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What Driving Instructors Sheffield look for when buying a used car

Buying a used car? We have a few useful tips that you should always do when buying a used car whether it be from a private seller or from a big secondhand dealership.

Many people just check the paint work and interior for rips, bumps and scratches. Although these are important what you should also be looking for is damage to the car that could be costly to you a few months down the line. Driving instructors Sheffield have bought used cars before and this is their checklist:

• Turn the wheels all the way to one side so you can see the full breath of the tyre. Check for uneven wearing at either side of the tyre, if there is this could indicate an underlying problem with the front end of the car. This is more likely to be either the tracking or suspension and could leave a hole in your back pocket.
• Ask the owner about any issues with the car currently and in the past as well as whether they were fixed or not. There is nothing to stop them from lying but it is worth asking. A good way to check if the car has been in an accident would be to check the width of the gaps between the panels, if they're of uneven distance it may be an indication that the car has been repaired.
• Check the fluid levels of the vehicle, make sure that they are well topped up, if they aren't then it could mean that the engine has been running on low oil for a while and causes a lot of wear on the engine.
• When you go to view a car make sure it is in visible light so you can thoroughly check for any corrosion to the pain work or any signs of the car beginning to rust.
• Check the odometer of a car, if the numbers aren't in line it could mean that the mileage has been tampered with and your not buying what you think you are. A car does an average of 12,000 miles a year so go by that as a rough guideline.
• It is always good to make sure the car has been kept well and regularly serviced. Have a look to see if it is also under manufactures warranty, then if anything goes wrong it is still covered. Secondhand cars usually aren't if you buy them 4 or 5 years old.
• Always take the car for a test drive. This is a golden rule when buying any car, make sure it drives well and it doesn't shake or spit black or blue smoke out when starting up.

Take care when buying a used car and don't just rush straight into it. Our driving instructors in Sheffield recommend that you view a number of different cars before you jump in and buy the first one you see because you may find a better deal just down the road.

To check if we have any available Driving Instructors in Sheffield, simply call us on 0800 783 4803 or enter your postcode below.

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