Car hunting’s not always an easy process. Hence, there’s a lot you should keep in mind to help you make the right choice. Nonetheless, if you’ve been feeling unsure, don’t panic – we’ve outlined five essential steps to help you with buying a used car. Hopefully, this should make it a little easier to pick out the perfect used car for your needs, too.

5 Things to Consider When Buying a Used Car

FCar buying’s a big decision. Nonetheless, following the five steps outlined below could make a world of difference to your own purchase.

#1 Determine Your Budget

We all wish for an endless pot to spend on our next car. Sadly, in reality, this typically isn’t the case. And, more often than not, we’ll have a very strict maximum budget in mind. Working this out – accounting for associated costs such as fuel to get the car home – can help ensure that your new car’s affordable for your needs.

#2 Work Out What You Need

Once you know how much you can spend, you can then start looking at what you need from a car. Do you need to be able to tow? Are you looking for something comfortable for inner-city driving? Whatever the case might be, checking this can help you buy a car that will work for you. Remember: everyone’s requirements are unique. As such, there’s no way to say for certain whether a particular car will be right for you. This should help narrow down your search to a more limited number of models.

#3 Look for Listings

With a clear idea of what you need in mind, it’s time to start looking for second-hand cars. There are plenty of online sites offering vehicles for sale by private buyers; don’t disregard dealers, either. Their prices may be a little higher, but dealers (usually) come with more guarantees.

As part of the inquiry process, always ask for additional photos and videos of the car; this verifies the seller does, indeed, own it. Once you’re confident of this, you can then ask to visit the car in person to see what it’s like. If the seller won’t let you, this is a major red flag.

#4 Run a Car History Check

You’ve hopefully now found a suitable car that’s hopefully genuine. The next step is simple: run a car check just to be certain the sale is genuine. Car history checks allow you to make sure that the vehicle isn’t stolen, written off, financed, etc. In turn, this can help protect your investment; after all, buying a car with extra baggage can be very costly and painful.

If you’re satisfied with the history check and that the vehicle’s genuine, there’s just one more thing you should do…

#5 Pay for the Vehicle

At this point, you should be confident in your choice of car. All that’s left is to pay (yes, the part none of us like). When paying for the car, make sure to collect it at the same time to ensure the seller doesn’t simply keep both the vehicle and your money. Always ask for the logbook (v5) at the same time.

Final Thoughts

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed with your choice of used car, don’t fret. While there’s a lot to think about, keeping today’s five tips in mind could help simplify the process. Don’t be afraid to shop around, too; there’s no need to buy the first car you view.