Cars on Contract

We all know that Japanese cars are the most reliable and German cars the best performing. But are they?

Stereotypes about cars are difficult to trace; we do not know from where they originated, and different people seem to have different ideas. Most agree that used Volvos score highly in terms of safety; Honda, Mazda and Nissan are very reliable; and Ferraris are for racing. German cars such as BMW and Audi offer fun drives, great performance and luxury. French Peugeot and Renault are stylish and innovative, while the British Mini is just what it is: a national symbol.

Buying it new or used, your car says a lot about you and what you represent. A hybrid makes a powerful statement that you care about the environment, while buying a used Audi for sale means you are a practical, sensible person. Let’s not forget the colour – intelligent people, of course, drive green cars. Jokes aside, these stereotypes might be amusing, but when buying your used car, it might be wise to focus on price and performance as opposed to the colour or make of the vehicle.

Taxing your car is a legal requirement; a car cannot be legally driven unless it has a current tax disc displayed properly in its windscreen.  A car seen to be on the road without a tax disc can be automatically fined.

The amount that an owner is taxed for their car depends on the model of car.  Larger cars that are not very environmentally friendly will cost more to tax than small cars that produce fewer emissions.  Newer cars tend to be greener than older cars and may have reduced tax.  There are also variations in tax, depending on whether the vehicle is used for commercial purposes or not.

You can tax your vehicle online, over the telephone, at your local post office, or by post.  Usually you will receive a reminder in the post about three weeks before the task disc is up for renewal, but you can tax the vehicle as much in advance as you like.  Even if you have paid your car tax a month in advance, you should not display the new disc in your vehicle until the current disc expires as this could result in a fine.  An up-to-date tax disc should be displayed on the passenger side of the vehicle’s windscreen.

If you no longer want to drive a car and therefore do not need to tax it, you must instead make a SORN (Statutory Off Road Notice) so that you are not fined for failing to tax the car.  With a SORN, the car cannot be driven at all, nor parked on a public road, until it is taxed once again.  SORNs can be arranged online or on the telephone.

Commercial vehicles are those used by a business, usually for carrying goods or people.  There are a number of different types of commercial vehicles including lorries, vans, trucks, and buses.

There are three main categories of commercial vehicles.  Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) are relatively small vehicles for carrying light loads, such as small trucks and vans.  They may be primarily used by businesses, such as plumbers or electricians, which provide a service and require space to carry equipment rather than goods.  Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs) are usually lorries; they are far larger and designed to carry large quantities of goods.  Passenger Carry Vehicles (PCVs) are buses and coaches and are designed for transporting large numbers of people.  In order to drive HGVs and PCVs, special licenses are required; for LCVs, a standard British driving license is sufficient.

Insuring a commercial vehicle can be far more expensive than insuring a normal car because they tend to be larger and more powerful.  It is essential to tell the insurer that the vehicle under the policy is a commercial vehicle.  Businesses may find that insuring a fleet of vehicles (more than five) is more economical than insuring just one.

Used Citroen vehicles are a good buy.  If you can come across a C-Crosser consider yourself lucky.  The SUV has many upgraded features that make the late model used car a good choice, offering some of the features that you will find on only brand new vehicles.
 
A 2009 used Citroen C-Crosser, for example, features a new dual clutch system on its transmission and diesel engine.  The low emissions of CO2 make it a green choice and the fuel cost will save you money in running the car about if you travel any distance on a regular basis.

This model also features a new automatic option which is unusual in a diesel.  It has a 6-speed electronic transmission along with the 2.2 HDi engine.  The interior has an improved look and is more convenient in the layout.  Bluetooth technology is standard in this car, making it safer for hands free mobile phone communication.

It has 7 seats which gives you plenty of room to stretch out on long journeys.  The economy factor gives you 40 mpg and the taxation charges are low due to the low emissions.  Purchasing a 2009 model will give you the features of a much newer car for the economy price of a used car.

Whatever used car you choose you’ll be receiving great value for your money.  Since cars lose value once they are purchased brand new, you will be the one who wins out as a late model used car with few miles on it is almost as good as new.

That the BMW 3 series had been a huge success for the company cannot be in dispute as it accounts for around 20% of the company’s sales, so the first impressions of the new series seem to suggest that they are playing safe and sticking with a tried and tested look. The new BMW 3-series saloon goes on sale in the UK next February 11 priced from £24,100 and in keeping with BMW policies, many options are available. For example as well as familiar ES, SE and M Sport trim levels, there will be Sport, Modern and Luxury models, offering more opportunities for individualisation.

The new 3-series is bigger and more spacious than the current model, as well as lighter and as well as rear-wheel drive versions of the 3-series powered by petrol and diesel engines, BMW will offer four-wheel drive and hybrid models. A choice of gearbox options consists of a six-speed manual or an eight-speed automatic. Among the new models will be a 320d Efficient Dynamics, which uses a 2.0-litre diesel engine and returns 68.9mpg on the combined cycle and 109g/km of CO2. It costs £28,080. The one with the most ‘grunt’ will be the 335i which uses BMW’s 3.0-litre, six-cylinder TwinPower turbocharged engine. It produces 302bhp and 295lb ft of torque, giving 0-62mph acceleration in 5.9 seconds.

Many people often add new features to their cars, for example sat-nav systems, DVD monitors and massage seats. As a result, people who then sell these cars tend to increase their asking price. However, these new features are considered to be ‘bad values’ in used cars. It is therefore advisable to avoid buying cars which have a lot of added features.

Navigation Systems

Built-in navigation systems are not a good idea, because in a few years time they will become obsolete, unless you are willing to buy expensive upgrades for them. The cost in maintaining a built-in navigation system is likely to be more than just buying a new one every few years.

Headrest DVD Monitors

Although the kids will initially think they are the best thing since sliced bread, they are often unresponsive and difficult to use. Additionally, they are usually too small to properly see what is being watched. Do not be fooled into paying extra for a car that has DVD monitors in the seats.

Massage Seats

If a massage seat breaks then they can cost a huge amount of money to replace. Additionally, they are only useful if you go on long journeys. If you only ever spend up to 30 minutes in the car, it’s not worth buying a car with massage seats.

Keyless Entry

Do not buy a car that has keyless entry. The key fobs that are used during keyless entry can fail at any time, and if one fails on you then you will be stranded with no way of gaining entry to your car. Additionally, you will be charged a fair amount of money to replace a lost broken key fob.

In the current uncertain economic climate, getting a good deal when you buy a car is often a huge consideration. Getting the best price possible is not always straightforward however, and the following simple tricks can be very useful when you are investigating cars for sale. 

It is often worthwhile checking what is available at a range of outlets before making a final decision. Dealerships, car supermarkets and online outlets such as Autotrader all offer different models and price ranges, so it is a good idea to find out exactly what is on the market before making a purchase. You may also like to consider part exchange cars or second hand cars and there are many outlets that deal in them. 

Aim to find out a car’s true value and undercut the marked price. Doing research on the internet is a great way of seeing how much a specific model usually sells for and you should aim to bring the price down to around this amount. 

The best way to get a good deal will usually be to haggle with the sales person, so do not be scared of trying to bring the price down. Tell a dealer if you have received a better offer elsewhere and never be afraid to move on if you cannot get a deal within your budget.

If you write off your car, as long as you have comprehensive insurance you should receive a lump sum payment equal to the value of your car.  However, sometimes insurers might try to pay you less than your car is actually worth.  Here are some common tricks to watch out for:

One tactic is to offer you a figure close to the correct value but closer to the trade price of your car.  This is not within the applicable guidelines as you would not realistically pay this price to replace your car, thereby saving the insurance company some money.  The price you should be offered is what you could actually expect to pay for the car in the area where you live.

Insurers might alternatively send you a cheque without agreeing the amount with you first, saying that you agree to the settlement if you cash the cheque.  Many customers do not realise they have the right to query the amount paid.

Another ploy is to deviate from the guide price, insurers should be able to provide evidence of why this is appropriate, allowing for reasonable wear and tear. 

It is, however, also important for you to be realistic about how much your car is worth and not to automatically assume the insurer is trying to underpay.  While you might have paid a lot of money for your car a few years ago, cars can depreciate relatively quickly in value and you should only expect to receive what your car was worth at the time it was written off.

Every car has an engine.  It doesn’t matter if it is new or used, it doesn’t matter what make or model it is, a healthy engine is vital to a properly functioning car.  Every second-hand car has an engine that has some wear and tear on it.  Engines are complex and more difficult to inspect when a car has been used.  However, there are specific things to look for under the bonnet.

If the engine is really dirty, it may not have been taken care of properly.  However, if it is suspiciously clean, it may have been steam cleaned in order to hide problems such as leaking fluids.  Checking for leaking fluids is particularly important.  Do it before you take your test drive, and also after.  Check the oil as well to make sure it has been given proper oil changes.

Make sure all the fluids in the engine are at proper levels, including but not limited to coolant.  When you start the car and it is idling, make sure you aren’t hearing any knocking noises.  While idling, rev the engine a bit to make sure you don’t see any smoke.  While taking your test drive, keep a close eye on the temperature gauge to make sure the car isn’t in risk of overheating.  By making sure you inspect the engine of your prospective used cars for sale carefully, you can get a good sense of what kind of shape it is in and how long it should be able to run for you.

What’s my Volvo worth?  This is liable to be the first question to cross your mind if you are considering selling your Volvo.  With a wealth of resources on the internet to help you find an instant car valuation for your car, this should be a relatively straightforward task.  Compare your Volvo to similar models in online car dealerships or classified ads to get a feel for market conditions.  Accurately represent your Volvo when pricing it to sell, by taking into consideration mileage, age and the condition.  Consider also any damage or repairs that might need doing before a sale. 

When you are ready to sell your Volvo, whether online or to a reputable car dealer, you should take steps to ensure that you word your description carefully.  Always be as accurate as possible and make sure to include details of the registration, age and condition if wording an advert.  If considering selling your Volvo to a private buyer, make sure that the car is clean and smartly presented and that you are able to gather all the relevant documents together.  Online dealerships often prefer models that are less than five years old and with fewer than 60,000 miles on the clock.  You may wish to sell your Volvo in a real or online auction, although there are inevitably risks involved in this method of selling.  Be prepared to haggle when selling your Volvo, and with this in mind build a haggling margin into the Volvo’s selling price.