How 2 buy a motor

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Remember that legally, there is no such thing as “sold as seen” - if your car turns out to be a lemon your statutory rights mean you can demand your money back (although this can be difficult with private sales).
Know your budget and stick to it - don’t be tempted by the offer of a car loan. If the salesperson knows your approximate budget and keeps trying to push you towards more expensive cars, walk out.
Look out for evidence of it being previously owned by a ‘boy racer’ - chances are the engine's been thrashed. Hallmarks of boy racers include: alloy or faux-alloy wheels, non-standard stereo system, decals, and alterations to the bodywork.
Check everything is still as standard on the car - upgraded engines, or altered bodywork may mean your insurance premiums will be higher. Also make sure the car isn’t still subject to a hire-purchase agreement as this makes things complicated regarding legal ownership and so on.
TIP: If you have any doubts at all about the vehicle, or the salesperson, walk away. There are literally millions of cars for sale and with a bit of looking you will find the right one.

It’s a legal requirement to have insurance. If you don’t have it and you’re caught, you will get an IN10 conviction - which usually means you won’t be able to buy insurance in the future. You can get an IN10 for driving a mate’s car without insurance, so no matter how tempting it is, don’t.
Don’t lie to your insurance company - if you have insured a bog-standard Corsa, then they find out you’ve been tooling around town in a boyed up mota, they will declare your insurance void, which will mean you will be a) convicted for driving without insurance, and b) be liable for any damages you may have caused.
Make sure you know what’s covered on your insurance and what’s not. For example, many policies won’t replace stolen alloy wheels with new alloys. You’ll just get the money to buy a pair of ordinary wheels.
If you try and reduce your insurance costs by accepting a high excess, remember you will need to pay that amount towards repairs. If your loss is less than your excess, you’ll get nothing.
TIP: Shop around for insurance, but be careful about using price comparison sites. Many of them are just a front for insurance companies and will just present you with a choice between ‘companies’ who are all part of the same ‘parent company’.

The opinions in this article are those of the author, and are not neccessarily held by Looking at Life.

Don't forget to check out How 2 run your motor: Kev Kennedy's tips on maintenance, accident etiquette, and keeping it legal.

If you have any advice on buying a car - or if you need some... have your say in the forums.

Written by Kev Kennedy.

Author Kev Kennedy