Buying a Used Car
How To Find A Safe Used Car That Suits You Best
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Why Buy a Used Car
So you have finally decided to buy a used car and you’ve started to hunt for the right one for you. In this day and age more people are buying used cars for a number of reasons, such as it costs less and in many states, it is cheaper to register a used car than it is a new car. Plus, purchasing a used car can offer people the chance to take home a vehicle with more features than a brand new car at a corresponding price point.
On the other hand, as much as you wish to save by buying a used car, safety for your family and yourself while traveling should be your priority. Given this, impulse buying a used car should never be an option. Just because one used car is cheaper or has the features that you want doesn’t mean that it’s the best for you.
To shed some light on this matter, experts at Vehicle Connect shared these useful tips for finding a safe used car for you.
Check Car Safety Features
Not all cars are built equal, which means that the features available for a particular car model may not be available in all cars. As such, here are the top features that you should be looking for in a used car:
Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB)
An Autonomous Emergency Braking (AEB),also known as a pre-crash system, is a car feature that alerts a driver to an imminent crash and helps them use the maximum braking capacity of the car. It provides emergency braking assistance—or can even brake autonomously—if an accident risk is detected. In any event that the car detects that an accident is avoidable, the system targets maximum reduction of the impact speed.
This safety feature could save your life. Though this is not a standard feature, it’s not available on all cars in the market.
Driver-Assist Technology
Driver-Assist Technology, also known as advanced driver-assistance systems (ADAS), is a car safety feature that helps the vehicle driver while driving or during parking. If you're looking to buy a used car, try to find one with at least some of these features:
- Blind Spot Detection/Assist
- Lane Departure Warning/Prevention
- Forward Collision Warning/Prevention
- Active Cruise Control
- Automated Parking
- Pedestrian Detection
Look for a Five-Star ANCAP Safety Rating
Australasian New Car Assessment Program (ANCAP) is the leading authority in vehicle safety ratings. The car’s safety level following a crash and their ability to minimise the effects of a collision are the main points of ANCAP’s safety ratings, measured on a scale of 0–5 stars. In short, the more stars, the better the vehicle performed in ANCAP tests. As such, you need to check if the used car you are looking for comes with a 5 star ANCAP safety rating, which means that the car is proven safe to drive.
Visit the ANCAP SAFETY page to know more about the safest cars to drive.
Review the History Report
Never skip checking a car’s history report to guarantee that it is safe to drive. Just like checking a property’s background or historical data, it’s equally important to check the history of a secondhand car. It may have been involved in an accident, used as an accessory for a crime, stolen or flooded. That’s why before you risk buying a used car, be sure to dig its records. Use the car’s Vehicle Identification Number or “VIN” to check for the car’s history. You can easily check it online by visiting AutoCheck or CARFAX.
Last Steps in Buying a Used Car
Not all cars are built equal which means that the features available for a particular car model may not be available in all cars. As such, here are the top features that you should be looking for in a used car.
Test Drive
Yes, a test drive is a must. Insist on taking the car for a test drive and in any event that the dealer refuses, it’s a red flag—just walk away. A test drive is an important way to check a car’s performance, and here are some of the things that you need to check during a test drive:
- Check the brakes, the hand brake, and the accelerator to see if they’re working properly.
- Be sure to try all the gears; check how well the car performs on different road surfaces—smooth, bumpy, etc. and listen for noises because it can be an indication that there is a problem with the car.
- Try rotating the steering wheel from one lock to another—pay attention to any screeching and knocking sounds.
- Make sure to check the stereo to see if it’s working—but keep it off while test driving the car so that you can hear any noise coming from the engine.
- Make sure to try the car on various road conditions to test the transmission, suspension and breaks.
- Don’t forget to check all the features to see if they are working properly.
Car Insurance
Keep in mind that a secondhand car doesn’t come with an insurance plan. As such, you need to process one on your own and get the right car insurance policy to save on costs. Again, safety should be your priority. Given this, making sure that the car is insured can provide the utmost protection for yourself, your finances, and passengers.
Buy a Used Car with Vehicle Connect
It’s not always easy to buy a used car—it can be more of a risk. However, being aware of what you should be looking for and with the help of the right people, you can achieve your goals of purchasing a used car that is safe and in good condition.
If you need assistance, Vehicle Connect experts can help make it easier for you to find that second-hand vehicle that you’ll be proud to call your own.
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