Car insurance - Tips & Advice - Buying & Selling cars
 Features: More car for less
So, it’s time for you to buy another car. Yes, it’s a big decision, but it needn’t be a headache or a big drain on your wallet if you follow the Direct Line route. And there are excellent Direct Line deals on loans and car insurance.
Tempting offers
You may feel that a brand new car is the best or you maybe you want to go down the ‘pre-owned’ route, where you can get a lot of car for your money - either way, there is so much to choose from, but before you buy, remember to follow these important tips below.
Top ten tips before you buy
Whether you choose to buy privately or from a garage, have the car inspected by an expert. A professional check usually costs less than £100 and can save a great deal of expense and heartache.
1. Always examine a car’s full service and MOT records – check the recorded mileage has gone up, not down. Also check on the V5 document that the address you’re buying from (in a private sale) is the one on the document, and that the chassis number, registration plate and model name are the same as those on the car.
2. Inspect the car in broad daylight.
3. Check, through an HPI check (01722 422 422) that the car has never been written off and that it isn’t subject to a hire purchase agreement.
4. Invest in a professional inspection from a motoring organisation such as Green Flag.
5. Look for low mileage, single-owner cars with full service history.
6. Be prepared to spend time looking for the best vehicle. There are so many for sale, that for every bad one you reject there will be a good one waiting around the corner.
7. Top-of-the-range models are easier to re-sell. Colour, too, is important – white cars are harder to sell, as are cars painted in brown and other unpopular colours, such as orange and lilac.
8. When buying privately, assess the owner and ask yourself: ‘Would I buy a used car from this person?’
9. Haggle. Any minor defects will need to be repaired at some stage, so use them as bargaining points.
10. Take the car for a test drive on different types of road at a range of speeds – but check you are properly insured first. Try the heating, air conditioning and CD player.
More buying tips
Don't forget to look at Green Flag's tips on buying. Click here: http://www.greenflag.co.uk/help/drivingguide_buying.html
Direct Line help on loans and car insurance
Can we help you? Direct Line can offer you a great loan to buy the car you want, and insurance for when it’s on the road.
Direct Line loans
You can get Direct Line loans from £2,000 to £25,000 at a Typical 8.1% APR. So with Direct Line, that dream car is within your reach.
Direct Line car insurance
There’s a discount of up to 10% if you buy online today.
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