Before Buying A Car

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I think as a woman I always worry when it comes to buying a car. I mean I’m not massively car minded and the things that are important to me about cars couldn’t be more different than Mr Tutu’s. For me practicality is probably my first thought. Is it big enough? What is the boot space like ( this will get filled very quickly) can I afford to run it? And of course the absolute most important thing of all is colour! Whereas Mr Tutu’s list is completely different and he looks at things I would never consider or in fact had not even heard of.

So the last time I changed my car I spent hours trawling online, looking at pretty coloured cars in my price range and then sharing them with Mr Tutu who then rolled his eyes and explained what I should be looking at instead.

Apparently you can check a car’s history online! Well who knew!? I mean I pride myself on not being a completely ditsy woman, but the thought of finding the right car leaves me cold. So when he explained this I was rather pleased.

He also told me all the other things he considers when purchasing a car. First and foremost safety! Again this can be checked online as cars have Euro NCAP safety ratings. These are things I would not, as I say have thought of.

So here is Mr Tutu’s brief guide ( believe me his list was much longer) on other things to consider.

• Does the car have any outstanding finance on it? Look at the mileage, if it claims to be extremely low, does the interior of the car tell you the same story?
• Is the steering wheel looking worn, or the seats ,carpets and upholstery looking badly worn. Or does it appear to match the mileage?
• Tyres are another thing he is hot on. Do they all match? This can give you an indication of how the car has been maintained and cared for. Are the tyres evenly worn? If the tread is not wearing evenly this could indicate a problem too.
• Simple things like checking the front and rear number plates match. Why? Because the company that fits them always puts their name on them. If they don’t match company names this means one has been replaced. So has it had a bump or shunt?
• Similarly checking the VIN number under the bonnet matches the one inside the door on the floor. Not only that but it will also be etched on all the glass on all the windows.
• Then there are the obvious things like checking the insurance group, can you afford to insure it? But the best bit of advice is to take someone with you when viewing a car that really knows their stuff and can look over the car with you!

Needless to say, I don’t have a pretty pink car but a silver one. It does have a big boot ( full of stuff) but it is affordable, safe and reliable… and she’s called Lady Vi! Thank you Mr Tutu for looking after me!