Buying a Car: Always carry out safeguarding steps

Buying a Car: Always carry out safeguarding steps

You don't need to be a mechanic or super-sleuth detective to avoid landing yourself with a debt-written financed car or a lemon that develops faults as soon as you've driven it home. And whilst you may be eager to get on the road, there are some crucial steps to take before jumping in with your hard-earned cash to avoid your dream vehicle becoming a nightmare you'd rather forget. So when you've found a car you're interested in, undertake some simple measures to safeguard you:

  • Research the running costs, including insurance, road tax and maintenance costs. You don't want to discover that the car you bought at a steal comes with exorbitant running costs
  • Compare insurance quotes to get the best premium using online comparison sites such as MoneySupermarket
  • Insurance for younger people may be lower by taking a telematics (black box) policy or pay-per-mile policy
  • Find the registration for the car you're interested in and undertake a full car history check which can alert you to mileage anomalies, outstanding finance, theft and much more
  • Once you've done your homework, take it for a test drive, listening for any unusual noises and checking for excessive exhaust smoke
  • Ensure the body paintwork is
  • Check the tyres for bulges, tread depth and excessive wear on the inside or outer edges
  • Thoroughly check under the bonnet and under the car for any signs of leaks
  • Check the car inside and out, testing electronics such as the radio, parking sensors, wing mirrors
  • Avoid buying a car away from the registered address displayed on the V5 logbook. If a buy is too good to be true, it probably is!

With the simple safeguarding steps out of the way, we've put together our top five models for first-time car buyers. All reasonably priced, they each offer lower running costs than many other vehicles. And if you stick with the smaller engine sizes and avoid the sport models, they'll typically be in the cheaper insurance groups for lower premiums. So, when you're ready to start looking, how about considering one of the following reliable models: