Buyer's Guides
What to buy
Every facet of human life is on offer in the used car market, from bargain banger to dream machine.
Your job is to buy the best car for your budget, separating the thoroughbreds from the donkeys.
A trawl through the classifieds will throw up any number of potentials. Make a list of your wants and needs and check these off against any car that takes your fancy.
Your job is to buy the best car for your budget, separating the thoroughbreds from the donkeys.
A trawl through the classifieds will throw up any number of potentials. Make a list of your wants and needs and check these off against any car that takes your fancy.
Then consider these factors:
How much space do you need - a Micra may be cheap, but will the dog fit?
How many miles do you cover? If it's loads, think about a diesel. If not, petrol powered cars are usually cheaper to buy
How often do you really carry passengers? That sports car might not be as daft as you think
Remember to factor in running costs and insurance - do your homework first
A three-door hatch might look good, but will you break your back lifting the child seat in and out? Maybe the five-door is a better bet
A low-riding sportscar might be just the ticket in your dreams, but what about streets littered with speed bumps? You never know, maybe a 4x4 does make sense
Just because a British summer is made of three days of sunshine and a thunderstorm, a convertible can still be fun even in winter
Kids love kicking the backs of the front seats and smearing chocolate-coated fingers over car interiors. A dark colour will hide the mess better than cream leather
Heaven forbid you tow a caravan, but if you are partial to articulated holidays an automatic gearbox makes life easier. And think about which engine will give you enough grunt for you not to becomes a rolling roadblock.