Top tips for buying your first used car
It’s an exciting time when you come to buy your first used car, with so many options out there to choose from, but there are also other important factors to consider before you part with your cash.
At Hilton Garage, we have over 45 years of experience in the used car market, and we’ve dealt with many first time car buyers, so we know what you need to look out for. Read on to discover some of our top tips for when it comes to buying your first car.
What type of car would you like?
There are a plethora of different makes and models of car out there, all with different types of engines, so let’s break it down for you.
Body types:
-Sports cars (i.e the Jaguar F-Type)
-Sedans (i.e Toyota Corolla)
-Coupes (i.e Audi A5)
-Estate (i.e Mercedes E-Class Estate)
-Hatchback (i.e Volkswagen Golf)
-Convertible (i.e Mazda MX-5)
- SUV - Sports Utility Vehicle - (i.e Hyundai Tucson)
-Pickup Truck (i.e Mitsubishi L200)
Engine types:
-Petrol
-Diesel
-Fully Electric
-Hybrid (a combination of fuel and electric power)
Petrol is typically a better choice if you’re planning on using your first car for short commutes around town, while a diesel is preferable for travelling longer distances, such as on the motorway. While a hybrid cuts fuel consumption in half and is more environmentally friendly than its petrol or diesel counterparts, and a fully electric car is great for saving you money on fuel, is lower maintenance and gives improved performance.
Consider additional costs
When buying your first car, you also need to factor in other additional costs to keep your car running and properly maintained.
Fuel
Firstly, you need to consider how many times a week or a month you think you’ll be using your car, and how often you’ll need to refill it. Do you have enough surplus income to afford refuelling as much as you need to?
Tax
Car tax rates are based on a vehicle's CO2 emissions, fuel type and engine size and are delegated into tax bands. Typically, the lower the CO2 emissions of a car, the lower the tax band.
You’re able to tax a car for either 6 or 12 months, and can pay by direct debit or in one lump sum for the year.
Insurance
Legally, you need insurance on your car to drive on UK roads. You have different levels of insurance, including comprehensive, third party fire and theft and third party, which is the legal minimum.
Insurance is essential as it covers you if you happen to get into a car accident.
What’s your budget?
Buying your first car can be a big expense, so you need to decide how much you're willing to put towards it, as well as if you’re going to be buying outright or on finance.
Finance gives you more flexibility in that you pay monthly towards the cost of your car, with added interest, over an agreed period of time with the finance lender.
Whereas buying outright means you’ll be the legal owner of the car from the beginning, and you can sell it whenever you’d like.
You can filter through our range of used cars in Derby by the overall price or monthly finance payments.
Where should I start looking?
For the best way to buy a used car, it’s always a smart idea buying from a reputable dealership, as you’ll have more legal rights, making the sale safer than purchasing privately.
Buying with a dealership like Hilton Garage also means your first car will have undergone a 108 point vehicle check, be eligible for a 14 day money back guarantee if you’re not happy with your car and have a range of finance options available to you so you can get the best possible deal.
Browse through our wide range of used vehicles in Derby available for purchase today, and book a test drive. Or, you can contact our team so we can discuss your first car options with you.