to not know how to buy a nearly new car

[LispytheWisp]

feeling quite stupid and pathetic about this

XDH always dealt with car matters and I realise I'm fairly clueless.

I just want to buy a decent car - got about £7000 to spend and thinking i could get something almost new for that - not after anything flash - and don't want one brand new off the forecourt - but would like something thats got a few hundred (or thousand ?) - ex display (or whatever the equivalent is with cars) - almost new - but don't know how to find such a car.

Popped into a local car showroom today and was treated like a poor little woman who would believe any old tosh and they only had shiny brand new ones anyway.

Go to a Motorpoint if you have one near you. It's like a big car supermarket. I got an 11 month old Seat Ibiza very recently, they were not patronising and there was a lot of female staff as well.
Hope this helps?

autotrader.co.uk is where I am starting

Before you buy any car check out the honest john website (Google it) and he will tell you which make and model is ok.

Have a think about what you want other than new(ish). Things like size of car, engine type and size, no of doors etc?

HTH

If you go to dealers with a specific car in mind and some sensible questions they will take you more seriously.

Yes - go to somewhere like Motorpoint to try different cars but buy second hand/ex test drive from the makes dealer - don't let them patronise you - you have a good wedge to spend - explain your budget and that you are a cash buyer

When I bought a used car, I asked AA for assistance. People there know about cars and inspect them for you. I love what I finished up with.

Have you got an idea of what type of car you want?

Think about age, mileage, engine size, petrol or diesel, size of car, mpg.

Think about any brands/models and try and narrow it down to some models. Do a bit of online research about those models as some reviews may say that a certain engine size on that model wasn't very good in a specific year, etc.

Then look at the dealer garages in your area for those brands, look online, and see what they've got. Also look at non dealer garages in your area with a good reputation.

Some large garages like Evans Halshaw may sell a range of brands.

Narrow it down via price on what meets your tick list and is within your price. Go and see the ones you like the sound of and test drive.

I bought a ford focus last month and went and said I'd spend under 10k and I wanted a diesel estate, less than 3 years old and with under 30k on the clock. I ideally wanted a focus but would consider some other estates.

The ford garage looked on their online system (whichid already looked at via the ford website) and said there was one 40 miles away. They brought it in for me and I test drove it and bought it.

Don't let them put you off. They're normally keen for a sale so should be nice to you.

All good advice here. Go at the end of the month for the best deal.

Have you thought about going to an auction? Register with BCA and have an idea of size/engine size/hatch/saloon/estate rather than a specific make or model. Pick a time to go when there are loads going through and make yourself a spreadsheet with lot number, mileage, condition etc and go with an open mind.
You're cutting out the middle man so to speak so won't be paying the dealer's mark up price.
Check Parkers for list prices and I think glasses is another?
Honest John as mentioned upthread is a good starting point to have a read up once you've narrowed down your options.
Good luck

If the showroom patronises you, channel Julia Roberts, and say "you work on commission, don't you? Big mistake" as you get up and leave.

Do you have a local garage, not a main dealership?
We have been customers of our local garage for over 30 years and rely on them to find us a good used car without ripping us off. A local garagre will value your custom and not patronise you

I second a good look on the honest john website - it will tell you a lot about the model you are considering, what goes wrong and what to avoid.

car salesmen think it is all about the gadgets and whether the outside has any scratches. These are the least important things about a car.

Look for an ex-motability car, the scheme which gives cars to disabled people who need them. The cars are well looked after - serviced regularly and unlike business fleet, tend to be low mileage.

Your nearest motability dealer of your preferred make of car is a good place to start.

Look at cars in local traders to get some idea of what you'd like, and then search on www.autotrader.co.uk/ to see what's on offer near you - then you can decide whether you fancy any of them, contact the dealer and arrange a test drive.

I've bought my last three cars like this, all very successfully - good luck..!

Yes to autotrader, even if you don't buy from there it will give you an idea what is out there and how far your budget would stretch. It will also give you a clue if a car on a forecourt is under/over priced.

I would look at cars at around a year old, cars lose a huge portion of their value in the first 12 months (40%) so let someone else suffer that loss. Most cars have lengthy warranties (Kia offer a 7 year warranty) so there shouldn't be any surprises.

I would also look at this year's J D Power survey which gives you a breakdown on the satisfaction and reliability by make and model.

The AA do vehicle checks which will let you see if a car has finance owing on it or has ever been written off, it costs twenty quid a pop, but is worth doing if you have decided you're seriously thinking of buying a particular car.

Low mileage is no the be all and end all. In fact the archetypical 'owned by an old woman, only taken out once a week and driven half a mile to the shops' is more likely to cause problems than a car that has done significantly more motorway miles, as on local journeys the car will be not get a chance to warm up. Prioritise a full service history (essential to preserve the warranty).

As to engine size/fuel type. It depends what you type of driving and how much driving you do. Diesels are usually more expensive to buy and to insure, but are usually more fuel efficient. If you drive less than 10,000 miles a year or are only planning to keep the car a few years then a petrol car may be cheaper.

Other useful websites:

euro ncap safety performance

vehicle tax rates based on emissions

Did I read it right that you're total budget is £7,000? Depending on what make on model you're looking at, £7,000 won't get you nearly new on many models, unless you're looking at tiny city cars.

I had a quick look on autotrader and £7,000 would buy you a 2009/10 Fiesta with lowish mileage. This may not be what you're after, but gives you an idea how much purchasing power you have.