When looking for a second hand car, it can be a real nightmare figuring out the real value of the vehicles on offer. It may seem a little pessimistic to assume every second hand car dealer exaggerates the value of cars, but every salesman needs to make a living, and the valuations sometimes need to be taken ‘with a pinch of salt.’
When working out the real value of a car it’s important to approach the task of buying a car with your own yardstick for value.
A Well Maintained Car is a Safe Car
When you get a new car, you want to be sure that you’re choosing a safe choice; that it is a vehicle you can rely upon to get you from A to B without incident. You also want to know that should any accidents or unforeseeable problems arise, your car will keep you as safe as possible.
The more a car is used, the more it is susceptible to damage from general wear and tear. The classic example is with car tyres: the more you use a car, the more the rubber on the tyres wears down and the less grip you have on the road. Eventually you will be left with a vehicle very likely to skid in adverse weather. On the other hand, if the car has been properly maintained, as soon as the tyres start to wear down, they will be properly replaced.
Keeping a car well maintained is important.
Proper maintenance not only reduces the risk from skidding on over-used tyres, but it reduces the likelihood of problems due to an old and tired engine, brake failure due to worn-down brake pads, light failure and a host of other potential problems which can all prove to be very dangerous while driving.
A Well Maintained Car is a Cost Effective Car
There’s a reason that people often choose not to go for the old banger for sale on the side of the road; although it will only cost you a couple of hundred quid for the car, the next few months will likely be filled with outgoing expenses such as replacing the heater, fixing the doors and tuning up the engine. The better condition a car is, the less money you will have to spend maintaining it in the future. Checkout a table of used car values before making a purchase but also carefully consider maintenance costs.
Although it may cost a little extra initially, a well maintained car in good condition will last a lot longer before you have to shell out for replacement parts or repairs. It’s therefore a much wiser idea to budget as much as you can to buy a car in a great condition, putting aside the money in preparation instead of buying a cheaper car…then getting stung with maintenance fees unexpectedly later on. Unexpected maintenance fees can not only put you in financial difficulty, but it can mean that for a few weeks while you’re getting finances in order and the car fixed, you’re also off the road.
A good car is well maintained.
A Well Maintained Car is a Good Quality Car
Alongside the other points, a car in a good condition is in a general a better vehicle. It will be devoid of dents, scratches and scrapes, so will aesthetically be much more appealing; a well maintained car is a nicer looking car. Not only this, but if someone has looked after the car properly, you will get a smoother and more enjoyable drive. The last thing you want is to have a car that crunches through the gears, or steers slightly to the left because the last owner didn’t treat it properly.
Conclusion
The general rule of thumb is, the better you look after a car, the longer it will last and the better it will perform, so it really is worth choosing a vehicle that you can tell has been looked after properly. It is also worth checking with the dealer to see if it has a full service record so you can satisfy yourself it’s had the TLC it deserves.