Car Race Systems

A quick do-it-yourself summer service could save hundreds of pounds in expensive car repairs so it is wise to spend a little time checking the following points at the onset of the summer season:

•    Summer weather is notorious for causing a car battery to overcharge due to a speeding up of the chemical reaction. Keep battery terminals clean and rust-free. It is a good idea to remove the battery cables and clean the terminal points. Ensure the battery is fully secure.
•    Check the engine coolant system and top up if required.
•    Check the fan. The best way to do this is by turning the heater on cold and run the car (parked) for approximately five minutes. Check the fan has started working automatically.
•    Check tyres and pressure. Punctures are very common in the summer months so ensure tyres are in good condition.
•    Check oil level and top up if necessary.
•    Check windscreen wiper fluid level.
•    The glare of the sun can be made hazardous by a dirty windscreen so ensure the vehicle is kept clean and all windows and mirrors clear.

If I wanted to sell my Honda car, how would I go about it?  By doing some simple research to avoid the common mistakes and pitfalls that can affect car sellers.  First, ascertain the condition of the Honda, and ensure that it is presented properly for sale.  This means a clean and tidy car with up to date documents and ideally a full service history.  Hondas can be sold cheap, but hybrid models remain popular, and to ensure you get the full price your second-hand Honda deserves, find out what it is worth before you sell it.  Make sure the price is right and then consider your selling options.

You may wish to part exchange your Honda at a dealership.  This may not mean that you will get the highest price but it is a simple transaction that gives you the option to upgrade for very little trouble.  Whoever you decide to sell it to, always prepare your Honda for viewings and possible test drives.  Take care to present full documentation and service history for your used Honda, as this is an essential part of selling.  Do not attempt to mislead buyers, but give an honest assessment of your Honda when preparing an advert.  Include as much information as possible, including the make and model, year, registration number and engine capacity, as well as any details such as how much remains on the MOT.  Finally, you should price the Honda for a realistic sale and get an independent car valuation quote. 

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.

With the Ford Fiesta named as the United Kingdom’s best-selling second hand car in 2011 (source Experian), it seems that these perennially popular cars will never go out of fashion.  Massive sellers such as the Ford Fiesta and Ford Focus will always therefore be desirable in the used car market, and if you are thinking “how can I sell my Ford?” there are various practical ways of doing this.

Ford cars cover a wide spectrum of the market, so it is possible to pick up a second hand bargain, but if you want to get the best price for your used Ford then it makes sense to follow some simple rules.  First of all, ensure that all your paperwork is up to date.  Include a service book when selling your Ford and be honest about the mileage.  Any minor repairs may have to be completed before selling your Ford, depending on whether it is a premium model, and it is always advisable to have the car properly cleaned both inside and out before putting it on the market.  Typically a ten year old Ford could be sold for as little as a few hundred pounds, but if you have a model that is less than 5 years old to sell, such as a recent Ford S-Max, then you could be looking at a substantial sum depending on the condition.  Always check the small ads in local newspapers and online before selling your Ford, as this should give you a realistic overview of the market. 

In the UK, for any car over three years old to be considered fit for the road, it must first pass the Ministry of Transport test (MOT), an annual assessment of the vehicle’s condition. The MOT is rigorous and is mandatory for every car over three years old. It is not legal for any such car to be on the road in the UK without having first passed the MOT.

In order for a vehicle to be adjudged fit for the road, in terms of the MOT, some car repairs may be necessary, in fact this is most often the case. However, this is a cost that is usually worth it, as it helps to maximise the value of the car, a crucial consideration if the vehicle is being sold privately or in a part exchange car deal. There are hundreds of authorised car service centres throughout the country, which are certified to perform repairs, as well as issue MOT certificates. Many of these centres can be found online.

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.