Top 5 rules to follow when buying a second hand car REVEALED – make sure you don’t get caught out
A SECOND hand car expert has revealed the top five rules to follow when buying a used motor.
A people up and down the country face tough questions over their finances amid the cost of living crisis - many will be considering how they can cut down on their car expenses.
Speaking to The Sun Online, 'The Car Expert' - aka Stuart Masson - said buying a second hand car could be the answer to your worries.
And it need not be the minefield many think it is.
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The Car Expert shared his top 5 tips on how to go about buying a used car and how not to get caught out.
1. TRUST YOUR JUDGEMENT
"A lot of people get worried about inspecting a car because they think 'I don't know what I am looking at, I don't know what I am looking for", Stuart said.
But buyers need not worry - because by trusting your judgement, even motorists who don't have the faintest idea about cars can spot major problems.
2. WEAR AND TEAR
He said: "When you are looking at a car you are looking at fairly obvious signs of wear and tear."
Spotting these can prevent small issues becoming a big headache - and even impact the value of the vehicle you are buying.
3. TREAT YOU RIGHT
The other thing to do is to see how is the seller is treating you.
"Ask to see the log book, ask to see the service records - ask questions", he adds.
But most importantly - assess the answers you are getting.
He explained: "If you are not comfortable about it - leave and go somewhere else - there are plenty of other cars about.
"If you don't like it, don't give somebody thousands of pounds for something you are not comfortable with."
At the end of the day, it is your money he says, adding: "He who has to gold makes the rules."
4. YOUR RIGHTS OF WAY
Whenever you make a large financial transaction - you want to know you and your money is protected - and if things go wrong, you are not left in financial turmoil.
So when buying a car, it is vital to know your rights because they do differ depending on where and how you buy your motor.
Stuart explains: "If you are buying from a trader - if it is a car dealership then you have more rights than if you are buying the car privately."
"If the car is faulty - then you have the right to go back within the first 30-days to go back and get a full refund", he added.
While within the first six months you can get a partial refund - where they make allowances for wear and tear.
But he warns after six months "it gets difficult" to get any form of refund from a dealership.
5. PRIVATE BUSINESS
However, if you are buying a car privately - Stuart stresses you have got almost no rights.
This is unless you want to take someone to court and somehow prove they knowingly sold you a faulty car.
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That is why Stuart recommends that if you are buying a used car "personally I would always buy from a dealer because you have that protection".
He also stressed there is in fact no disadvantage to buying a used car online via a dealer.
The expert explained: "You do have guaranteed protections, and in many cases better protections buying online than you do buying in a dealership.
If you are not comfortable about it - leave and go somewhere else - there are plenty of other cars about
Stuart Masson, The Car Expert
";As a general rule - if you go and buy a car in a dealership - you look at the car, sign a contract - you have no cooling off rights - once you have signed the contract, you have bought the car."
But when you are buying a car online - from vendors such as Cinch or Cazoo - or from a dealerships website or over the phone - you have a 14-day cooling off period.
In this period, you can return the car for ANY reason.
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He says it is the same principle as returning stuff on Amazon.
"Most people don't know that - but it is literally no different to sending clothes back online", Stuart said.
SECOND HAND CAR, FIRST HAND ADVICE
The Car Expert's top tips for buying a second hand car:
Trust your judgement: when you are looking at a car you are looking at fairly obvious signs of wear and tear.
How is the seller is treating you: Ask to see the log book, ask to see the service records - ask questions.
Assess the answers you are getting: if you are not comfortable about it - leave and go somewhere else - there are plenty of other cars about.
Stuart says: "At the end of the day, it is your money - he who has to gold makes the rules. If you don't like it, don't give somebody thousands of pounds for something you are not comfortable with."