31 January 2020 Concept Car
Ever since the dawn of the automobile, there have always been plenty used cars for sale. Still, there has never been a better time to buy second hand. Today, the UK’s used car market has matured to the point where it is actually more attractive and diverse than the market for new models.
The main problem is how to navigate this complex landscape. Thankfully, there are a few simple steps you can take to ensure you’re taking the right decision.
The key is informing yourself and then finding a dealer you can trust. Especially so if you’re in need of suitable bad credit used car dealers. Here’s how you can do that.
The used car market has matured. Over the past decades, second hand vehicles have grown from being a makeshift solution to a veritable alternative to new models. Today, even a car with 200,000 miles on the odometer can still drive just fine.
Recent sales figures are reflecting that maturity. Although the second hand market still has its ups and downs, it has remained fairly stable even in rough times. Consumers are also confident enough to buy hybrids and ecars used.
Online is a growth market, but remains somewhat risky. It also has its disadvantages: You can buy a really cheap car far away, but you still need to bring it home. Private sales are even riskier and offer little to no legal protection. They’re better left to true experts.
Which leaves dealerships as the best place to look for used car deals. Most dealerships offer excellent quality and competitive prices. You can usually trust them to sell only HPI Clear vehicles. But, thanks to online car history checks, you don’t have to take their word for it.
If you want to find a truly great used car for sale, make sure of the following:
In order to keep prices down, we recommend you consider less popular models. Only buy what you need, not what you desire.
Especially when it comes to bad credit, used car dealers are definitely your best option. They can get the best deals and they offer solutions tailored to your financial situation.
Are we in the UK ever going to tire of buying cars? It doesn’t look that way. Despite the Brexit chaos and uncertainties about the future of the economy, drivers in the UK have continued to splurge. It seems we simply can’t live without our four-wheeled companions. And as one of Manchester’s leading car dealers, who are we to complain?
Although the media are obviously focusing on new models, the used car market has been the real backbone of the UK’s car buying appetite. Here, you can find the widest range of models at the best prices. Many buyers have realised that cars are truly built to last these days. And many used vehicles are just as reliable as their factory new counterparts.
At Concept Car Credit, we were able to witness this development first hand. For many years, second hand cars were considered inferior to new ones. As a businesswoman or sales person, you wouldn’t want to be seen driving in one. Even as a student, you’d only go for a used vehicle to save up for a new one.
And then, gradually, things began to change. We started hearing from customers that they really appreciated the wide choice the second hand market offered them. How some of their used cars had turned out to be even better than their new ones. And how they’d driven their car into the ground, with well over 200,000 miles on the odometer being no exception.
If you look into our digital showroom, you’ll see plenty of used cars for sale. They’ve all been thoroughly inspected, cleaned and maintained. And the way things are going at the moment, it does look as though things are going to stay that way for a while.
According to the latest data, the used car market may be shrinking just a little bit. But that’s hardly a cause for worry.
In the first quarter of this year, it virtually marked time, with no big ups and downs. In the second quarter, there was a drop by almost 3%. But since the market is still at a very high and healthy level, very few commentators see any reason for real concern.
In some ways, the used car market is in a transition phase. Despite the small decline in overall sales, hybrids and ecars transactions grew considerably. This may mean that consumers are simply considering a switch to a more ecological alternative to petrol cars. Since hybrids are more expensive, drivers will probably need more time to consider and save for this option. In the end, however, the car industry may come out of this as a winner.
A steadily growing market is hardly the best place for finding incredible deals. As long as demand remains healthy, you will have to content yourself with small rebates at best. Still, you can always find used cars for sale.
One of the best strategies simply consists in taking your time and waiting for these offers to arrive. The end of the year tends to be the best time to look for deals. Sales staff are eager to clear out their stock to improve their bonuses. And demand is generally higher in the Summer holiday season anyway.
Waiting a little longer also allows you to save a little more and put down a larger deposit. This alone can considerably improve the conditions of your car finance deal.
But there are other aspects you should take into consideration as well. One of them is where to buy your car. After all, not all options were created equal in this regard.
It is a sign of the times that you can buy absolutely anything online now. First, there were CDs. Then came clothes. And then, everything was possible, from food via designer objects to entire houses.
Cars have been one of the biggest growth markets for the online industry. This may seem counter intuitive. After all, cars are very expensive and hard to evaluate from a distance. But sellers have resolved these issues by offering rock bottom prices and including additional guarantees such as car check certificates, close-up photography and user reviews.
Despite all this, the web may not be the best place to look for used cars for sale. For one, you will find plenty of great deals, but many of them will be far away from home. Also, the sheer amount of deals can be tiring and confusing. It is also very hard comparing all these different ads and finding out which is really best for you. You’re not the only one looking, either. In the end, you will usually need to take a quick, and possibly rash decision after all.
All of this means that online car sales are not for everyone.
Private sales used to be a lot more popular than they are today. In fact, they used to be the most popular way to sell your car and the papers were filled to the brim with car classifieds each morning. The rise of the Internet has changed that. Most people prefer the anonymity of the web to the potentially confrontational nature of one on one sales talk.
That said, there is still a quite sizeable private sales market. If you’re prepared to haggle, both sellers and buyers can profit here, as there is no middle man. And not all sales conversations need to be unpleasant. Sometimes, you’ll get a few anecdotes for good measure which can deepen your relationship with the vehicle in question.
Would we recommend private sales, though? Not unless you are a true car buff. The risk is higher than with any other sales channel here, your legal protection almost non-existent. If you know your way around cars, private sales may be a great way of finding used cars for sale. If you don’t, then avoid them at all cost.
Dealerships are still the best places to find used cars for sale in the UK. That may be hard to believe for some. Dealers, after all, don’t exactly enjoy a stellar reputation. But a lot has changed over the past few years:
Here, too, it helps to check in regularly and wait patiently for the best deal to come along.
As mentioned, you can now get affordable car check-ups at many different providers. The AAA and the RCA, for example, have car check experts working for them that can give you peace of mind.
Still, it is by no means mandatory that you ask an outside party to inspect a potentially interesting used car for sale. Instead, you can draw a lot of conclusions by taking a look at the most basic parameters of a car.
The following points alone can be enough to take an informed decision.
Mileage is usually considered less important than age when it comes to gauging the condition of a used car. That is a mistake. If you combine mileage with age, you get a pretty good picture of how a particular model has been driven. Very low mileages are probably the worst indication, as cars need to be driven quite a bit to stay in great shape. Very high mileages in a very short time frame are also problematic.
Don’t be scared off by an odometer reading of more than 100,000 miles, however. Cars can easily be driven for this much or more these days.
Many vehicle inspection checklists have over a hundred different points which are minutely tested by a mechanic. But do you really need to be this thorough?
Often, it is more than enough to focus on three points:
If the car can not fully convince you during the test drive, you should probably stay away from it.
The age of the car these days doesn’t really tell you quite that much anymore. Cars are built to last for many years. You can safely buy a 15 year old model without having to be afraid that it will fall apart straight away.
The age of the car can matter, however, in terms of its safety features. Make a list of what you consider essential functionalities in this regard and check if the model in question has them.
Also, the age of the car can provide you with useful insights when compared with other aspects, such as the condition and mileage.
If a deal seems to good to be true, it usually is. This simple wisdom applies to used cars for sale as well. Thankfully, you have plenty of tools at your disposal to avoid unpleasant surprises:
Checking thee things may cost you a few Pounds and time. But both will definitely pay for themselves in the end.
So much for the theory. Let’s now become a bit more concrete and take a look at what kind of cars you should be looking at. Generally speaking, if you’re looking for used cars for sale, you should take the following thoughts into consideration:
If you want even more hands-on advice about particular models, you can find plenty of online overviews. One of them that makes a lot of sense are the What Car used car of the year awards. These are generally based on true quality and offer excellent inspiration for anyone looking for used cars for sale in the UK.
Last but not least, we need to talk about money. A used car deal without car finance won’t get you anywhere. That’s why you should always approach these two things at the same time.
When it comes to new cars, the choice of car finance options can be dizzying. On the second hand market, things are slightly simpler. Obviously, you can still go to a bank for a private loan. Banks, however, have become more and more reluctant to extend loans to lesser well-off households. This means your chances are slim and the hassle may not be worth it.
Then, there have been attempts at translating some of the more successful concept of the new car scene to second hand models. PCPs and leasing for used cars are still pretty exotic concepts, though, and they don’t strike us as particularly useful.
Ultimately, the dealer will be the person to talk to first when it comes to used car finance. This makes sense, in a way, after all, the dealer also gets the entire profit from the sale of the car, which is usually more than they’d get from a new car sale. So they will try everything to win you over.
There is absolutely nothing inherently bad about dealer finance. Instead, focus on what you can afford, work out your maximum monthly rate and then stick to it.
At CCC, we have many, many years of experience with used car finance. We focus particularly on those who may not be able to get a car loan elsewhere and can offer highly individual deals. If you’re looking for used cars for sale, talk to us now. We are more than happy to assist you and help you find the car of your dreams. Take our free car finance check now.
Clearly, it helps to know your stuff. Second hand markets are always skewed in favour of insiders and experts. The used car market is no exception here.
Especially when it comes to mechanical issues, you may find it hard to arrive at a judgement. Then again, so may experienced friends or relatives. Not everything is visible to the naked eye. And how you drive a car obviously has a huge impact, too.
There are, however, quite a few things you can do to get an excellent used car deal: Check the car’s history, ask for a professional vehicle inspection and make sure all the paperwork is in order.
All in all, experts will still be able to get the best deal on the private market. At dealerships, meanwhile, the playing field is probably level right now.
Not very high. New consumer laws have done a lot to improve the situation. Dealers simply can’t get away with many of their tricks anymore. Since they will have to deal with the issues of their cars, they usually carefully clean, check and repair them. Most models you can buy at an official dealership will feel as good as new.
We certainly don’t recommend against using eBay or any of the other online market places to find used cars for sale. We do caution you to use them sensibly and not to expect too much from them.
This is because there are inherent problems with selling high-investment objects like cars on the Internet. For one, you can not inspect them the way you would inspect them at a dealership. More importantly, cars can not be shipped by mail like smaller items. Which means that you may have to take a long drive to collect your purchase. And even if the seller honours her legal obligations, a repair can turn into a costly affair, just to service the car.
Which means that the deal has to be extremely good to make sense.
There can, in fact, be huge price differences between different parts of the UK. They may even be worth taking a several hours long drive to pick up a used car for sale at the other end of the country.
Still, the best approach is to have a little patience and look for good deals locally. Usually, in time, you should be able to match even extremely attractive offers from far away sellers.
Probably a lot better than what you’d expect. The times when bad credit instantly cried rejection are long over. At the same time, finding a suitable loan remains as hard as ever.
This is because so many bad credit deals for used cars are so obviously designed to abuse your weaknesses. From payday lenders to ruthless buy here pay here lenders, the market is saturated with black sheep.
There are plenty of bad credit offers out there. But ask yourself: Are they really worth it?
Admittedly, finding a fair bad credit used car dealer isn’t easy. But it’s certainly possible. Here are some indications you have come to the right place:
31 January 2020 Concept Car
