We put this list together to help young drivers who are thinking of buying their very first car, with the aim of helping you to understand all of the implications, and risks, that are associated with used cars.
- Investigate the Vehicle’s History – It is essential that you know the car’s history, and from a buyer’s point of view, accept nothing less than a full service history (FSH) on any car. When a car is first sold, there is an owner’s manual; a book that serves several purposes – it contains all the information on the vehicle, plus in the rear section, all details of maintenance are added. This book should stay with the car throughout its life, and if you can view the service history in the manual, complete with garage official stamp, you have evidence that the car has been correctly maintained.
- Check your Budget – You have to decide how much you can afford to pay every month, and you should not go above that figure, regardless of the deal, as this can lead to financial hardship and debt. Resist that temptation to go for that prestige car that is just out of your price range, at least for a while, and soon enough there’ll come the day when you can buy the car of your dreams.
- Checking the Vehicle – If you don’t know much about the internal workings of a car, you are advised to hire the services of a mechanic, who can inspect any car that you are looking to buy. The other alternative is to buy from respected car dealers in Canberra who offer a full warranty on every used car, and would even take your old vehicle in part exchange, plus offer a very attractive finance package.
- Think Insurance – It can be very costly to insure a young driver for a performance car, so if you are looking at something with some real horsepower, make sure you are old enough to get a reasonable premium.
- The Importance of a Warranty – There are around 30,000 separate components that make up a modern car, and if anything were to go wrong, you should have some form of warranty when buying a used car. You could just be unlucky and happen to be the new owner of a car that loses a piston through the side of the engine, which would cost a fortune to repair. Never buy from a private seller and you can eliminate this risk from your list, as the dealer would give you a very good warranty that covers both parts and labour, which is a reflection of their confidence in their vehicles.
Unless you happen to be a mechanic, or a veteran motorist, make sure you buy your used car from a reputable dealer, who is prepared to put their reputation on the line every time they resell a car. You can easily source your local main dealership with a Google search, and take a drive over and inspect their range of top-quality Toyotas, all with a warranty.
