This section was created for you! If you have a question about a car, a sale, a technical question or if you want any motor related advice… Ask Adrian! Adrian has a lot of experience. For more information about him please consult the About us section.
1. Viewing Vehicle. Never inspect the vehicle on a wet day. Rain water will camouflage paint defects on the vehicle and you will not be able to see the paintwork correctly. Always view the vehicle in dry weather conditions so as you can see the paintwork correctly. Likewise never view the vehicle at night or in artificial light.
2. Test Drive. Always test drive the vehicle. Take it for a good long spin on a rough road if possible. Make sure there is no knocking or banking out of the ordinary. Make sure that you are comfortable and that the drive feels right.
3. Professional Opinion; Always have the vehicle assessed by an independent mechanic/technician appointed by yourself and working on your interest. Never take the sellers answers to your questions as enough proof. A mechanical check like this should cost no more than €100.00 and could prove to be money very well spent if the vehicle had defects which would not be apparent to the un-trained eye. The AA (Automobile Association) offer this service nationwide.
4. Comparison; Always compare the deal in question to 2 similar deals in the marketplace at the current time. Do this to make sure you are not paying over the market value for the vehicle.
5. History Check; have a history and finance check done on the vehicle. Do this to ensure the vehicle in question is genuine and was not stolen, an insurance write off, a taxi previously, mileage altered or that there is no finance outstanding on it. There are a number of websites offering this service cartelll.ie is one example.
6. Service History; Always check for a service history for the vehicle and an NCT where applicable (if the car is 4 years old it will require an NCT certificate) NCT’ing a vehicle can prove quite costly. On the other hand just because a vehicle has NCT remaining on it don’t assume that there are no mechanical defects.
7. Tyres; Ensure that the tyres are in good condition including the spare. Put your hand across the tyre to make sure they are not wearing on the inside which you may not see.
8. Running Costs; Check the running osts of the vehicle before you make your final decision. Find out how much the road cost is annually. Get an idea of the vehicles fuel consumption. Have a quotation from your insurance company for the new policy. Check the maintenance costs and the costs and availability of replacement parts.
9 Re-Sale Value; Check the re-sale value of the type of vehicle in question before you part with your hard earned cash. Remember that you will be selling the car on in the future and you should aim to be able to get as much as possible for it then. The day you buy is the day you sell!
10. Warrantys; Never assume that a vehicle is under manufacturers warranty, always have it checked. If you are buying from a car dealer bargain for a longer warranty than is being offered and get it in writing.