Car Race Systems

Archive for the ‘Car Buying Guides’ Category

When shopping for used cars, it can be overwhelming trying to get the right vehicle and the best deal.  There are some simple ways to ensure that the used car the buyer gets is a great deal.

The first step in this is to come into the deal prepared.  The buyer should have a price range firmly in mind when shopping used cars for sale.  With a price range, the buyer can bargain effectively.  They can also arrange financing before making a move on the car they want. 

It is then important for the buyer to stick to this budget while they search for the car they want.  The buyer, with a budget in mind, can look for cars that suit that budget and research and discover the used car that will work for them.

With a budget and a target car, the buyer is in a better position to get a deal from a seller.  Of course, things such as a test drive will be important, but having a budget and goal will give the buyer strong guidelines.

In the same way that the average consumer visits their local food retailer to buy food and other domestic products, the car user can visit their online car supermarket to compare the largest selection of new and used cars.

Car supermarkets can come in all shapes and sizes and can be researched to help the driver make the best choice about their new car. Some car supermarkets offer an ‘approved used car’ scheme, whereby the second hand car will have had to undergo various tests and checks and will be guaranteed by the dealer for 12 months.

There are over 100 car supermarkets across the UK offering a huge range of new and used motor vehicles and they currently account for 7% of all cars sold in the country. Online searches will highlight the most local of these firms and also help with facts and figures about the cars on offer.

Most car supermarkets will offer a test drive for the customer also, and their prices are recognised as being competitive. One of the reasons that these outlets are said to be cheaper than the main dealerships is mainly due to their ‘no frills’ approach.

Buying a new car is a big financial investment and many people do not necessarily have the funds to hand in order to immediately carry out this type of transaction.

Car finance is a credit facility that allows the car buyer to buy a car on a loan basis and the owner then repays the car finance company on a mutually agreed time scale and payment structure. Autotrader is just one of the many websites where anyone looking to buy a car can compare the different credit offers and then see which will suit them.

One of the key components of any form of car finance is the potential customer’s credit worthiness. Do they have County Court judgements (CCJs) against them, and have they repaid similar loans on time are just a few of the questions that will be asked in order to determine the successful outcome of any loan application. The loan that will be offered will either be a secured or an unsecured loan, which means that either the loan will be secured on an existing asset, such as a house or car, or the loan conditions will not ask for any security at all. However the terms and conditions of tan unsecured loan will probably ask for a larger deposit and might incur greater interest charges. Most unsecured loans are only offered on purchases of up to £25,000.

The introduction of car credit has allowed many people to buy a new motor vehicle who otherwise would have found it difficult to raise the required purchase price. There are numerous companies offering credit deals on the net but it is always wise to check out the more reputable firms first of all in order to ensure that the best terms are being offered. Most of the car finance companies will ask the consumer to fill in a short questionnaire in order to determine what type of loan is on offer to meet their resources.

The car supermarket, also known as the multi-make car dealer, is a growing trend in the used car industry, but it is not as recent a development as many people assume. The first car supermarket was Fords of Winsford, opened by Vernon Ford in 1959. This more or less coincided with the invention of the motorway, as motorway junctions were and still are, considered prime sites for car supermarkets. Fords of Winsford is still going to this day, located on a 14-acre site conveniently near Junction 18 of the M6.

The idea of the car supermarket was surprisingly slow to take off, given the obvious advantages of having a car dealership that was willing to offer all makes and models, instead of being tied to a single manufacturer. By the end of the 1980s, there were still only a handful of car supermarkets dotted around the country, primarily in the North of England.

Starting in the early 1990s, all that changed and their numbers began to increase. Nowadays, there are dozens of car supermarkets across the country, some with multiple sites. Today, these companies account for some 7% of all used car sales in Britain. They offer a huge variety of cars, sometimes as many as 4,000, all at fixed prices. Most car supermarkets have a ‘no haggling” policy, so the price you see on the sticker is the price you pay. The surroundings tend to be functional rather than comfortable, but they aim to give the same standards of service as a smaller car dealer. ‘Car-Supermarkets’ provides a comprehensive directory of UK car supermarkets and with over 100 to choose from, there is sure to be one near you.

Carcraft Car Finance offer a 30 second online finance application to help people who are purchasing used cars. The company provides a fast response on used car finance, which enables the prospective purchaser find and buy a car as quickly as possible.

Subject to status, once your application has been approved, the company have 11 centres in all parts of the UK, which enables you to choose from thousands of cars to suit your specific requirements.

Carcraft Car Finance offer a number of flexible payment options to suit all budgets and their friendly used car finance experts work with specialist lenders who are there solely to give you the best advice and package possible.   

All Carcraft used cars come with a one year guarantee, one year free servicing and one year RAC Roadside Assistance. Before any car is sold to the customer a 120-point pre-delivery inspection, with full valet, is carried out. In addition, all vehicles are HPI checked and there is a seven-day exchange policy.

Part exchanging can be a very worthwhile process if you don’t want to go through the hassle of getting a private buyer to purchase your car. Although part exchange won’t always give you the best value for money, it is a very fast and convenient way to get rid of an old vehicle and get something new. Another great aspect of part exchange is that you will save a lot of money on advertising fees.

Part Exchange Car Tips

There are a few things that sellers can do in order to get a better part exchange deal. These simple tips could potentially save you a lot of cash and shouldn’t be overlooked.

The first step is to collect all of the relevant paperwork. This will include the V5C document, the MOT certificate and any servicing and repair receipts that you may have. The service history is also very important and being able to show that the car has been serviced on a regular basis will not only make the vehicle more attractive to a dealer, but will also increase the value. Fix any damage to the bodywork or to the electronics. Small issues can drastically lower the car’s value. If you can’t fix the problems yourself, then consider taking the vehicle to a professional mechanic prior to selling. Finally, clean the car. Make sure that it looks like it has been cared for and kept in good condition.

By following these very simple steps you will be able to make sure that you get the maximum car valuation price for your vehicle. Taking these extra steps isn’t very time consuming, and should always be considered when part exchanging a car.

There cannot be many motor enthusiasts who do not love the look and feel of a classic car. There are many different types to choose from and prices range from just a few thousand pounds to over a million for a small number of extremely rare models.  When making the choice to go classic there are several points to take into consideration.

Sometimes, what constitutes a classic car is open to argument. However, there are a handful of generally accepted models, such as the Ford Capri, several Triumph sports cars and certain Jaguars from the 1960s and earlier. Of course, there are many Ferrari, Maserati and Rolls Royce models that make the list.  

Sometimes, classic cars for sale can be found online, at sites such as Carshop. There are also several websites that are geared specifically toward buying and selling classic cars. Many of these cars can also be bought privately in the UK, since dealers sometimes keep a private collection. Whatever the avenue for obtaining the car is, the reasons for buying it must be borne in mind. If it is primarily for display purposes, the buyer may not too concerned about its engine’s power output. If the reason is mostly practical, the interior may not be the most crucial consideration. By bearing in mind such factors, the buyer has more of chance of paying the optimum price on the classic car they are looking for.

Buying a car before the internet was widely available was simple. The most common and often only course of action was to visit a local car dealership, have a look at their stock, and select the car you wished to buy. This was often followed with an offer to sell your car to the car dealer as a part exchange car, the value of the part exchange was influenced by many factors, including, how much mileage the car has done. Nowadays however, things are very different. There are multiple avenues to investigate when buying a new car in 2011, including magazines, websites and even car supermarkets.    

One new entry in the new car market is autotrader. While they are more known for advertising second hand cars for sale, they also have a section for advertising brand new cars. The reach of AutoTrader is extraordinary, and the service can really benefit a customer searching for a cheaper deal. Before, it wouldn’t make sense to travel far outside of the local area if it was unclear whether money could be saved, but by searching through the internet on sites such as autotrader, buyers can find a car for sale, take note of the price and work out the costs of travelling to collect it and adjust a price range accordingly. 

Car supermarkets can also be beneficial when buying a new car. If you are offering your old car as a part exchange car, it’s easy to visit a car supermarket, view their cars for sale and check the price of cars similar to yours. You may want to adjust the price to allow for negotiation, as buyers will want the best possible price. Armed with this information, a customer may want to visit a car dealership and negotiate a good price for their old car, which will ultimately reduce the cost of a new vehicle.

The various finance options for purchase of a new car can seem complicated and daunting.  It is best to research the various options before going to a dealership to purchase a car.  Doing so will enable you to know exactly what you are signing up for and how much you will be paying for your vehicle.

Dealerships offer different types of finance.  The simplest option is Hire Purchase; the customer pays around 10% of the car’s value as a deposit and pays the rest in monthly instalments with interest.  The customer does not own the car until the cost is fully paid and cannot sell or modify it without the dealer’s permission.  Another option is 0% Finance, which works in a similar way; the customer pays a deposit and then makes regular payments after that.  However, the deposit is usually much larger – around 30-40% of the car’s value – and there is no interest on subsequent payments.  This is suitable for those who can afford a large deposit.

Two other car finance options often offered by dealerships are Leasing and Personal Contract Plans.  Leasing allows a customer to have a car for a specified term.  The customer pays monthly during the term of the lease and returns the car to the dealer when the lease ends.  Leasing is a good option for people who like to regularly change their vehicle.  Personal Contract Plans are more complicated; the customer pays a deposit and makes small regular monthly payments for an amount of time set out in the contract.  The dealership states what the value of the car will be at the end of the contract and this amount is deferred.  When the contract ends, the customer can choose to keep the car by paying the deferred amount.  Alternatively, they could sell the car privately to repay the final sum back to the dealership, or they can give the car back to the dealer.

If finance with a dealership is not the right option, there is always the possibility of taking out a personal loan and paying the dealership outright for the car.  This means you will instantly own the car and pay the money back to the bank in regular instalments.  Payment with a credit card or by taking out a mortgage works in a similar way.  Discuss these options in detail with your bank to determine exactly what interest you will be paying back.

When looking for cheap cars for sale at Carcraft, it pays to know about recent guidelines produced by the Office of Fair Trading governing the selling of used cars. The guidelines give a minimum level of service that a buyer can reasonably expect from a dealer. They specify that a car should be in a condition commensurate with its age and mileage and place the burden of checking a vehicle’s history on the dealer, meaning that they can be punished for selling a car that still has hire purchase payments outstanding, for example.

However, it is always advisable to check the vehicle’s history for yourself, even when you are looking at cheap cars for sale. An inexperienced staff member at a used car dealership may not know the obligations that are placed upon the firm and while most dealers are honest, there may be the occasional rogue who tries to pull a fast one. It is not a case of assuming that the old and often unfair stereotype of all used car dealers being crooks is true, but it never hurts to verify claims independently.