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Tips for Anyone Buying a Used Car

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Are you looking for a used vehicle? There can be many benefits associated with buying a used vehicle. The most obvious benefit being the fact that used vehicles are a lot cheaper. They represent exceptional value when you consider how quickly the value of a new car depreciates. However, you will obviously want to make sure you purchase the right vehicle for you. So, let’s take a look at some top tips on purchasing a user car.

Check you have all of the paperwork before paying – It is important to make sure you have the correct documents before you pay up, as well as all of the necessary spares and a spare set of keys. The documents you should expect include the sales contract, manuals, servicing booklet, and logbook or V5C.

Be cautious when buying a car on eBay – If you have decided to buy a car on eBay, please be aware that you are not going to be protected. You will not be protected by eBay’s own buyer protection. If you purchase via PayPal, you will not be protected by PayPal’s purchase protection either.

Choose a dealership that specializes in the vehicle you are looking for – When looking to buy a specific auto make, it is a good idea to look for a dealership that specializes in this type of vehicle. For example, if you want to buy a Subaru, then the Eblen Subaru dealership would be a good place to start. This comes recommended because the people working at the dealership will have expert knowledge regarding the type of vehicle you are looking for. This will ensure you get the best information. Not only this, but if you require a repair or a replacement part in the future, they should be able to assist you with ease.

Take the vehicle for a test drive – It is so important to take your vehicle for a test drive, and when you do this, there are numerous things you should look out for. Will the car fit into your space? What does the engine sound like? Does the car pull away smoothly? Do you have enough space in the boot? What is the passenger space like? Are the boot, doors, and bonnet easy to open? Does the car feel balanced or does it veer to one side? Do the clutch and brakes function effectively and smoothly? If you are going to be fitting a child car seat, is it going to go in easily? Is your driving position at the wheel comfortable?

Be thorough when car shopping – When looking for a used car, you need to make sure it is right for you. There are some key factors you should be looking for. The vehicle’s mileage is important. If the odometer’s figures are wildly out when you consider the age of the vehicle, you need to ask why. Most vehicles clock up roughly 10,000 miles per year. Aside from this, you should also turn on the lights, test the radio, look at the engine for signs of water or oil leaks, check the oil itself, check repairs, and assess the overall condition of the car.

Always haggle – A lot of people assume that there is no point in haggling, however, this is not a practice that is only suitable for backstreet bazaars. You know what they say, if you don’t ask, you don’t get. This is most definitely the case when trying to buy a car. So, how do you haggle effectively? There are a number of approaches you can use. The first is to look for vehicles that are already discounted. This indicates that there may be some more room for negotiation. In addition to this, look for the tiniest scratches or dents and use this as a bargaining tool. You should also get them to check something in for free, as opposed to only looking for the price to come down. Plus, don’t feel like you have always got to fill the silence. Wait for them to fill the silence with a better offer.

Work out the true cost ­– Budgeting effectively is a necessity when buying a car. However, this is where a lot of people go wrong; they underestimate the true cost of buying a vehicle. When working out how much this is going to cost you, don’t only consider any upfront costs and finance repayments if you have taken out of any loan. You also need to think about parking permits and tolls, servicing, MOTs, car insurance, tax, and fuel.

Make sure the car meets your requirements – Last but not least, do not make the mistake of falling head over heels for a car and then forgetting what you were looking for in the first place. If a car does not meet your list of requirements, don’t buy it. So, before shopping, it is a wise idea to draw up a list of all of the things you need. This can include your essential requirements, whether you want petrol or diesel, boot size, eco-friendliness, and anything else that is important to you.

If you follow the advice that has been provided above, you should find it a lot easier to find the perfect used vehicle for you. A used vehicle can present a lot of value, but this is only going to be the case if you choose with care. Do the necessary research and follow the information that has been given to you, and you won’t go too wrong.

Sustainability

4 Surefire Ways To Save Money On Your Car Usage

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It’s an inevitable fact of life that you need your car. No matter how much you try and save money by taking lifts with pals, using the good old public transport system and walking once in a while, sometimes only a car will do. A trusty four-wheeled motor also gives you the freedom to go where you want as and when you please. You can drive off the beaten track to find a secluded spot for some downtime, or you can find the quickest route to get to your mom and dads without having to change trains twice before taking a bus across the state.

The world of automotives can be a bit of a minefield. There are a ridiculous amount of cars on the market ranging from the swanky new hybrids that utilize greener and more sustainable technologies to the older, yet more affordable diesel guzzlers. No matter what your vehicle of choice is, you can save money in the way that you use your car. Read on to find out more.

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Buy New… If You Can

One strategy that car dealers swear by is to purchase new off the forecourt. Many people disagree with this stating that the moment you drive your shiny new car away from the dealer, your car has already depreciated in value. While this is true, a new car will give you the reliability and warranty you need to ensure you’re not forking out hundreds or maybe even thousands each year on maintenance. Your brand new vehicle should have at least a three-year warranty meaning that if anything breaks down or stops working during this time, you should get a free replacement. The ability to keep the car for longer before having to trade it in means that you won’t be losing money every time you swap your vehicle. It makes more economic sense to keep a vehicle for six or seven years rather than changing every two to three.

A new car is also safer. They have enhanced features such as side impact bars, computerized technologies that allow you to see behind you and intuitive braking systems that will deploy in the event of a potential accident. Older cars, while they may be cheaper, will have a higher chance of being in rear-end bumps that often mean lawyers like Babcock Partners are called in. Try to mitigate this with a newer, more reliable and safer vehicle.

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Maintenance

There are points in every car owner’s life where it feels like everything’s falling apart at once. Your car’s exhaust might be blowing, the tires threads are near the legal limit, and you need to swap a headlight. In the scheme of things, these are relatively minor outgoings to keep your car running. The bigger issues occur when the drive shafts, cam belt or gearbox need changing. If you have an older vehicle, it can often make more financial sense to purchase a whole new car rather than change a particularly expensive component.

Make sure you check out the manual of your car and complete all of the basic maintenance checks. Change the oil filters when necessary, get your car serviced at the correct intervals and always have good grippy tires on your vehicle. This can make your car more fuel efficient saving you money on gas. By keeping your car well looked after you’ll receive a premium price when you do eventually trade in.

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Common Sense

If you have a particularly busy day ahead of you ferrying the kids to swimming lessons, doing a spot of grocery shopping, checking in on the parents and popping to the library to hand back some books, make sure you’re sensible with your car usage. It makes sense to combine these tasks into one car journey rather than heading home after each one. Try to formulate a route that is the quickest and uses the least miles saving you money on fuel.

When obtaining the all-important insurance for your car, you need to shop around and not accept the first offer you’re given. Even if you’ve been with the same insurance provider for years, there’s no reward for loyalty. If you can save $200 by changing your provider and the cover is like for like then swap.

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How You Drive

You may be one of those human beings that loves nothing better than accelerating through the gears quickly and reaching the speed limit as fast as you can. While this may get you to your destination a fraction faster, you’ll also be consuming more fuel as your speed demon ways rattle up through the gears too quickly. Keep your acceleration at a more average pace to save more money on gas.

Although the thought of car sharing can make you break out in cold sweats as you might need to relinquish the driving duties once in a while, you could be cutting down your car running costs massively. If you carpool with a work colleague and share driving and car duties, you’ll logically be cutting down your fuel expenditure and car usage by half. This makes fantastic monetary sense. You’ll also be doing your admirable little bit for the environment as one less car will be on the road during rush hour traffic.

It goes without saying, but you should be driving sensibly and be the epitome of a responsible driver. Don’t allow yourself to be drawn into roadside arguments, don’t allow your frustrations with other road users lead you to drive erratically and keep to the laws of the land. Simply by using your common sense, you can save money on the roads.

While driving may be an expensive business, there are ways you can cut the costs of your car usage. Car ownership is necessary for millions, but this doesn’t mean you have to forego a decent quality of life to maintain a decent vehicle. Utilize some of these tips to ensure that you remain a thrifty, money-conscious car owner.

Porsche

Important Care Tips for Your New Porsche

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If you have splashed out on a stunning new Porsche, you will want to care for it properly so that it look as good as new for as long as possible. After all, a gorgeous vehicle like that deserves some serious TLC. However, despite your best intentions, if you don’t go about looking after your Porsche correctly, you could end up causing more damage than good. With that in mind, read on for some top tips.

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  • Dealing with steam – Is your vehicle steamed up? You may need to shift the seat and move the carpets for this one. It’s also a good idea to check the bottom edge of the door panels. If you have a Porsche Boxster996 especially, this is a critical maintenance tip. This is because your Electrical Control unit is situated under the left seat, which means that steam can actually be dangerous. After all, the EC unit coming into contact with stream is the last thing you want for your new vehicle. Nonetheless, steam is something that can impact all models, so don’t overlook the importance of this. It’s also worth pointing out that the 996 Cabrio and all Boxster models have drains underneath the soft top, which need to be kept clear.
  • Choose cleaning products with care – No doubt, cleaning your new Porsche will become your new favourite hobby on the weekend. Nonetheless, the last thing you want to do is scratch your new car or leave it with smudges or covered in a sticky residue. This could easily happen if you don’t choose your cleaning products with care. A good place to start is with Test Facts best spray wax page. You will discover more about the 12 best spray waxes on the market, including information about the features of each product, helping you to choose the best one for your Porsche. You can also find such information on all of the other cleaning products you need. Reading reviews from other Porsche owners comes highly recommended too.
  • Check the brakes – Have you purchased a second hand Porsche? If so, you should check your brake discs as soon as possible. You’re checking for corrosion! Most of the damage tends to be at the back of the brake, which is annoyingly the part that you can’t see. Other signs that your brakes could be rusty is if your experience a slight vibration whenever you brake.
  • Check the tyres – Last but not least, checking tyre pressure is a given with any vehicle. Nonetheless, you also need to carefully check the edges of the tyres too. Grip is going to reduce, as the tyres get older, because the rubber deteriorates. Therefore, checking the integrity of the tyres is especially important if you have opted for a used Porsche.

Needless to say, you will want to give your Porsche the love and attention it deserves. Use the tips that have been mentioned above to ensure your Porsche sparkles brightly and works amazingly for years and years to come.