There are still the uber wealthy that will still be paying out for brand new cars and some bargains can be had here while suppliers are desperate to pull in new custom. However, one thing that should be considered when buying a new car is that the moment you drive that car off the forecourt, it has already lost several thousand pounds of your hard earned money.



Brand new cars are one of the things that have slipped by the wayside while the economy is under the threat of a recession. Of course, people still need reliable vehicles to get to work etc so they are turning to used cars.

There is the possibility of buying a used car from a private seller and while the majority of them are trustworthy, there are still some that will try to rip you off, never to be seen again. Even the honest, above board average Joe looking to sell his car cannot guarantee that you will get to the end of the road without some unforeseen occurrence happening.

Indeed, in one street recently, two neighbours sold their cars from their driveways for buyers needing a new runabout and not wanting to pay forecourt prices. One was a used Honda, the seller having looked after it, kept up with the servicing and generally looked after it well. The buyer of the used Honda drove off happily and continued using the car without any hiccups for many months before some tweaking needed to be done.

The neighbour of the used Honda sold a Peugeot to a buyer, in good faith, yet within a week a mechanic had flagged up a plethora of problems that the seller had no way of knowing about. It really is a risky way to buy a used vehicle.

If you are looking for a used Honda, Peugeot, Mini, Mercedes or whatever, the forecourt is always the better option. It may be that little bit more expensive but you do have the peace of mind that comes with a guarantee of three months at the very minimum. This means that you will be on the road with some reassurance that you have a good amount of time within which any problems that surface will be dealt with without too much fuss.

When buying from a used garage forecourt, there is also the knowledge that little, if any, money will be lost. In fact, I have personally bought a car from a garage forecourt and managed to re-sell it within six months at a profit. This is not the usual way of things but it really depends on how well you look after the car and also a little bit of luck in finding a buyer that is looking for just what you are offering and is willing to pay what you are asking.

A well cared for used car will escape the teething problems of a brand new car and it will not really lose you any money for some time. The best idea is to buy a car with a provable service history. If you cannot, or don't want to pay, used car forecourt prices and are willing to take a chance with a private seller, then protect yourself by taking a knowledgeable person with you that can check it over as well as they can. Also, try to buy a car with a service history so that you can insure, as far as possible, that it has been well looked after. This will mean you have done everything in your power to get the best car at the best price.