an idiot's guide to buying a car needed

[JJ]

Continuing on my "asking stupid questions" theme... how does one go about buying a car? Does one need insurance before purchase? What about a license plate? If one pays in cash, is it really cash or a cheque? (It was really cash in Switzerland - an odd feeling carrying that much money around.) What else does one need?

I need a car before the school hols (they start on Friday) or at some point. Is this a terrible time to buy a car? DON'T ANSWER THAT IF THE ANSWER IS YES!

Thanks.

oh god jj you sound scary on te rds. lol

if its standard Uk manual your getting, then 1st gear will be on passenger side.

JJ

Did you have a manual over here ? If so the gears are likely to be similarly positioned but operated with left hand iyswim

LIZS, we had to claim for pine martin damage. Do you think that counts? :) I hope not! It's just that I'm the queen of dings (shopping trolleys, hedges..) but not enough to claim. Have had to when younger, pre-kids, though, and just don't want any hassle if not necessary.

But I need to make sure I get:
MOT cert and, hopefully, road tax disc from the dealer? Otherwise, I need to register at the PO?

That really helps, as I know what to ask about when negotiating. As you'd expect, sometimes salespeople don't think I have a clue! And use outdated cliches. The cheek.

I think I'll be using a dealer (found through autotrade - thanks for that info, Ponka - or the Audi website) or someone like Network Q (which seems dealerish). Actually, I know I will, I'm too nervous to do it otherwise.

Thanks for the info, again.

(Just out of curiosity, did you have to pay in cash for your car, LIZS? It was very bizarre for me!)

:)

LIZS, yep, have always had a manual. I don't think it'll be a problem, except for the first time I drive it. Turning right will pose problems...

Please don't worry, guys. I drove automatics here, in Ireland for our honeymoon and learned to drive in Australia. It's just the placement of the gears. I might stall, that's all!

Our "deal" on the car was a bit odd. We leased for 2 years then bought it at a discount , but actually paid by Einzahlungschein (sp ?) so no wads of cash involved !! In UK we used Bankers Drafts.

btw I haven't driven in UK since I left 3.5 years ago so I'm not looking forward to it again.

Today I bought the car and purchased the insurance. Got a good deal, I think, at a dealer - below retail price in Parker's Guide with a few extras thrown in. Got the insurance through Direct Line and the guy was super helpful as it was all a bit complicated (we don't have UK licenses and spent the last 2 years in Switzerland so our no-claims discount comes from there). Ended up paying by bank transfer and will pick up the car on Saturday. Did a test drive today and no-one got hurt, so don't be scared.

LIZS, I miss those little slips! They were so easy. And, if I'm any indication, driving on the left hand side is easy to pick (back) up.