Buying a second hand luxury car offers the best value for money available. It stops you throwing money away on purchasing a brand new car that loses its value immediately. It may seem like a sure bet compared to buying an older, more worn used car, but the same checks are important to ensure you don't get lumbered with a pup. Remember to do the following:
Inspection of the condition
It is imperative to carry out a visual inspection of a luxury vehicle in broad daylight to make sure the car is in good condition outside and in. You should check:
* Bodywork - Check that all panels match, if there are discrepancies it could be masking a previous accident
* Tyres - Make sure the tread and condition is satisfactory or it could cost a small fortune to replace them
* Interior - In luxury cars the quality in the interior should be superior. Ensure the wear of the pedals, seats and fittings match with the stated age of the car
Test Drive
Once you've inspected the vehicle thoroughly it is time for probably the most important part of any quality car purchase. If you have done your research properly and read reviews of the car you should know how well the car should perform. Map out a comprehensive route that contains a mixture of A roads and winding country roads to test every aspect of the car's ride, handling and quality. Particular aspects to look out for:
* Steering - You are making sure the handling is smooth without pulling under braking
* Brakes - Be sure to do an emergency stop or sharp breaking to judge the response
* Gears - Check the quality of the gearbox and that all changes are smooth without any difficulty in engaging the gears
* Ride - This should be comfortable even in an older quality used car, listen out for any unusual noises that may point to any potential issues
Investigate documentation
There should really be no issues with the car's documentation on a recently new quality used car. However, you don't want to miss anything obvious, so be sure to do a thorough check through the car's service history. It will cool any potential worries you have about the age of the car or suspect low mileage.
If buying privately, always be sure to check the V5C document, which acts as a car's identification. You must make sure the car belongs to the owner and if the registration document looks faked or blurry, walk away.
