Buying second hand cars can be a minefield. There has got to be hundreds of tips and things you can look for that will stop you buying a lemon. I am going to start off with....

Top Tip:

When starting the car have a buddy stand round the back to watch the exhaust emmission on start up. If its black smoke, its burning oil. Avoid. If its white smoke, keep watching. If it stays white, there is water getting into the combustion process, maybe head gasket trouble. Avoid. If its faint white and clears up, its possibly burning off water that condensed in the exhaust the last time it was shut down, so not a problem.

As always, if you know someone who knows cars, take them along.

Nowadays in the UK when at car passes its MOT (which is a measure of its condition and roadworthiness) there is a section which says whether or not an advisory note has been issued.

If you are looking at buying secondhand and you see this on the certificate..

Top Tip:

always ask to see the advisory note. This will show all the points that the mechanic, on inspecting the car, feels need attention over the next year of the car. Study this closely, for it is a very good indicator of whats going to need fixing and therefore how much it will cost to keep it roadworthy. If they refuse to show it or say they dont have it, politely decline to buy.

Also check the advisory note has the same car details as the MOT and the car you are looking at

Another tip when looking at cars is.............

Top Tip:

Compare the mileage on the odometer to the wear and tear on the car.

Sounds obvious?

Most cars these days can do 100,000 miles without much problem. But why should you be cheated and pay for a car thats done tens of thousands of miles more than you think it has?

Some things are easy to cover up, like putting on new tyres or polishing the bodywork, but some things are hard to hide.....

Top Tip:

Look for a very worn gearknob, or worn seats. Look for discolouration on the part of the roof lining above the drivers head. Look for missing pages in a log book - check the numbers on the page! Look for stonechips on under panels and compare the hue of the external paint to some covered area, perhaps in the boot. Paint fades a lot over time. Look at the engine bay, which is harder to clean than the outside.

And always ask lots of questions and try to find out the complete history of the car.

Grow leeks. They rock.

http://www.smsdictionary.co.uk

Following on from above, my Dad suggested...

Top Tip:

Look closely at the mileage as shown on the odometer - check that all the numbers are in alignment. As they run on lots of small cogs it is very difficult to get them aligned after tampering with them.

So if the numbers are wonky, so is the mileage claimed!

Grow leeks. They rock.

http://www.smsdictionary.co.uk

My Dad had a tip about buying cars secondhand, which I shall relate below. As he has a fair amount of experience in this field, I dont expect this will be the last!

In the UK when buying a second hand car privately the onus is on the buyer to ask the right questions about the car. The seller does not have to volunteer any information at all but when asked, he must be truthful.

Of course there will allways be people who will look to decieve, but by asking the right questions not only will you find out about the car, you might work out whether you can trust the seller.....

Top Tip:

Ask relevent questions of the seller, like.... Is the car theirs? How long have they owned it? Did they buy it new? Where did they buy it? How many miles a year do they do? Have they had any trouble? Why are they selling it now? Is there any finance still owing on the car? Has it been in an accident? Has it had any major work done? Has it got service history? In the opinion of the seller, how does it drive?

Clearly you could make up all of this but who would you trust, someone who can answer these questions or someone who is vague or even evasive?

Remember, its buyer beware in the UK so use those questions well

Grow leeks. They rock.

http://www.smsdictionary.co.uk

Right then, a couple more tips on things to look out for when buying a second hand car, but this time we are going to think about what to look for on a test drive. There is lots to remember here, but is all common sense..

Top Tip:

After start up, concentrate on how the car moves away from park. If the clutch feels really heavy or jerky or the gear change feels loose with a gearstick which moves around a lot – you are sitting in a very worn car. To establish if the clutch is worn out, put your foot on the accelerator in a high gear and listen to the engine note and watch the revs. It it changes pitch, especially increasing in pitch and revs without going faster, you have got a slipping clutch and one that’s on its way out.

Now you are on your way, don’t stop concentrating….

Top Tip:

While driving along feel for the car wandering off line and look for this under braking. If it wavers, something is not aligned and that means failing suspension or its been in a bump. Try the brakes and listen and feel too for juddering – this means failing brakes. Cruise along and when gently accelerating or cornering or braking, just listen for any groans, creaks, knocks, clumps, anything out of the ordinary. Iff it don’t sound healthy, it aint!

Also, the biggest, biggest tip of ALL when it comes to a test drive…

Top Tip:

Make sure you are insured! An accident in a car that isnt yours will be sure to cost the Earth, if not your license!

Grow leeks. They rock.

http://www.smsdictionary.co.uk