Free Information Women Buying Cars



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Car Buying Tips

for Women

 

 












The Smart Girls' Guide to Buying a Car
By Sophie Evans

Buying a new car, or a car that’s new to you, can be a minefield.
Women are traditionally vulnerable to con men when buying cars,
taking their cars for a service or anything else related to
motoring for that matter. Although we’d like to think that times
have changed, and in the most part they have, there are still car
sales people waiting for an innocent looking female to trot
through the door. This applies to men too, so don’t be offended!
At CoverGirl Car Insurance we want you to get the best deal,
cheap insurance and above all a great car. So, we’ve compiled a
concise guide to what can be one of the most expensive purchases
you’ll have to make.

The first thing you will need to do is decide whether you want a
new or used car. You probably have a make and model in mind
already, so it’s best to do as much research into the car as
possible. You can look in trade guides and on the internet to get
some ideas about the production and engineering of your desired
car. If you go to the dealer armed with this information then you
will know what to look for and will know about any parts of the
car that are particularly expensive to replace. Whilst doing your
research you could also look out for any common problems with
your car. For example certain vehicles have notoriously bad
electrics and you could be left having to pay a large bill to
have them repaired.

So what’s the best bet, new or used?

Buying a new car

Buying a new car gives you the peace of mind that your car hasn’t
been rescued from an accident and ‘cut and shut’ (more about this
later). Plus you don’t have to worry about service history and
recurring problems.

If you decide to buy a new car then you have three options. You
can either buy from dealership, from a broker or by personal
import from Europe. There are pros and cons to each option so you
should look carefully at each to decide what’s best for you. The
benefits and pitfalls of each are as follows:

Dealership: Many dealers offer cheap finance schemes with
frequent special offers, you can take the car for a test drive
and you also may be able trade in your existing car. This is
often a more expensive option so it’s worth looking around.

Broker: It is often cheaper to buy through a broker and
relatively easy to organise. You may not be able trade your car
in.

Personal imports from Europe: Cheaper in the majority of cases.
However this is not the easiest way to buy a car. You’ll have to
put in quite a bit of work.

What to check when you collect your car We advise that you check
your new car over before you drive off the forecourt. There are a
few key things to check:

• That you’ve got a copy of the dealers pre-delivery inspection
form

• Check that all lights, electrics, sound systems, alarms, door
locks and windscreen wipers work

• Check for any scratches and check that there is no damage to
the interior

• Check you’ve got the spare tyre and any tools that are supposed
to come with the car

• Make sure you’ve got the manual and service book

Buying a used car

When you buy a used car there are a few more pitfalls to look out
for but you can bag yourself a bargain if you look in the right
place. It can also be great fun deciding whether you want an alluring
classic like an Alfa Romeo Spider or a bargain run-around like a
Ford Ka. Whether you chose to buy from a dealer or from the
private market you’ll need see the history of the car. This is
really important. You can either buy from a franchised dealer, a
used car dealer or privately. Here are some of the pros of buying
from each:

Franchised dealer: One of the safest places to buy a car. You’ll
get a great choice from a franchise. You can get used or nearly
new cars. A franchised dealership also might know the entire
history of the car. They will also provide you with a warranty,
so if anything goes wrong you can take it back and they will fix
it.

Used car dealer: They will usually have checked that there is no
bad history or outstanding finance. Most dealers have an
excellent reputation but you should exercise some caution and
again, do your own research about the type of car you’ve chosen.
You will usually get at least a 3 month warranty from a used car
dealer. But check to see what it covers. Service items like
tyres, exhausts and brake pads are not usually covered.

Private purchase: Best place for an excellent bargain. This is
the riskiest way to buy a car as the car could have been involved
in an accident, and might not belong to the seller. You should
ask to meet at the sellers’ home or work and ask the following
questions:

1. Is it your car?

2. Has the car ever been in an accident?

3. Can I have a signed receipt?

‘Cut and shut’, counterfeit parts, car ringing and clocking

Unfortunately there are many unscrupulous people out there
wanting to make a buck out of the innocent car buyer. Some of the
tactics undertaken by an unethical minority leave drivers with
dangerous, illegal and unreliable cars. Many cars are stolen and
sold on or taken from accidents and patched up to look like new.
The following are some ploys that con men use to cheat the buyer:

‘Cut and Shut’

This is when two cars are taken from a scrap yard after write off
accidents and welded together. This is extremely dangerous and
potentially difficult to spot. Look for mismatched panels, traces
of paint on window seals and door handles, mismatched upholstery
and signs of serious repair work. It is very difficult to spot a
cut and shut but it’s worth a closer inspection in case the
person who carried out the work has cut corners.

Counterfeit parts

These are fraudulent copies of genuine manufacturer branded
components. They are intended to deceive motorists and can be
incredibly realistic. They are however not intended to be safe.
Their makers don’t care about the potential safety threat to
future drivers. They have started to make fake brake pads, discs
and steering linkages. All of these could cause fatal accidents
if they go wrong. You probably won’t have the opportunity to
check parts before they are fitted to your new car, but it is
something you should be aware of when buying a second hand
vehicle.

‘Car ringing’

This is where a stolen car has its identification number changed.
The vehicle identification number is taken from vehicles that
have been written off in an accident. By forging these details
thieves can pass off stolen cars as the genuine article to
innocent car buyers. Once you’ve paid for a ‘ringer’, it’s too
late. It does not belong to you and if it is traced it will be
returned to the original owner, so you will lose out
considerably. You can look out for this by checking all documents
to see if they look forged. If there is little or no paperwork
you should also be suspicious.

‘Car clocking’

This is when the car’s odometer is reduced to make it look as if
the car has not done as many miles as it has. This makes cars
look more valuable than they are. If the mileage of a car looks
suspiciously low you should look for other tell tale signs such
as wear and tear to the pedal rubbers and seats.

All of the above are seriously detrimental to the buyer and will
leave you with a stolen, dangerous or faulty vehicle. If you have
any doubts it is advisable to get an independent vehicle
inspector to check the car before you buy it. This will avoid any
potential fraud and will eliminate the risk to you.

Good luck!

Buying a car should be fun. You could end up with the car of your
dreams - if you follow our guide. It really is worth checking for
any discrepancies before you make the purchase. There are many
ways to check the history and safety of the car so it’s easy to
do and worth it in the long term.

Once you’ve bought your car you’ll need to insure it. Visit
CoverGirl Car Insurance www.covergirlcarinsurance.co.uk 0800 195
48 52 to get car insurance exclusively for women.

By Sophie Evans
CoverGirl Car Insurance http://www.covergirlcarinsurance.co.uk


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