Buying a used car, or second hand car can be a nerve racking experience. It is a big decision to make, and you can live with the consequences for a long time if you get it wrong. It is one of the larger purchases that we make, and it is in a completely different league to most other purchases we make like buying our weekly groceries for example.

Fortunately, it is something that we will only need to do once every three or four years on average, and we should try to make it as enjoyable an experience as possible rather than a stressful one.

With so many makes and models to choose from, and so many different sellers we can buy from, it can become very confusing. We could for example buy from a large dealership, an independent dealer, a small garage, or even from an individual who is selling their car.

One way to start your search is to drive around and visit all the car lots in your area to see what is available, but this in itself can become very confusing as you start to find yourself overloaded with options.

The best way to prepare yourself for the task is to sit down and think clearly about your requirements before you begin, and then make a prioritised list in order of the criteria most important to you. Think about the main use for the vehicle. Is it primarily transport for getting one person to work, or is it a family car, will it often be used to carry goods and chattels? Will it do low, or high mileage? Your list might be based on:

1. MPG - Fuel prices could easily start to rise again.

2. Fuel type - Petrol, diesel, hybrid?

3. Engine capacity - 1200cc, 1600cc, 3 litre?

4. Insurance bracket - How much are you willing to pay?

5. 3, 4, 5 doors?

6. Colour.

7. Accessories you require.

8. Price - What can you budget to spend?

Once you have armed yourself with a list of the features that are important to you, you can start to do your homework. These days the internet provides us with an amazing way to research just about any topic. You could start your search with autotrader.co.uk, compucars.co.uk, eBay.co.uk, or fire up Google, and search the dealers in your local area.

When you do find the car you are looking for, there are certain things you should check before making a purchase.

Ideally use an organisation like the RAC to do a mechanical check on the car. You can get a status check of the vehicle from organisations like HPI (highly recommended). Check that the vehicle has; A V5C certificate. All vehicles should now have this document; A current MOT certificate.

Check the service history, and examine the condition of the car to make sure it is consistent with the stated mileage of the vehicle.

Also check to see what warranty and servicing arrangements are being offered.

Buying from a dealer does give you some degree of protection if things go wrong, but it is advisable to ask around about the dealer's reputation.

So! Time to get started.

Enjoy your search!

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