Advice on Buying:
When buying a car, be it used or new we know that it is important that you make the right choice. This is why we offer fo much advice to both buyers and sellers, in order to help you both get the most from your cars. What are your needs, large or small, used or new, everyday or something for the weekend, practical or stylish? There are questions that you definitely need to answer before making any decisions.

Buying Privately:
When buying privately there are obvious pros and cons. For instance you are more likely to get a cheaper deal on a used vehicle when buying privately as the person selling has no overheads to cover and an unwanted car is taking up wanted space in their garage or on their driveway. You must also bear in mind however that you will not be able to get any sort of warranty or guarantee when buying a car privately.

There are also legal issues that may make you think twice about buying a car privately, there is hardly any comeback for a private seller if you are unhappy with your purchase; as long as the car matches the description given they are within their legal rights. Also buying a stolen car is a possibility but as long as you are careful and take your time when purchasing a used care privately it is safe and can be extremely beneficial to you..

Dealers:
As with buying privately, there are indeed pros and cons when buying from a dealer. For one it can be much more costly and their job is to sell, if you are not prepared before you go in you could end up buying a car that may have blinded you in terms of what you need and your bank balance. However, there are also plenty of pros, everything is done under one roof, you will also be buying a warranty, you could part exchange, and you can also buy on finance. You are also protected by law in the event of any unforeseen circumstances when buying from trade.

You must make the right choice for you and balance the possible positive and negative points of buying privately and from a dealer before you do anything drastic, remember your car could be with you for many years.

Questions you must ask:
It is up to you as a used car buyer from a private seller to ask all of the right questions, if you don't you could easily end up making a mistake that you may regret, but if you ask the following questions you should be able to gather all of the necessary information required to make a sound decision. Also if you ask these questions over the telephone and find that the vehicle is not what you are looking for, you have wasted none of yours or the seller's time.

• How long they have owned the car?
• Have they owned it from new?
• If not, how many previous owners?
• Why do they wish to sell the car?
• Will they consider a lower offer?
• Does the car have any modifications?
• Has it ever been damaged?
• If so, are the repairs guaranted?
• Which parts have been damaged?
• Is there an outstanding finance agreement or hire purchase?
• How much MOT/tax is left on the car?
• What paper work do they have available to go with the car?
• What is the car's mileage?
• What specific features does the car have?
• What kind of condition is the car in?

You should always negotiate viewing the car at their home, this way you will know where they live, should you have any difficulties.

Never view a car in the dark; this will not give you a true representation of its appearance and condition.

Also, try and get a landline number from them if possible.

Your Rights:
You should be aware of not only your rights as a buyer when purchasing a used car but also of the rights of the seller. This way there won't be any nasty surprises for you should something go wrong or you are not fully satisfied.

The Sale of Goods Act (1979) ensures that a car must be: as described and of satisfactory quality. If consumers discover that products do not meet these requirements they can reject them and ask for their money back providing they do so quickly. Alternatively, they can request a repair or replacement or claim compensation.

There are ways around this, as suggested in the 'Questions You Must Ask' section. Also if you decide to have an indepenent inspection taken out then the dealer is no longer responsible for any faults found later.

If you car turns out to be faulty once you are in possession of it then you have six months in which to return it and complain, if this were to happen then both buyer and dealer must come to some arrangement on either a replacement or repairs to be undertaken.

When buying privately the only thing that is required of the dealer is that the car has been described truthfully, unfortunately there is not an awful lot that can be done if you later find that there are problems with the car. Claiming for compensation can be costly and time consuming and not normally worth the price of the car. The best steps to take are to ensure that the car is actually owned by the person who is selling it, it could be stolen, and in which case you have no rights over the vehicle whatsoever. Secondly ensure that it is capable of passing an MOT.

Viewing the Car:
When viewing a used car there are many tell-tale signs of damage, misuse, disrepair and tampering.

If you can spot them then you are able to make a sound decision on any purchase be it from a dealership or a private sale.

Firstly you should check the exterior of the car:

• Ensure there is little or no damage to the paintwork
• Are the wheels aligned correctly? Crouch down and take a look
• Are the tyres worn evenly? If not ask why

The Interior:
Ensure that the wear and tear inside coincides with the mileage, for instance if the drivers seat is extremely worn out or if the steering wheel is really shiny then obviously it is a much used car, does this tally with what the seller has said about mileage, or what the clock states?

Your seatbelts must be in perfect working order, this is of utmost importance. When you pull them out they should return properly. They should not be frayed as this will definitely compromise your safety and is extremely dangerous.

Remember to always check the vehicle identification number on the car and on the paper work to ensure that they tally. Always lift the carpet in the boot to ensure that there is no body damage or welding that has been done and you have not been informed of.

The Engine:
In terms of the engine you should ensure that there aren't any leaks in oil, water, or hydraulic fluid as this will require repair.

You should always check the oil filler cap, if there is white froth or residue this means the cylinder head gasket is damaged and will be expensive to repair.

Ensure that once you have test driven the car it is not overheating, you can do this by looking at the temperature gauge and ensuring that it is within the normal zone.

Documentation:
The more documentation you can get with your car, the better. Ideally you would like MOT certificates, invoices for services and parts, dealer stamps in the service book and most importantly its last MOT certificate and a V5 document or log book, this is particularly vital.

If a seller is unable to supply a V5 then something is wrong and you should think very carefully before purchasing the car.