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A used car expert has warned Brits of six common mistakes they must avoid making when buying a car – or risk paying an extra £25,000.
The warning comes as the used car market continues to thrive – having experienced the fifth quarter of successive growth as recorded by The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
To ensure drivers get the best possible deal on their next car purchase, Steven Edwards, motoring editor at used car search platform MOTORS, has shared the costly mistakes to be aware of when buying and budgeting for a used vehicle – which could save you up to £24,697.85.
1) Failing to check the MOT and service history – £327.85
Buying a car may be exciting, but don’t let that make you rush into making an offer, as you must make some necessary checks before parting with your hard-earned cash.
Whether looking online or in person, note down the vehicle registration number of the car you are interested in and search it online using the government’s vehicle enquiry service. This will tell you all you need to know about the MOT status. A free car history check online will tell you details about accidents and repairs.
If you don’t make these essential checks and buy a car with an expired MOT, you will set yourself back £54.85 – the maximum fee for a MOT, plus potential repairs. The current average cost of repairs stands at £273. This mistake could therefore cost you a total of £327.85.
2) Overlooking the expansion of ULEZ and CAZ zones – £4,550
A select number of second-hand cars skyrocketed in price when the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expanded across all London boroughs.
Now, Aberdeen, Birmingham, Bristol, Dundee, Edinburgh, and Glasgow have joined the English capital in implementing charges for vehicles driving through Clean Air Zones (CAZ). With that in mind it’s imperative that you know the vehicles and models that are ULEZ-compliant so you don’t end up paying eye-watering charges.
London – £4,550
Road users in London whose cars are not compliant with the emissions limit will be charged £12.50 daily for using the roads – £4,550 per year.
Aberdeen, Dundee, Edinburgh and Glasgow – £1,864
Unlike London and other Low Emission Zones (LEZ) across the country, Scotland doesn’t allow non-compliant vehicles to pay a charge for entering LEZs.
Instead, drivers with heavier polluting cars will be fined a £60 Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) for their first breach, doubling for every further breach up to £480.
If drivers stay out of the LEZ for 90 days, this amount will reset with further breaches starting at £60 again from the first breach.
In total, the maximum fine for drivers in Scotland could stand as high as £1,864 for multiple breaches across the year.
Birmingham – £2,920
Non-compliant vehicle owners in Birmingham are charged a daily rate of £8 to drive through its CAZ, totalling a whopping £2,920 over the year.
Bristol – £3,285
To get around the Southwestern city of Bristol, drivers of non-compliant vehicles pay a daily charge of £9, which could total a maximum of £3,285 yearly.
If where you live and work is not affected by the ultra-low emission zones, it’s worth keeping an eye out for non-compliant cars on the second-hand market. They could see a substantial drop in value due to people selling up and switching, and you could pick up a great deal.
3) Failing to carry out a thorough inspection of the car – £273
Pictures on the internet can be misleading, so seeing the car in person is a must to get a real feel for it and make additional physical checks to ensure it is as described.
Steven Edwards, motoring editor at MOTORS, added: “Some signs of wear and tear are expected, but checking the tyres, gearbox and engine is essential to ensure they are in good condition and won’t become an issue for you to repair down the line.
“Check the mileage matches the age and condition of the car, and take it out for a test drive to get a feel for it.
“When behind the wheel, give it a rigorous test – if it has a manual gearbox, drive up a steep hill and test the biting point, check there are no issues under acceleration and where safe to do so try an emergency stop.”
The average UK driver spends £273 a year on the general upkeep of their vehicle, so failing to make the necessary checks really is worth it.
4) Not budgeting for insurance and running costs – £2,002
It can be easy to get carried away when car shopping, so it is important to budget what you can afford to spend on a vehicle.
Your allotted amount should include the price of the car as well as the cost to run it. This includes road tax £190 (£180 for hybrids), car insurance – the UK average being £622 and your fuel usage which is £1,190 on average.
Car insurance quotes, as well as vehicle fuel consumption, are available online so you can get a rough estimate of how much the total outlay for your specific car will be.
5) Buying a stolen car – £17,445
Remember, if the price looks too good to be true, it could be a scam. Considering the car’s age, mileage and condition from your previous research, you should be able to get a sense of whether the price seems considerably under market value.
Of course, there are good deals to be had, but if you see a suspiciously cheap car, make sure to ask the necessary questions to get an understanding as to the reason why.
Buying from a reputable dealer does eliminate many of these risks, as they put cars through detailed inspections and usually provide a warranty, so you are covered for future repairs.
If you are buying from a private seller, make sure you carry out a stolen car check online. If you are unfortunate enough to have purchased a stolen car – you are not entitled to the money you paid for it, and it will be confiscated, setting you back £17,445 – the average price of a used car listed on MOTORS.
6) Buying a modified vehicle – £100
New legislation to introduce noise cameras has been proposed to the government after trials in Bradford, South Gloucestershire, Great Yarmouth, and Worcestershire.
If passed, drivers could face £100 fines, licence points, a re-education course and vehicle seizure if their car breaches regulations. A threshold of 95 decibels (dB) LAFmax at 7.5m on roads with a speed limit of 50mph or less has been proposed.
When buying your next vehicle, you should check for any modifications to ensure your new car is not in breach of this potential change. It’s also important to note modified vehicles often cost more to insure as well.
