A Few Mistakes to Avoid When Buying a Used Car

When buying a car, whether it’s a new or a used one, many people overlook plenty of aspects and end up with a bad car.

Especially if you are purchasing your first car, there are many mistakes that you can make. So, why wouldn’t you learn from the mistakes made by others?

In this post I’m going to put into view a few mistakes that anyone can make when buying a used car.

Not establishing a budget before going car-shopping

If you’re not very rich, purchasing a car over your budget can really take you to a tight living budget for the next months. Therefore, avoid impulse buying and have all your finances in order before sealing a deal.

Not having a mechanic as an advisor

Not everyone of us is an expert mechanic, and even if you know a thing or two about cars and engines, there are still many things that you may overlook, things that will surely not escape the trained eye of professional. Therefore, if you can, hire a mechanic to go with you on a car inspection, to help you get a good car, especially if you don’t have so much car technical knowledge.

Not taking the car for a test drive

Even if a car is new, you shouldn’t buy it without a test drive. Also, if you buy a used car, even if it looks in pristine condition, very nice and shiny on the outside, driving it may be difficult, it may not respond properly to commands or the engine may not even start. So, take the car for a spin and see how it runs, and have a mechanic advisor give you their opinion.

Not paying attention to the safety features

Each car has to have a basic amount of safety systems. Seat belts, antilock brake system, electronic stability system, airbags, or city safety sensor are some of the safety systems that you should check. If they’re all operational, you can be sure that the chance of you getting into an accident while driving that car are minimal.

Not having a car background check

If you buy a used car, you have to know certain data about the history of that car, or there’s a chance you’ll get in trouble. There are various HPI car history check service providers and they can usually provide you with a lot of information about the past of a certain car.

For example, you could find out who the previous owners were, how many times the number plates were changed, whether the car was written-off or not, or if the car was involved in accidents.

Based on what you find out on a report like this, you may even renegotiate and get a better price, or not purchase a vehicle at all.

What to Check on Your Car Before a Long Journey

Have you planned a vacation with your family, far away from your residence, and you plan on driving all the way there? In that case, car breaking down half way, is probably something that you wouldn’t want. To avoid this, there are a few things to put a line through, on your check list.

Plan the route

Although this isn’t strictly related to your car, it has to be top of the list. The shortest route might not be the best solution every time, if you want to put safety first. So, first of all, if you’ve already been to that destination before, following a certain route, that you’re already familiar with, it’s best to take that route. If you haven’t previously been to a certain destination, thinking the route ahead, marking on the map gas stations, inns or motels, and even auto repair shops, is recommendable, even if you have a GPS installed.

Take your car to an authorized service center for a free HPI check

Not all of us have exceptional auto mechanic skills, that’s for sure. Therefore, taking your car to a specialist for a vehicle history check before a long journey, is a good idea. Anyway, if you do this, make sure that for the general car check, you request that your breaks receive special attention. Also, cables, hoses, pipes should be verified and some of them replaced just in case the wear and tear has gotten to them.

Tyres

Needless to say, before a long trip, tyres have to be checked and it’s indicated that they’re in good condition. Also, keep in mind that tyre pressure for a fully loaded vehicle should be a bit higher, so depending on what you’re taking along for the trip, adjusting the tyre pressure may be necessary. On the other hand, on high-speed roads, during extreme heat conditions and for long distances, tyres will surely heat up and may overly inflate, resulting in a burst hazard. Lastly, check your spare tyre, make sure it’s in its place and it’s fully functional.

First aid kit

A first aid kit should not be missing from any car. If you’re going to have one, make sure that it’s outer layout is pretty much comprehensive, that it actually looks like a first aid kit, not like a Chinese musical box. In case, God forbid, an accident happens and everything in the car gets scattered along the road, locating your first aid kit has to be easy for whoever comes to help. In addition, make sure the first aid kit has everything it should have in it.

Car tools

Having a toolbox with the strictly necessary tools for a routine repair, isn’t a bad idea, if there’s room for it. Also, make sure the wheel spanner and the jack are functional and in their place, ready to serve their purpose if needed.