Complete Guide To Buying a Used Car

With so many different types of places to buy from it’s worth remembering that what you get from each varies considerably – a private retailer may be cheaper, but you’ll not have any recourse, warranty or guarantees, if something goes wrong. Specialist online retailers sell nationwide so your car may be coming 100s of miles to you meaning you can’t ‘try before you buy’, and if an issue arises that is covered by their warranty (normally just 90 days), you’ll be passed to a network of third-party repairers.

A manufacturer approved dealer or retailer, such as Honda Approved, offers the most protection as they normally give longer warranties, a more thorough inspection, as well as verifying the history and mileage. There are other, less obvious benefits too. For example, Honda retailers offer a 30-day exchange policy should a fault come to light that cannot be rectified.

It’s important you know what you’re getting into – there’s no point buying a great car if you can’t afford to run it!

Fuel economy

Look for the ‘combined mpg’ figure as a general guide. Modern cars will have been WLTP tested to produce a real-world measure of fuel economy (MPG – the higher the figure the better), CO2 emissions (g/km – the lower the better) and EV range, and can be found on the manufacturer’s website normally. Don’t forget these vary by model grade, year and engine size etc, so always make sure you’re looking at the exact same model you’re contemplating.

Road tax

In the UK road tax (officially known as vehicle excise duty) is calculated based on four criteria:
1 - The date the car was first registered
2 - The cost of the car when new
3 - The fuel type
4 - The CO2 emissions it produces

All used cars registered after the 1^st April 2017 pay a flat fee of £200 if the list price when new was under £40,000 (or £50,000 for an EV). If the vehicle cost more than £40,000 / £50,000 you will pay an additional £440 per year, often referred to as a luxury cat tax, for years 2 – 6, returning to the flat fee of £200 for subsequent years. Some exclusions apply so visit the Government car tax webpage or for more details check out the Vehicle Certification Agency website.

Insurance

Gather a few insurance quotes to compare the costs for your shortlisted cars. You might be surprised that cars with similar values and engine sizes can vary considerably in their annual insurance costs. The quickest way is to use a price comparison website. Some franchised retailers also offer their own insurance packages which often come with additional benefits, so it’s worth asking what they offer.

Take a careful look around the exterior and interior of the car, in daylight, taking your time.

• Is it as described in the ad?
• Does the bodywork look in okay, with clean lines, even panel gaps and matching paint?
• Are there any signs of rust or bubbling paint?
• Are the tyres and wheels in good order?
• Are there any oil leaks on the ground?
• Does it smell clean and fresh and not damp?
• Does it start first time without any strange noises or smoke?
• Does everything work? Remember to check things like heated seats, windscreen heaters, wipers, aircon, reversing cameras, satnav, audio system, electric widows etc.
• Are there any warning lights on in the dashboard?
• Is the mileage as claimed, does it match up with MOT and service history?
• Does it come with two keys?
• Does it look clean and well cared for under the bonnet?

If you’re happy with your visual checks the next stage is a test drive, making sure to use as many functions and features as possible. Give yourself a good half an hour at least, making sure you drive at low and high speeds to see how the gearbox, suspension, brakes and steering handles, making sure the seats and driving position are comfortable with clear visibility. Is it easy to manoeuvre into a parking space, do the parking sensors and/or cameras work? This is particularly important if you’re upsizing from a smaller vehicle. 

For added reassurance hire a qualified independent engineer to assess the vehicle for you - particularly useful when buying from a private vendor where they don’t offer any warranty or guarantees. Trusted organisations like the AA will road test the vehicle and check over 100 items for you to make sure what you’re buying is as expected.

Once you’ve test-driven the car and are happy, ask to see the car’s accompanying paperwork, particularly the V5C logbook. Make sure you’re confident that the person selling the car is the legal owner before parting with any money – this is particularly important when buying from a private vendor, so ask to see an invoice or receipt from when they bought the car originally.

The name and address of the recorded keeper on the V5C will probably be those of the vendor, but the keeper is not always the legal owner. Check to see how long they’ve owned the car (available on the V5C) – if they’re selling it after only a few months this could suggest an issue.

Finally, double check the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) on the V5C and MOT certificates match the ones on the car - it can be found in the bottom right-hand corner of the windscreen (as you look at it from the front of the car), on a plaque under the bonnet and in the driver’s door jamb normally. 

Always check with the vendor to see if the car has a comprehensive service history as this often indicates that it has been well looked after and kept in good working order. Ask what service / maintenance work is due according to the vehicle manufacturer’s maintenance schedule and if a big service is coming up get a quote so that you know what you are letting yourself in for before you buy the car. If you’re buying from a garage or retailer, see if they’ll get it serviced before selling it as this could save you hundreds of pounds and flag up any potential issues.

You can check the MOT history of any car online on the Government website, using the numberplate. As well as seeing when the next MOT is due, you can also see the MOT history, any faults that have previously caused the car to fail its MOT, as well as advisories which are things that need to be monitored and sorted in the future. Look at the mileage at each MOT test to make sure it ties up with the claimed current mileage and paperwork.

If you’re buying from a private retailer or independent trader, it’s worth paying £10 - £15 for a vehicle data check. This will advise you if the car has been stolen, if it’s been written off or if there’s any outstanding finance or debt etc.

It’s done online via an accredited retailer such as the RAC, using a numberplate, and gives you an instant report. Every Honda Approved Car comes with a data check automatically for total peace of mind – one less thing for you to worry about!

Nearly every car sold from late 2015 meets Euro 6, the latest European Union regulation that controls car emissions. You can check a car’s emission rating at the Vehicle Certification Agency’s website which will list the CO2 emissions in grams, as well as the overall Euro Standard. This is particularly important if you regularly drive in cities which have an ULEZ (ultra-low emissions zone) such as London, where pre-Euro 6 diesel and pre-Euro 4 petrol cars have to pay an extra charge of £12.50 a day, on top of the Congestion Charge.

If you’re buying from a private vendor, you won’t get a warranty on the car, although you could buy a third-party extended warranty from a specialist provider, with costs ranging from £150 - £1,000+ depending on the vehicle’s age and cost. Most used cars from retailers will come with some form of warranty, with the length and cover varying from retailer to retailer.

Approved used cars from franchised retailers generally have the longest warranties and all Honda Approved Cars come with a minimum 12-month Genuine Honda Guarantee. 

Once you’ve chosen your car, you’ll need to decide how to pay for it. Bank transfer or card payment are the most common if you have the funds.

In the UK when you buy something from a retailer (not a private seller) up to the value of £30,000 with a credit card, Section 75 of the Consumer Credit Act may offer you some protection if there’s an issue. Otherwise, you may wish to consider finance options.

The finance options for a Honda Approved vehicle are similar to those that are available for new Honda cars. Honda Financial Services offers flexible finance packages, including Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) and Hire Purchase (HP) products, which can be tailored to suit your monthly budget requirements. Speak to the dedicated UK-based customer service team on 0345 128 8908 or pop into one of our retailers for more info. However you decide to pay, make sure you get a receipt as proof of purchase.

In case something does go wrong with your new purchase, it’s a good idea to arrange roadside cover from day one. Reassuringly all Honda Approved Cars come with 12 months Hondacare Assistance which covers you both at home and on the road. 

Once you’ve signed on the dotted line make sure the car is MOT’d, taxed and insured before you drive off.