You’re learning to drive,  you’ve just passed your test... You want to get yourself some wheels! How do you go about buying a car, and what things should you know before you buy? Buying a car is really exciting but it can also be really confusing. Find out more with these handy hints.

Costs

Cars don’t come cheap. A car will be one of the most expensive purchases you’ll have ever made. But don’t forget that you will also need money to look after and run your car. You will also need to think about the costs for repairs, insurance, tax and fuel.  

Before buying you should make a budget. This will help you work out exactly what you will need to spend on your car and how much you can afford.  Your budget should include:

• The cost of the car
• The cost of the insurance (and whether you want 3^rd party or fully comprehensive insurance)
• The cost of the road tax (6 or 12 months)
• The price of the annual MOT and other road costs
• You might want to include breakdown cover (check if this is included in your insurance)
• The price of fuel, think about how often you will be using your car and how much you will spend on petrol.

Where to buy a car

Whether you will be buying a new or a second-hand car, it’s a good idea to check out a few motoring magazines and websites and compare the market before you buy. Look up car reviews and adverts to get an idea of prices, and the advantages and disadvantages of each make and model. There are a number of places you can go to buy cars:

• If you are buying a new car you can go straight to the manufacturer’s showroom and find the model that your after. 
• If you are buying a second hand car you could try a used car dealership. You could also look at the listings in motoring magazines or websites (such as Autotrader, Which? Car or Ebay) for lists of cars for sale. Local or national newspapers will also have details of private sellers, but remember you have fewer legal rights when buying from a private seller rather than a dealer.
• Look for reputable dealers and ask the advice of friends. Look for a trade association sign, this should mean the dealer follows a code of practice such as the Code of Practice for the Motor Industry.

Tips on buying

Even if you know nothing about grease and engines there are things you can do to see whether the car is safe, legal and in a reasonable condition.  Consumer Direct has a complete checklist of what you should look out for when buying a car. Make sure to remeber to:

• Check the paintwork, the condition of the car and tyres, looking for any rust and dents, marks or faults.
• Go and visit the car in daylight and when it’s dry, as dents and rust spots will not always show up in the dark.
• Have a look under the car to see that oil is not leaking onto the ground.
• Always test drive to get a feel of how the car is running. Take someone with you if you don’t know much about cars.
• If you are still unsure whether the car is sound, you can pay for a reputable organisation such as the AA, Green Flag or the RAC to check the car for you. This usually costs around £120 - £150.
• You can also run a background check (HPI) on the vehicle to see if it has been written off, stolen, has outstanding finance on it or any mileage discrepancy. This will cost around £20 and will help you know whether your car is legal and sound to drive.

Make sure you get a receipt, the sellers contact details, the log book and full service history on purchase.

Checklist

There are a number of documents that will help you proove that you are legally able to drive, your car is roadworthy and you are the registered owner. Some of these are compulsory and some are recommended.

• Insurance and Driving Licence (Compulsory). To legally drive you must have both of these, and must show them to the police if you are asked.
• MOT (Compulsory). If the car is more than three years old it will need an MOT. The MOT proves that your car at the time of its test, met the minimum environmental and road safety standard required by law. It is your responsibility the renew your MOT every year. When the car passes the test successfully you will receive a Test Certificate (VT20). If not, you will receive a VT30 form which lists all the necessary repairs.
• Tax Disc (Compulsory). To drive legally on UK roads you will need to display a valid tax disc on your dashboard.
• VIN - Vehicle Identification Number (Compulsory). This is a unique number used to identify individual vehicles, you can find the VIN on several places in your car. Check for any tampering and make sure the number matches the number in the V5C.
• Log book/V5C (Recommended). This is the Vehicle Registration Certificate. You should receive this when you buy the car and the car changes ownership. Check that the blue and green pages show the same information.
• Full service history (Recommended). This should have the details of the car’s mileage and how many times it has been serviced.  It should also include paperwork of any repairs or replacement parts on the vehicle.
• HPI Check (Optional). This is proof that your car is what the seller says it is.