Tell Co-op Insurance what you look for when buying a used car - £300 voucher to be won! NOW CLOSED

[EllieMumsnet]

Whether you are buying a small family car, something fun for yourself, or perhaps a first car for your teenager, there are many things to consider such as size, fuel economy, and comfort to name a few. Co-op Insurance think safety is really important but would like to find out what is most important to you when you are buying a used car.

Here’s what Co-op Insurance has to say: “We know safety is paramount when it comes to driving children around and finding an affordable used car that offers the best safety standards will be important to many mums. For this reason we have identified and unveiled the top 5 used cars (under £5,000) for passenger safety. Whether it's your teenager’s first car or your car, passenger safety is very important and often an afterthought with all the other aspects to think about.”

So what is important to you when buying a used car? Are you savvy in finding the best price or do you shamelessly want a nice colour? Perhaps it’s all about the in-car entertainment for you to avoid the dreaded ‘are we there yet’? Or are you adamant that you must be able to fit three car seats in the back? Whatever your most important features are, please share them below and you will be entered into a prize draw to win a £300 voucher of your choice (from a list).

Thanks and good luck

MNHQ

Standard Insight T&Cs apply

Fuel efficiency, reliabilityand large boot capacity

fit for purpose, mileage and a nice colour

How it sounds when its running, and visual check of engine, and exhaust when doing so.
Is it rusty? does it look soldi and secure?
Does it look like any of its components parts are missing, or have been replaced.

Price is important and we are not bothered about colour or make. Size does matter - there are 4 of us and the kids are older teens so need space in the back. Something cheap to run and fix too.

We travel huge miles because we live somewhere remote so can't do lease etc. We tend to buy a car about 3-5 years old and then run it until it dies.

Reliability and low fuel consumption are my two main "wants".

Design & functionality most important. Colour choice also important for when you want to move the car on :)

We just bought a used car for our 17 year old so insurance cost was a big factor.

Plus good mot history and servicing, fuel economy and safety when it comes to your teen driving around!

For him it was about getting a safe reliable and economical car which also looked nice and he could afford to insure.

Look for a full service history or more or less complete. You can also check online!

As long as the car im buying is safe , reliable, not to expensive to run efficient, insurance cheap as thats what we all want i think just a great deal that makes us both happy
with enough room for a car seat and a bit shopping off we go thats my car

For our next family car, I really want to find the most ecologically sound option that can also be practical! I worry about the environment and air quality. I was influenced by hubby when we purchased a diesel landrover 4 years ago, so next time I'll be in charge of the decision-making! I'd look for a lowish mileage, and one that was on the cheapest side for tax purposes too.

Luckily my DH is worked on cars for many years so he knows exactly what's what and whether he is getting a bargain or not. He also does all the usual checks to make sure it's not going to need a shed load of money spending on it so a valid MOT is a must. Also checking the car via the MPI list to make sure it's not stolen or has finance still oweing on it. Fortunately this year for the first time we have been in a position to purchase a brand new car outright which takes away alot of stresses of purchasing a pre-owned vehicle.

Firstly I want to know it is safe. Easy access to back seats to make belting up children easy. Decent size boot for the dog. Fuel economy and price of replacement parts. I'm afraid looks come quite low down on my lists. I have drive some really embarrassing cars but needs must!

A factor in all my used car purchases has been excellent customer service. After an accident last year I had need to change my car suddenly from a manual to an automatic and the garage I use could not be more helpful. The brought the car to my house for a test drive, did the paperwork in my living room and did me a cracking deal to get me mobile again.

Paramount importance is also reliability - I drive a lot of miles and also live in the sticks. And not costing the earth in terms of servicing. 5 doors and air con for all round comfort also a must.

A few things are important to me: size, we need to all fit!, age/condition of the car, mileage and lastly colour! - colour is most important to my kids!

I always want service history, so important and learning from previous mistakes this is a gold star for me, there are so many choices nowadays so almost always possible to find the one you want with lots of documentation, many thanks

I most look for someone I can trust, a car with low milage and a car that hasn't had much work done to it.

Economical and a good warranty

I always look to see the mileage because I am going to be stuck with it for at least two years I want to make sure that the mileage isn't that high so that it is easier to sell on. I also do loads of research online to make sure that it is a low insurance group and to check for any common faults it might have.

We were moving to a smaller car last time and the most important thing was to save money. We looked for cars that had good MPG, low tax and insurance and good service histories. Also something that would be cheap for parts and repairs if necessary.

We've had a Citroen C3 for 2 years now and it has been everything we needed. I am also pleased with how easily we can fit 2 adults, 3 DC and shopping into it.

We looked for a car big enough for a family of four but not too big.
Decent mpg, low mileage for the year and service history.

I know that colour isn't really that important, but I certainly have my preferences.
Most of all though I chose from a selection of makes that I know are reliable and that I've had good experiences with before.

Needs to comfortably fit us all in, be economical to run and with a mileage that isn't too high. Ideally a low tax band. Manual only.

And not white!

Must have the highest safety meeting possible. Other than that, I want all the whistles and bells, the more ridiculous the better. Built in satnav, seat warmers, reversing camera, Bluetooth, that irritating noise it makes when I want to change lane and there is something in the way, and the automatic braking if I'm going too fast towards an object!

I always look for low mileage and 12 months MOT

for me it's all about how much space there is inside, and how safe it is - good looks are strictly optional!

We always buy used cars - for me a car is to get you from A to B. My husband uses our car for work and has about a 40m drive each way. We look for fuel efficiency, a decent sized boot, mileage and service history.