Secrets of Buying a Used Car

If you've ever been to a used car lot, or heard any of the jokes about used car salesmen, then you will probably know that buying a used car can be an experience. All of the cars on the lot are freshly polished to look their best, and have a synthetic ‘new car' smell, designed to put you at ease. However, while looks are important, they're not everything. When you look at a used car, the first thing you want to do is pay attention to detail. Are the tires new or in good condition? Do windscreen wiper blades work, or are they perished? Take note of the little things, because it's these that will give you an indication of how the car's previous owner treated it. Next, make sure you take the car on a test drive, and if you don't know muc h about cars, take a friend who does with. Have them look at the engine too. Often, perished hoses, or telltale oils spots in the engine bay can speak volumes about the condition of the engine – it might only be holding on by a thread, only to give up, spectacularly and expensively, a few weeks or months after you drive it home!