Our top tips when searching for your next used vehicle:
1. Do your homework
When you think you may have found the right car, it might be worth doing some research on the vehicle. There are free tools online that allow you to find out more on the vehicle simply by using the registration number.
You can check a vehicles MOT status, Tax status and most recent log book registration date by using the Get vehicle information from DVLA – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) link.
For a more in depth look at the MOT history of the vehicle, use Check the MOT history of a vehicle – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) link. This handy service allows you to view previous MOTs, including test failures and any advisories.
2. Check the service book
Having a full service history is a big selling point when it comes to buying a used vehicle. Ideally, vehicles should be serviced once a year (or sooner if you have done more that 10,000-12,000 miles). Having regular services helps keep the vehicle maintained and in good working order. If a vehicle has full service history, it will likely add more value to the vehicle when compared to one with partial or no service history.
3. Insurance and Tax cost
Different vehicles pay different rates in tax and are placed in varying bands for insurance. It is important that you consider what the annual tax and insurance costs are likely to be when considering your next purchase as this may well influence your final purchasing decision. This link may be useful when considering road tax costs Vehicle tax, MOT and insurance – GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
4. Best time to buy
Typically, March and September are when dealers have more used vehicle stock due to part exchanges for people who have bought a new car (new number plates are released for March and September). As a result, you may find more choice on offer, and where there is more choice, there is a better chance of getting a fair price. You could also consider the months prior to these (February and August) where there may be less choice, but dealers may also been keen to give you a better price to clear the used car stock ready for the new intake.
5. Watch out for scammers
In this day and age, there are a lot of scammers out there online. Particularly on less-regulated sites like Facebook Marketplace. It is tempting to be drawn into a conversation with a scam artist when the vehicle they are ‘selling’ is what you have been looking for and seemingly ticks all of your boxes. Do your research on the seller and the vehicle, and if the price is too good to be true, then it probably is.
