How do I buy a car?

30 replies

Georock · 17/12/2025 20:44

Please no nasty comments, I have never bought a car and I am completely lost. DH has always been the one to buy cars etc. and never taken me with him so I have literally never in my life even been to a dealership, my self esteem is rock bottom so I don’t trust myself to do this alone. Can someone please guide me?

the only dealership I know is car giant, any opinions on this? I don’t feel comfortable going to peoples houses to look at cars and would prefer from a dealership. Please help me. I’m so useless I don’t know where to start from, we have a car currently that we both drive that is on its last legs and I drive kids around in it and I feel it’s not safe, it’s about 14 years old

OP posts:

MasterBeth · 18/12/2025 00:37

Sw1989 · 17/12/2025 21:46

Find a good local used car dealer (yes, they do exist)! Don't be pressured into anything and wal away if it doesn't feel right.

Look at auto trader as it will give customer reviews etc. Lots of people seem to like leasing cars these days but it is such a waste of money. For our last two cars, we have taken a low interest bank loan over 3 years and brought a 2-3 year old car and never had any issues. Lots of manufacturers have extended warranties so if you buv something that's 2-3 years old you can still buy something that is covered by the manufacturers warranty (Kia for example have a 7 year warranty these days).

Our last car loan payments were £200 pm for a 3% interest bank loan and a dealership finance or lease scheme would have been nearly triple that. We paid the loan off a year earlier too, and it only cost us £25 to repay it early.

Find a good local used car dealer

This sounds like an outcome, rather than an input.

How would the OP find a good local used car dealer?

I don't know anything about Car Giant but a large second-hand car supermarket is a perfectly fine way to buy a used car, OP.

Fgfgfg · 18/12/2025 00:42

TakemedowntoPotatoCity · 17/12/2025 21:13

As a former newbie to buying carsI have learnt a few things. Firstly, be careful and check the car you like's MOT history which you can do online. (Better to go for a car that has had few problems in the past in my opinion.)
Also be aware of, and read up on, Category S and N cars which will appear on Auto trader, often at a cheaper price. I believe it means they have had insurance write offs so again avoid those.

It can be worth looking at Cat N cars because they've only sustained minor damage.

Fgfgfg · 18/12/2025 00:46

Hibernatingtilspring · 17/12/2025 21:06

IMO everyone will tell you that you need to haggle at the car dealership. But unless you're buying from a one man dealership in the 1980s, haggling isn't a thing - the head office set the prices, the same way they do at Sainsbury's - they're fixed. The only room for negotiation is if you are buying the car and want a deal on extras, such as service plans and replacement tyres, where you might get a discount for getting more than one optional extra.

I only mention this because I remember feeling like I just wasn't assertive enough or that people took me for a walk over until I made a friend who knew more about the industry (he's a mechanic who does work for a dealership) and he just laughed!

Its good to research in advance to know your limits in terms of budgets etc. Eg most people I know not buy PCP or lease, personally I only ever do bank loan or cash because I have higher than average mileage which means the cost per month on leasing/PCP is WAY higher than the advertised deals.

Sorry replied to wrong post

bridgetreilly · 18/12/2025 00:51

Leasing/PCP is really a terrible deal these days. If you can, get a loan and pay it off. Second hand cars hold their value well, and so long as you budget for normal wear and tear, you will be way better off in the long run. You do not need a brand new car every three years, they just want you to think so.

HeddaGarbled · 18/12/2025 01:01

I always use a local dealership that also does servicing and repairs, for convenience. Currently, that’s Ford (so I have a used Fiesta). Where I used to live, it was Vauxhall (used Corsa).

I’m just not interested enough to bother researching and negotiating. I know my budget, that I want a small car with a low mileage and then let the salesman do the work. I’m not an idiot, though, I’ll double-check approximate prices on the internet.

I only ever buy from main dealerships because you know there are layers of accountability if there are any problems, though I’ve never had any. I wouldn’t touch a private owner, an independent or a supermarket with a barge-pole.

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