Buying at an auction

Written by Declan
There are a number of ways to buy a used car. You may see a local ad in a paper or in a shop, use a popular site such as AutoTrader or even on social media (which seems to be growing in popularity when it comes to buying and selling vehicles). Another way to buy a used car is to visit a car auction. There are hundreds up and down the country and most of which have their own way of auctioning off cars. As a general rule though, you will get time before the auction starts to view the vehicles that are due to go under the hammer. Some vehicles will have had inspections carried out and will detail the results in the window. These inspections will often give...
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Preparing your car for sale

Written by Declan
If you have a second hand car that you wish to sell then there are a few things that you should do before advertising it to try and ensure that you get the most money for it. It surprises me how many people put up pictures of a vehicle they have for sale that has not been cleaned. It maybe that some people will see beyond the surface dirt but for others, this could be enough to put them off immediately without even bothering to read through the rest of your advert. Before you picture your car give it a good once over clean and polish ideally, and do not forget the interior. For as little as a pound you can buy a product called back to black that is...
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Hire car for free?

Written by Declan
If you have a car accident that isn’t your fault, did you know that you may be entitled to a hire car for at no cost. Many insurance companies will only offer you a courtesy car which is usually a very small car but if you have an upgraded policy then you may be entitled to a like for like car. If you have not chosen this option there are still ways in which you can get a like for like car without having to fork out on renting one. An accident management company will be able to arrange to get your car repaired and also supply you with a like for like car if you are involved in an accident that isn’t your fault. If the other person has...
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Keeping MOT costs down

Written by Declan
MOT’s can be scary for many car owners as they may not know what work is required until they have the MOT done. From the initially £40 approx. for the MOT test, the final bill can often go up by hundreds on cars requiring quite a bit of work to get it to pass. There are a few things that you can do to try and keep your MOT costs as low as possible. Firstly try and find a garage that you trust. Although the MOT test is very strict, unfortunately there are same garages that will take advantage of a test and quote for work that does not really need doing. When carrying out some recent online research I was surprised to find that many garages offer a MOT...
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How to check your car oil

Written by Declan
All cars need oil to run the engine. The oil used is specifically designed for use in a car engine and it varies depending on what engine you have, so always be sure to check the required oil before adding it to the sump. You can check the oil level in your car by checking the dip stick. This is a stick that shows you the level of oil and to check it you need to remove it when the car engine has not been running (engine is cold) and the car is parked on a flat surface. Wipe the stick and then push it firmly down in to the hole. After a few seconds remove the stick and look to see where the level is. If the level is...
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