Blog

A quick sensible guide to buying a used car

Buying a used car can be a very intimidating experience. It is a big investment and if you get it wrong, the implications can be expensive, tiresome, and inconvenient. The vehicle you chose will need to meet all your driving needs, be reliable and ideally come with good after sales supports. At Western Motors we know how important peace of mind is and our dedicated sales team are fully experienced in finding the best pre-loved car for every buyer. If you are in the market for a used car,  there are a number of factors which are essential to a successful purchases. Here is a quick guide.

 

Buy from a reputable source

There is very little reassurance in buying a car from a stranger in a dimly lit car park on a dark winter’s night, and it is not the wisest option.  While some private sales have resulted in amazing deals and reliable cars, the sensible thing to do when paying hard earned money for a used vehicle is to buy from a reputable source. Motor dealers will be clear on what recourse there is if the car should present issues after sales and indeed, the history of the car up to the moment you drive away. At Western Motors, you get the added advantage of great after sales service and the assurance that comes with the Used Approved second hand cars. Approved Used is a fantastic program from the Volkswagen Group that offers complete confidence in your choice of vehicle as it comes with a guarantee, financing solutions and several other benefits. 

Full Car History

Ensure that the car you want to buy has a full-service history. There is a confidence that comes when buying a car with a full car history. A garage that conducts a full car history test has an eye for detail and years of experience to spot potential issues and problems.  By virtue of being in the motor industry, a motor dealer has access to fuller car history reports than those on offer to private individuals. Here at Western Motors, we can check every Volkswagen approved used car against the large vehicle information databases. This way, we get to know the full lineage of a car or van and can tell whether it has been stolen, involved in an accident or has any outstanding finance. Every one of our used cars has a full motor trade vehicle check before it goes on the showroom.

How much will the car cost to run?

Before you fall in love with a preloved car, do a little research on the running costs and the cost of spare parts. Some cars are notoriously expensive to run and to repair. In these times of fluctuating fuel price, the fuel costs should be a deciding factor in which car you decide to purchase. A little research or a conversation with the friendly sales team will ease your mind on costs.

Is everything working?

Again, there are issues with buying a preowned car from a private sale that do not arise when purchasing from an established motor dealership. but in both cases, you need to give the vehicle a good inspection and if possible, bring a dependable person with you when you go car shopping. Important things to look for include any tell-tale signs of oil on the engine or underneath the car itself. Look closely at the bodywork and for fixes on upholstery. Seatbelts, lights, wipers, radio. Inspect the wheel arches and the tyres and look for signs of oil leaks. Ask about and view the spare tyre. Make sure there are two keys available. The lack of a second key can be very expensive and inconvenient if that one precious key is lost or goes missing!   

Insurance and Car tax costs.

Consider the annual costs of insuring and paying road tax on your chosen car. This is particularly important for novice and learner drivers as not all cars will be easily covered by insurance companies. Sometimes, a car needs to be over ten years old before you will be considered for motor insurance if you are a younger or newer driver. Our experienced sales team will be able to advise on all the costs involved in any cars on the Western Motors sales floor.

The benefits of a Volkswagen Approved Used Vehicle

Everyone spending hard earned cash on a preloved vehicle needs to know that they can drive away with complete confidence along with a reasonable guarantee. Every Volkswagen Approved Used vehicle offers this confidence with a complete multipoint check, comprehensive vehicle preparation and thorough checks on mileage and validation to ensure that it is in top condition. Following the multi−point check, any faults reported are rectified before it becomes an Approved Used Car. Any repair or maintenance work will be performed by Volkswagen trained technicians only, using Volkswagen original parts. Both inside and out, every Volkswagen approved used car is completely refreshed to a high visual standard and is fully cleaned and sanitised before being handed over to you too. After sales service plans are also available and this is an important conversation to have with the Sales Team. These Volkswagen Service Plans for used cars are designed to make servicing costs affordable, ensuring exceptional care for your vehicle. Our service plans ensure that you get the benefits from our expertise as well as first-class customer service.

Call into Western Motors to view our wide selection of preowned cars and ask about a Volkswagen Service Plan for your Volkswagen Approved Used Car.

Car Grades Explained
Grade
Description
Mileage
95% as new condition/100% as new to drive/ min two year warranty
Less than 50,000 km’s
Thoroughly prepared used car/ excellent mechanical condition/ a minimum of 1 year warranty
Less than 120,000 km’s
Reasonable mechanical and cosmetic condition/ a minimum of 6 months warranty
Less than 150,000 km’s
A Part Exchanged/Trade In – only sold on to Trade
N/A
Only applicable to Trade In Self Appraisals – scrapped or sold to Trade where possible
N/A

As our Digital Dealership grows we know that more buyer confidence is needed throughout the online buying process and to assist we have introduced the Western Motors Group Used Car Grading System. The system has been devised to offer more transparency to our customers and to provide an easy guide as to the quality of the used car being sold.