| "body"> | | | | Looking for your new car online as opposed to the |
| Who would have thought that buying a car you've | | | | local newspaper, gives you the opportunity to search |
| never seen from a seller you've never met would | | | | and compare prices for thousands of cars in your |
| ever take off? Well it certainly has thanks to the | | | | area and scanning multiple pictures can also help you |
| internet, and now more and more of us are purchasing | | | | to get an idea of the car's overall condition. |
| our new cars online. But, how do you pick a winner | | | | Desperateseller.co.uk is a great place to start your |
| and not a banger? The following tips from | | | | search. You can search using a range of different |
| Desperateseller.co.uk the UK's premier car selling and | | | | options, such as new or used car, private seller or |
| buying website will show you what you should do | | | | dealer, price, engine size, automatic or manual and so |
| when you shopping for a car online. | | | | on. All searches require your postcode, so that every |
| Preparation Is Key. | | | | listing returned includes the distance in miles from your |
| Before you start shopping, you first need to make two | | | | location to the seller. |
| vital decisions: how much do you want to spend and | | | | We recommend limiting your search to vehicles within |
| what kind of car are you looking for? This is where | | | | 20 or 30 miles of your home. This way you can easily |
| the internet can really help. Several sites, including | | | | test-drive them and get them inspected by a mechanic |
| Desperateseller.co.uk have buyer's guides that can | | | | you trust. |
| help you compare one model to another within your | | | | The Test Drive. |
| budget. You can also read comprehensive reviews | | | | Once you've selected a potential vehicle to buy, a |
| and ratings from leading car magazines and | | | | test-drive is a must! Try and arrange the test drive at |
| consumers who drive your potential future car every | | | | the seller's home, this should give you a better feel for |
| day. | | | | the car by visiting the seller's home and talking to their |
| As helpful as the internet is, there is one thing it can't | | | | family. Also, never be swayed by shining looks: a quick |
| offer, and that's first hand experience of how a | | | | valet and a new set of number plates will make any |
| particular model handles. So as soon as you know | | | | old banger catch the eye. |
| which car you are interested in, go down to your local | | | | Insist on viewing the full service history from new to |
| dealer and take it for a test drive. | | | | the most recent service and check that all the |
| Know Your Price. | | | | paperwork is in order. And, if it is more than a couple |
| Once you've selected the car you want, read all the | | | | of years old pay for a full independent mechanical |
| reviews and taken your future car out for a test drive, | | | | inspection. |
| it's time to research prices. If it's a used car you are | | | | Buying The Car. |
| thinking about buying, first check the Glass's guide for | | | | Before money changes hands, make sure you're up to |
| the car's current value, by visiting | | | | speed on the legal aspects of buying and selling by |
| To determine the price you are willing to pay for your | | | | reading the AA's advice for private car sales, by |
| future car, you need to find out the minimum price | | | | visiting |
| being offered to private sellers on online sites, the | | | | You also need to get an independent check from a |
| maximum price from retail dealers and the going rate | | | | company such as HPI which checks the records to |
| from an average of the prices asked in the classifieds. | | | | make sure the car hasn't been written off, stolen or |
| What you also need to include in your budget for your | | | | has outstanding finance. |
| new car is the cost of insurance. Sites such as Money | | | | By arming yourself with used car knowledge and |
| Supermarket ( can search all leading insurers by filling in | | | | know-how, beginning with these tips above, you'll |
| one form to provide you with a quote for insurance. | | | | greatly minimise your risk of buying a vehicle that will |
| Start Searching. | | | | be more of a costly headache than a joy ride. |