The used car market can be a very precarious place to shop from unless you go into the car buying process with your eyes open; fully in possession of all the facts and figures at your disposal. It can be very easy to be taken advantage of be the less scrupulous car dealers, so it is important to prepare yourself with all the knowledge you can gather and all the questions you need to ask. Here I detail the main points of contention that seem to catch a great deal of people out.

First of all I recommend following your instinct when it comes to picking out the car you want. Many dealers will try and push the model that they can make the biggest margin on at you. For example, when I bought a Used VW Polo recently, the dealer obviously wanted me to go for a different model, as he clearly wanted to shift a different car more urgently. It is important to stick to your first decision and not be bullied into anything else.

Secondly, it is worth asking as many questions about the car as you can think of. For example; is there a full service history, how many miles has it covered and whether or not the dealer will offer any kind of guarantee against mechanical failure in the first 6 months of ownership.

Only when you feel comfortable and satisfied that the Car Dealers have satiated your curiosity should you commit to purchasing the vehicle. Remember, the dealers always want your money more than you want their car!