{"id":611,"date":"2022-08-22T10:02:55","date_gmt":"2022-08-22T09:02:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.redstareducation.co.uk\/blog\/?p=611"},"modified":"2022-08-22T10:02:55","modified_gmt":"2022-08-22T09:02:55","slug":"steps-to-take-when-buying-a-second-hand-car","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.redstareducation.co.uk\/blog\/steps-to-take-when-buying-a-second-hand-car\/","title":{"rendered":"Steps to Take when Buying a Second-hand Car"},"content":{"rendered":"

Cars are expensive; it’s as simple as that. Most brand-new vehicles lose an enormous 10% of their value just on the drive back from the dealership! They then continue to depreciate in value over the first few years. This is why second-hand cars now have such a big market; they’re just more affordable!<\/p>\n

Why should you follow our advice?<\/h2>\n

Many second-hand sellers sell without a warranty, meaning that if you don’t check out the car’s history before buying, you could lose all of your money<\/p>\n

For those that want a bit of extra security, you can buy a car with a warranty instead. Your best bet for this is to go through a second-hand car dealership rather than using a private seller. However, bear in mind that these dealerships have overheads and need to make a profit, so the prices may be higher this way<\/p>\n

What do you need straightaway?<\/h2>\n

When considering buying a second-hand car, you should make sure you have access to its registration plate number, its model, its make, and that its current owner has its log book<\/p>\n

Service history<\/h2>\n

Check out the car’s full service history to make sure there are no worrying details<\/p>\n

You can ask the current car owner for this if they still have the car’s service book, or you may want to contact the garage or dealership it gets serviced at if not<\/p>\n

Alternatively, you can buy this online:<\/p>\n

\"\"
From Autotrader’s website<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

For example, Autotrader provides you with a basic service history check but also gives you the option of buying the full service history check<\/p>\n

MOT history<\/h2>\n

You can check its MOT history for free online<\/a> by typing in the car’s registration number<\/p>\n

This will give you details of whether the car has ever had any issues with it, and whether these have been fixed<\/p>\n

It also tells you when the next MOT is due. We recommend making a note of this date if you proceed with the purchase, as every car over 3 years old needs an MOT once a year<\/p>\n

Be wary of these categories…<\/h2>\n

Used cars have different categories that tell you about its basic condition<\/p>\n

Categories A<\/strong> and B<\/strong> are when the car has been crushed, but you don’t really need to worry about these, as cars from this category will only be sold for parts<\/p>\n

If the vehicle is Category S<\/strong> or Category N<\/strong> (often shortened to Cat S and Cat N), you may want to stay away!<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Cat S cars have structural damage that needs repairing, and Cat N cars have suffered non-structural damage. Whilst they are repairable, you may want to be a bit more wary around these cars. This is because the cost of repairs may end up being quite expensive, making the purchase uneconomical. If you decide to proceed with a car in these categories, it’s a good idea to get estimates of the cost of repairs from local auto-body shops before buying<\/p>\n

Ownership<\/h2>\n

If you decide to go ahead with buying a car after doing these checks, the seller can register the car with you either by post or online<\/p>\n

Make sure the seller gives you a ‘new keeper’ slip; this essentially means you have temporary ownership of the vehicle until your full proof of ownership comes through from the DVLA<\/p>\n

Insurance<\/h2>\n

You NEED<\/strong> to have insurance before driving<\/p>\n

Check out sites like Compare the Market<\/a>\u00a0to compare different insurance prices and work out your cheapest option<\/p>\n

Do research on the different types of car insurance to figure out the level of protection you want. Fully comprehensive offers the most cover but there are other categories that are offered too<\/p>\n

If you need temporary insurance to drive the car back from the seller, you can use websites like Veygo<\/a>\u00a0which have hourly insurance options<\/p>\n

Road tax<\/h2>\n

Make sure you tax the car before driving!<\/p>\n

Top tip<\/strong>: some cars don’t require road tax, so do your research before buying!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Cars are expensive; it’s as simple as that. Most brand-new vehicles lose an enormous 10% of their value just on the drive back from the dealership! They then continue to depreciate in value over the first few years. This is why second-hand cars now have such a big market; they’re just more affordable! Why should […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":625,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_exactmetrics_skip_tracking":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_active":false,"_exactmetrics_sitenote_note":"","_exactmetrics_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[86,76,81,77,80,79,89,90,72,91,18,85,83,87,82,78,84,88],"class_list":["post-611","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news","tag-auto-trader","tag-car","tag-car-insurance","tag-cars","tag-cat-n","tag-cat-s","tag-drive","tag-driving","tag-financial-advice","tag-financial-adviser","tag-financial-education","tag-full-service-history","tag-mot","tag-registration-number","tag-road-tax","tag-second-hand-cars","tag-service-history","tag-vehicle"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nSteps to Take when Buying a Second-hand Car - Red Star Education Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Buying your first car or just fancying an upgrade? 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