Tips For Buying A Quality Used Car

Finding a cheap-to-run used car

7 April 2016 by Jessie Ruiz

If you have a limited budget for your new used car, you'll also want to find a car that is cheap to run. A car that is reliable and has low running costs will be a great way to save some money on your car costs going forward. 

Check the industry surveys

There a range of not-for-profit motoring groups that publish surveys on car running costs. These organisations do annual surveys to work out the cheapest car to run in a range of size categories and cover all sorts of costs including depreciation, insurance, fuel and registration costs. These survey can be a great source of information and give you a good starting point when you head out looking for which models of cars to buy. 

Get the car checked out

While some models are more reliable than others, the current state of the car will also affect how reliable any used car is. If you are not confident in looking over cars yourself it can be a good idea to get a professional car inspection done to identify any expensive repairs on looming issues that could lead to issues down the road. Even the most 'boring' car can be driven into the ground. The inspector can also review the log book and check if the car has been regularly serviced to date. 

Choose a common model of a car

If you do have problems with your car that need repair, choosing a common model of car can make it relatively easy and more affordable for you to find your own secondhand parts from wreckers as there will be more of that model of car in the wrecking yard. even if you don't do the repairs yourself you can often save big bucks by sourcing your own spare parts. For less common brands you may need to buy parts from the manufacturer or get parts imported for repairs, which adds to the running cost of a car. 

Have your car finance sorted out

Once you do discover an affordable car that looks like it will be reliable you want to make an offer quickly. A great bargain will often not last long so you want to be able to make an offer once you find a good option. 

If you are looking to buy a used car that doesn't end up costing a fortune to run it can be good to do your research. For more information, contact companies like Blue Ribbon Motors.

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