The SAS Survival Driver’s Handbook

NEW OR SECONDHAND? (#ulink_3049f535-5c0f-5327-94ca-3987994f7f28)

If you’re on a tight budget, a new car will probably be way beyond your means. Those who can afford the outlay get a vehicle in mint condition which comes with a manufacturer’s warranty covering you against mechanical failure, corrosion, and other defects for the first few years of the car’s life. And because car design has improved over the years, your vehicle should be more fuel efficient, more reliable, and safer than an old secondhand car.

A few high-performance cars are in such demand that not only do they hold their value, they can be sold on at a profit. But this is the exception to the rule. Most cars depreciate in value from the moment you take delivery. In three years’ time you will be lucky to get 50 per cent of what you paid, no matter how well you care for your car. Before buying a new car, find out how well that particular make and model holds its value (motoring magazines and price guides include this information in their comparative tables). Make sure you don’t pay over the odds, ring around the dealers for the best deal you can get, and don’t be afraid to haggle.

A nearly new car offers many advantages over brand new models and older used models. The car should be in excellent condition. Any defects will have had a chance to show themselves — and the first owner will have gone through the hassle of getting them sorted out under the manufacturer’s warranty, saving you the trouble. There may even be a year or two still remaining on the guarantee. It’s possible to pick up low-mileage models in good-as-new condition at knock-down prices.

If you’re on a shoestring budget, you may have no alternative but to buy an old banger. Reliability matters more than style at this end of the market. Chances are that things will go wrong and parts will need replacing, so go for a make and model that is fairly common and check out the price of spares and repairs before you buy. Look for a vehicle with the minimum number of previous owners, and a mileage that matches the age of the car.

WHERE TO BUY (#ulink_a60d2524-9021-5236-aad4-f2ca319d5cbe)

Buying secondhand is not without risk, but by buying wisely you can save a substantial amount. The cheapest way to buy secondhand is to scan used car advertisements placed by private sellers. Don’t believe everything you read — car advertisements are full of misleading statements. ‘One careful owner’ may contain an element of truth — but you need to read between the lines and ask yourself how many lunatics have had the car since the careful owner parted with it. Beware the many pitfalls of buying privately: your legal rights are limited and there will be no warranty to fall back on if things go wrong, so you need to carry out a thorough inspection (or have an expert carry out a professional examination), and to satisfy yourself that the seller is the lawful owner of the car and not a car thief. Don’t let the seller bring the car to your house — you need to know their home address in case something goes wrong with the car and you have to seek compensation. Make sure, too, that you are not dealing with a car trader passing himself off as a private seller to dodge his legal obligations.

Auctions are cheaper still, but not an option for the faint-hearted. There’s no opportunity to take the car for a test drive, very little legal comeback if the car has a serious mechanical fault, and even if there is a ‘warranty’ it expires one hour after the sale. You’re buying on appearances, and having fallen for a car which looks the part, a novice can easily get carried away by the bidding and spend more than they intended. Visit an auction or two to get a feel for how the system works before you buy.

The safest route to buying a car is to visit a reputable dealer, preferably a member of a trade federation, as this way you will have the benefit of added legal safeguards should the car prove unsatisfactory. By shopping around, you should be able to find a showroom offering a choice of competitively priced secondhand cars with warranties and full service histories. They will have no objection to your taking the car for a long test drive or having it examined by an expert, and if you wish, you can trade in your old car (although it will fetch about 10 per cent more, on average, if you sell privately).

When buying a new car, you can save money by phoning dealers and asking what discounts they are prepared to offer — some will slash the list price by as much as 15 per cent. Because dealers have to meet manufacturer’s monthly sales targets, wait until the end of the month when they are at their most vulnerable and desperate to sell. Don’t give up if the first dealer you telephone refuses to budge — keep trying and you’ll soon find one who will drop the price. Of course, if the car is so popular that dealers have problems meeting the demand, there will be no discount — but they might be prepared to offer an extended warranty or free insurance instead.

Having established which dealers offer the best prices, visit one or two showrooms and see whether you can negotiate further ‘sweeteners’ such as advantageous finance terms or a good part-exchange deal for your old car. The manufacturer’s warranty will probably commit you to returning to that dealer for servicing and maintenance, so if you’re not happy with the treatment you receive when you visit the showroom, don’t buy.

INSPECTING A USED CAR (#ulink_1627ead4-38c7-5e6d-a306-2fb7c7c9c4c4)

Always arrange to inspect a car in daylight hours. If it’s dark or raining, you will not be able to get an accurate impression of the condition of the bodywork. Take along a knowledgeable friend, to help you with the inspection and to act as your witness should the need arise. Don’t rush things, be methodical in your checks, and no matter how much you like the car, give yourself time to think it over before committing yourself to buy. Never let yourself be pressurized into buying.

If you are going to carry out a full inspection yourself, take along a small magnet, torch, mirror, and something to kneel or lie down on. You will need to crawl under the car to check the underbody, so dress appropriately. Alternatively, you can pay for a professional inspection (wherever secondhand cars are advertised, you will see advertisements for expert inspections).

Exterior checks

• Walk around the car and make sure that it is not leaning to one side, a result of worn shock absorbers and springs.

• Examine the tyres, including the spare. The tread should be legal and the walls free of cracks, bulges, and tears. Check that all tyres are wearing equally — uneven wear may indicate that the wheels are out of alignment. Alloy wheels which have been severely scuffed by parking too close to the kerb can suffer fractures which might cause them to disintegrate while driving.

• Badly fitting body panels indicate repaired accident damage. Gaps between body panels could mean that the vehicle has been assembled from the remains of two or more wrecked cars.

• Look for paintwork that doesn’t match and signs of overspray on the door and window seals, handles and lights. Bubbles in the paintwork are a sign of rust.

• Use a magnet to check the bodywork, including the roof, for filler. This indicates serious accident damage or corrosion which has been patched up. Don’t buy if the magnet won’t cling to the surface.

• Check for signs of rust, especially around the wings, door bottoms, sills, around wheel arches and along the bottom of the tailgate on hatchbacks. Bulges in the paintwork are an early sign of corrosion.

• Closely inspect the alignment of both the front and rear bumpers. If the brackets underneath have been damaged in a shunt, you could face an expensive repair bill.

• Check the windscreen for scratches and stone chips.

• Make sure all lights and indicators are functioning, and that exterior mirrors are fitted.

• Try out the keys to ensure they fit the doors, boot, and petrol filler cap.

Now use your torch to take a look underneath the car for signs of corrosion or leaking fluids. In particular, keep an eye out for oil leaks from the engine, gear box and axles; fluid leaks from the brakes, cylinders and pipes; water leaks from the radiator and hoses; holes in the exhaust system; and rips in the rubber seals over the front or rear axles. Test the amount of play in the steering, wheel bearings, drive shafts, spring shackles and shock absorbers. Probe any suspect areas with a screwdriver to check for signs of corrosion. Look closely at areas smothered with underseal — it may be there to conceal defects or corrosion.

Engine compartment checks

A clean engine compartment provides confirmation that the car has been well looked after. Any leaks or wear can be easily spotted. Check to see if any parts have been replaced.

Be cautious when the engine is smothered in oil and the bonnet and wings are filthy. Underseal is a sure sign of trouble — it’s there to conceal damage or a dodgy repair.

• Check the dipstick for oil level and colour, and run it through the fingers to feel the texture of the oil. If the level is low, or the oil is thick, black, and gritty, or full of water bubbles, the car has been poorly serviced and maintained — which means there’s a strong possibility of engine problems in the future.

• Open the oil filler cap. Creamy white deposits here indicate a leaking cylinder head gasket, which could prove expensive if the engine has been damaged as a result.

• Check the tension and wear of all belts and pulleys.

• While the engine is cold, remove the radiator cap and check the water level. A low level is a sure sign of a leak. Check all hoses and connections. Make sure it is green or blue — clear fluid means there is no antifreeze in the mixture. Brown liquid, or bluish orange stains, indicate rust.

• Make sure the battery is secure, the terminals firm, lightly greased, and free of corrosion, and that each cell is filled to the correct level with distilled water.

• Inspect the chassis and look at the top of the wings where the front suspension is fixed. Corrosion here can be very dangerous. Note the VIN number so you can compare it to the seller’s vehicle documentation and ensure that the car has not been ‘ringed’ (stolen and given a false number plate).

Interior checks

You can tell a well-maintained car by its interior. Worn seats, shiny controls (particularly the pedals, gear knob and steering wheel), torn upholstery, damaged carpets are all signs of heavy wear. Look under carpets for signs of damage.

• Make sure there’s enough leg and headroom to accommodate your passengers in the back, and check that the boot is big enough for your needs.

• Test all electrical components are functioning: the heater, front and rear wipers, lights, indicators, heated windows, etc. When you turn the ignition, make sure the appropriate warning lights are working and that they go out after a few seconds. An oil pressure warning light that fails to light may have been disconnected to hide a fault; if it stays illuminated there’s a problem with the oil pump. DON’T BUY.

• Find out whether the stereo is included in the purchase price. Check that it’s working and that the aerial is in satisfactory condition.

• Check the speedometer (see panel).

• Test the seat belts by pulling them out and letting the reel spool the belt back in. Look for fraying and other signs of wear.

SPEEDOMETER CHECKS (#ulink_1ebc413c-90a4-51d1-8a79-2ac757264168)

The amount of mileage on the clock is a major factor in determining the price of a vehicle. Which is why around a million cars a year are ‘clocked’ — unscrupulous sellers rigging the speedometer so that it shows a lower mileage than the car has actually covered.

On average, a car can be expected to travel 10,000 miles (16,000 km) per year. Cars which have covered higher than average mileage are cheaper to buy, but can be a risky proposition. What looks to be a bargain could end up costing you a fortune in repairs. Much will depend on the treatment the car has received in the past, so look for a full service history. Steer clear of vehicles previously owned by rental companies and driving schools because of the wide range of driving styles and skills they are subjected to (remember how rough you were on the clutch when you were a learner?). But a car which has been serviced regularly and maintained in good condition by a careful owner will still give good service after 80,000 miles (129,000 km) and may be a better bet than a car which has low mileage because it has been used exclusively for short urban journeys.

If the mileage seems suspiciously low for the car’s age, check the service history very carefully. On a car with a five-digit mileometers, the reading shows zero when the car reaches 100,000 miles — so a car which has covered 139,000 miles will only show 39,000.

Signs of clocking include:

• Digits that don’t line up

• Scratches and digs around the speedometer where a screwdriver may have slipped

• Damage to the heads of screws holding the mileometer