maintained. It’s also a good idea to have an experienced car mechanic with you to physically check the car engine and give you expert diagnosis about the prospects of the car. Check also the car’s belts and hoses for cracks.

5. Check the trunk of the car.  Look for signs of wear and tear, look for rusts, cracks or holes on it.

6. Check the upholstery and seats. Check the upholstery and seats. Physically check for tears, any rips, stains, or other type of damage.

7. Check the Air conditioning. Check if the air conditioning is functioning well.

8. Listen to the engine. The buyer should be keen with details like these. In general, the less unusual and noisy the engine sounds, the better the car’s condition.          

9. Check tires, timing belts, and brakes. Tire should be worn evenly. Check the four tires and the spare. Uneven wear on treads suggests steering, tracking, or suspension problems. Inspect the timing belts for cracks and broken teeth.
Here’s a video from Youtube on how to check breaks: “Audi RS 6 (brake and speed test 0-300)”