How To Buy a Used Car in the U.K (Full Process)

[@AC-id5ow]

Don't forget to check the airbags all work when you crash it on the test drive. Incredibly helpful video, thanks

[@tszewski]

With the insurance, you mention it near the end of the process, I would get a quote from an insurance company beforehand so you know the rough cost before purchasing the vehicle. It could save any nasty surprises on the day if the quotes are suspiciously high

[@camdened123456]

Next day quotes are always super high. When I bought mine I didn't need it for a week so I paid for an hour's insurance to drive it home and then had insurance starting a week later. They know they've got you by the balls because you can't drive it without insurance if you buy it for the next few days.

[@AlexBell1991]

If you do that, make sure you set the insurance start date for a couple of weeks ahead as insurance prices can be cheaper and place a deposit with a dealer so the car is secured and can be delisted.

[@NubletPie278]

@@camdened123456 Yeah quotes vary depending on how far into the future but doing it next day is always about 10% higher than anything else. I know because I've been a victim of this twice now due to my can't-be-arsedness lol.

[@Godot28]

Interesting, I had no idea next day quotes were more expensive. Thanks for the heads up guys!

[@jeanr6948]

It’s always handy to know a few maintenance/service, repairs, replacement prices to be comfortable with affordability for the model. The price of a set of tyres for a 4WD/SUV might come as a shock compared to those for a City Car.

[@olitonottero7620]

content: 0:10 find the car 0:30 buy from dealer or private 1:05 investigate the ad 2:43 is the price right 3:02 do an MOT history check (link) 3:51 call the seller, second best option is texting. 4:06 good questions to ask the seller 5:30 do a history check with CarVertical (link) 6:10 view the car tips 7:10 smell the car 8:17 test drive 10:18 change ownership online (link) 10:40 pay road tax (link) and car insurance before you drive off

[@alasedamilola5208]

Bless you

[@FPLKONNECT]

Legend 💪🏽

[@christopher9727]

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Come to Jesus Christ today Jesus Christ is only way to heaven Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Mark 1.15 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Jesus

[@roger-zg3uf]

If it is a private sale I would defo ask the seller "is the car registered in your name at your current address?" There are so many dishonest shady dealers posing as private sellers to avoid paying income tax on profits and come backs if the car has faults.

[@ozzudali6090]

On inspection part you missed probably MOST IMPORTANT part, opening the bonnet and check: 1.Any milky residue under oil cap 2.Oil level and look on dipstick. 3.Condition of coolant and any flakes in it (signs of stop leak for head gasket)

[@imamanc4life]

exaclty. for someone who has boughts 1000s of cars how would he not mention checking under the bonnet. its insane

[@ALGERIEECONOMIE]

Checking an engine isn't for everyone ... Most of us don't know what to look for, Ideally is to take the car to a mechanic and have it checked properly.

[@alphonse5935]

What worries me is that i wanted to buy a car on autotrader. A private seller. Im having doubts because in 9 years it hs 3 owners and has a very low mileage of 23k miles..

[@georgepickford3843]

Great video. One thing I would also note (as it’s been a pain for me in past experiences) is if you’re spending a few thousand pounds on a bank transfer, then let your bank know before hand you’ll be planning to making the payment. Sometimes your bank might block the transfer of large amounts as it will be flagged as an unusual payment and they’ll want to check it’s not fraudulent. Not an ideal situation to be in when the paperwork is done you’re about to receive the keys. Thanks for the great content.

[@danielgreen4213]

Just pay cash on any thing for a few 1000 it's amazing how much more you can get off the price compared to a transfer!

[@Wolfhound223]

Good point, however my banking app alerts you to approve these transfers. I do ALL my banking through my phone app...........and a VPN when needed.

[@mgproryh]

@@danielgreen4213 Just dont believe that. Whats the first thing you'd do if someone brought a car from you lets say 5k in cash. Well... youd walk down to the bank (you sold your car lol) and then cash it in. Unless your just stashing 5k around your house its more of a ptake to have to go out your way to bank the money!

[@danielgreen4213]

@@mgproryh you clearly haven't got any experience in the trade then I will leave it at that. Have a good day.

[@mgproryh]

@@danielgreen4213 right so you get paid 5k and you stash it round your house? Sorry Pablo Escobar didn't realise who I was dealing with. The first thing you do is bank it, time wasted. If it's for a business I can see the fact that you can do certain bits off the books in cash, but at a certain point you ain't wanting to carry that much cash around...

[@vineetmani452]

Matt, I'm new in the UK. Having arrived here from India, the road rules are quite similar however I was clueless about the used car purchase process. Your videos and this one in particular have been a revelation for me. Sincerely thanks for packing such sound practical advise in such a lovely package. I followed your direction and ended up picking a beautiful Ford Fiesta with a 1.0 ecoboost. I just used your link for a car vertical report and was thrilled to see the authenticity and genuine care the vehicle has had. I love this transparency in buying cars in the UK. Thank you once again for your knowledge and wisdom. The best content in this domain on KZbin without a doubt !!

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thank you for watching. Welcome to the UK

[@vineetmani452]

One quick question if I may. I have an international license (India) .. what would be the procedure for applying for insurance?? Can I just attempt what you've advised in the video or is the process different?

[@nikhilmanaktala9721]

@@vineetmani452 Yes, the process is same, use the insurance comparision websites, and select international licence and input indian licence no.

[@Anythingyoulike2013]

Broski the roads are not similar. Indian infrastructure is still 50 years behind time.

[@rj14053]

@@Anythingyoulike2013 i think he meant that Indians also drive on the left side and thus general rules are similar although on Indian roads, nobody follows the rules

[@hckyroxs8019]

As a Canadian now living in the UK looking to buy my first car, ironically this, and not actually driving, is what I was most worried about. This advice has been great and essentially taught me that for peace of mind to go through a dealership. :)

[@sausagesuprise1942]

I think the length and content of this video is what makes it so good. You get all the key information across succinctly and keep the video short to make it engaging. Really appreciate the hard work.

[@anthonyeyles7223]

If buying from a dealer and paying via bank transfer put some of the purchase on a credit card at least £100 as if things go wrong you are protected under the section 75 process for the full amount

[@Smokey-A]

I've seen a few people say this, how exactly does this help?

[@anthonyeyles7223]

@@Smokey-A under section 75 of the consumer act if you purchase an item and use a credit card to pay for a minimum of £100 of the item if the item is faulty, something goes wrong or it never arrives you can claim the full amount back not just the £100 paid on your card upto the value of £30, 000

[@markthomas5914]

​​@@anthonyeyles7223 that's if you can find a garage that will except credit card many don't for this very reason

[@jeffallinson8089]

Fantastic work Matt. Ok, I'm a Brit and this is pretty much common sense for us lot but its amazing how easy it is to forget a lot of the things you have mentioned. This will be invaluable for those wanting to come over here and get on the road!

[@goodkingkarlos]

Is it worth buying now the way prices are?

[@jeffallinson8089]

@@goodkingkarlos Depends how much money you have and what your expectations are. Car prices are not the issue, fuel costs are, especially diesel.

[@363cgtdbdhdx]

@@jeffallinson8089 diesel still more efficient though , petrol a no brainer though these days

[@dailyhunter3683]

@@goodkingkarlos Nope!

[@jeffallinson8089]

@@363cgtdbdhdx Given the difference of around 10p per litre, then yes.

[@jodep2198]

Thank you was just gonna literally step out my door and buy my 1st car in 30 odd years, believe it or not quite hesitant.

[@stephenwarren6392]

Great video Matt as always. The issue I have been caught out by if you are buying from a private seller and they have SORN'd the car due to them not using it, the DVLA won't allow you to tax the car online even if you are insured and the vehicle is MOT'd! You need to go to the Post Office to tax it, which can be difficult if it's a Sunday afternoon. Absolute madness :)

[@54mgtf22]

99% of this content also relates to a car purchase in Australia. The only differences are in the names of the history check providers and government registration process. Love your work 👍

[@aabidamn]

In Australia, does the car insurance covers per car & per driver or one car just need one insurance regardless who's driving it?

[@BasedinReality1984]

Plus I’d pay cash for a car up to about $20k. I’ve found offering cash and asking for a lower price works wonders

[@owensteele1645]

Many thanks Matt, for recommending CarVertical. My sister recently viewed a full-history, '57-plate, petrol-engined, 110,000-mile Golf estate after looking it up on CarVertical, and it checked out clean. Miraculously enough, it still has its Heritage Volkswagen of Bristol number plates. So it's never been in an accident, and been very well looked after. She loves it, and is now buying it. She'll continue to maintain it as well.

[@peanuts2105]

I've just done the same with a Jag. Picking it up next Thursday 😮

[@dna6647]

Love this channel. I like your honest style and all the videos are interesting. I’m certainly no petrol head, I’m someone who knows absolutely nothing about cars. I had bad used cars in the past and became tired of failing MOT’s, since then have allowed myself to be ripped off on leasing deals on new vehicles on the assumption I’d have 3 years of no issues. This channel has inspired me to buy a used car for our next vehicle rather than paying £200+ a month like so many people (I realise that’s probably £300+ a month now) thanks

[@AB-cg9np]

Love the genuine though harsh commentary, it really puts people in place. Have to admit, you’re one of the few British I’ve met that are real to themselves and all around them like “dirty car and dirty driveway” and will call everyone one. Well done, love the videos.

[@juliankent8875]

Another great video Matt. It really is a minefield buying a 2nd hand car. But great advice.👍

[@earlgrey5142]

I not only look at the tread depth and condition of the tyres but also the make. If it has been fitted with Chinese ditchfinders it gives a pretty good clue as to how well the rest of the car has been treated!

[@johnparnell8571]

Great video as always, Matt, packed with sound common sense advice. I have found that studying the complete MOT history can also provide clues as to how well a car has been maintained. I am always wary of a car that has a string of service-related advisories and especially if any are repeated from one year to the next. A fail because of a headlamp beam out of alignment could indicate an accident repair. Headlamps don't suddenly go out of alignment for no reason. I also look for any fails or advisories related to corrosion. Where else could corrosion be hiding and if it was that bad, why didn't the owner get it repaired before the MOT as part of general servicing? From personal experience, yesterday's unrepaired advisories will be tomorrow's MOT failure.

[@nickj7215]

Or headlamp could just be out of alignment due to self-levelling sensor issue... so not always a sign of a real issue, particularly if the car is 10+ years old (as 2 of mine have been when it has happened - cheap to fix or get fixed if you're prepared to find the bits yourself) :-)

[@olitonottero7620]

Great tips John Thank you. Do you think it is possible that some cars with accident repairs have been fixed by their owners and do not come up as Cat damaged Because the accident was never reported?

[@KristopherNoronha]

@@olitonottero7620 it's possible, yes. after a single vehicle accident my car was returned to me and sat in my driveway until I decided to scrap it. if I had decided to repair and sell it instead, it wouldn't have had a category against it!

[@KristopherNoronha]

unfortunately my own vehicles have failed their MOT multiple times for corrosion related "problems" which were not problems at all! mostly to do with brake pipes, they were reported to be corroded when they were actually just dirty from an hour long motorway drive on gritted roads to the MOT centre! In all cases I drove home, creaned the pipes, managed to rebook my MOT at a nearer centre, and passed!

[@alam379]

Superb content across the channel. Matt's delivery is smooth and flows very well. Keep up the good work buddy, very entertaining and interesting videos. Edit: correct misspelling of Matt's name.

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thank you

[@Conservator.]

@@HighPeakAutos You can always negotiate the price of a vehicle AND in a nice way even if the car doesn’t have any flaws. “It’s a very nice car and I’d love to buy it but to me it’s not worth more than £ X” The seller has put the car on the market what he/she wants to get for it and that doesn’t necessarily have to match what you’d like to pay for it. Having said that, I think it’s a matter of decency to only make fair offers and not trying to rip someone off either way (buying or selling). I thoroughly enjoy watching your videos! Thank you and greetings from the Netherlands.

[@quarantinecooks3166]

@@HighPeakAutos i have a question im looking to buy a car to sell on. Can i set up the car so its in a temporary holding name not my own so the buyer can put it in his once he has the car? One less owner on the history that way?

[@hopgood007]

Hi Matt - what a great video for any first time buyer. As you say, certain TV programmes can lull the unwary into a false sense of how to buy (Wheeler Dealers) and especially if this is your first experience of buying a used car. Good solid advice from someone who knows their trade. Thankyou sir!

[@aishwaryachandiran4369]

1) check the vehicles background 2) check the mot history check 3) call or email the seller 4) write some questions, you want to know before calling? 5)are they any faults that you're aware of 6) vehicle history check 7)view it, check it, drive it. 8) if the number Infront doesn't match the back it is involved in accidents. Go compare details check insurance price

[@WavScorn259]

Just the other day i met with a dealer who clearly didnt like me inspecting a car he was selling. I found out the rear license plate lights + side lights weren't working, there were a number of other issues but the point is the car had an MOT done with no advisories just the week before i viewed it. Rear license plate lights are an MOT fail. Then tries to lecture me about people dont check lights etc.. i walked out. This is how people get screwed, dishonest liars!

[@stephanie1590]

As someone with parents that cannot drive, who passed their test almost 5 years ago, and not driven since, this is a goldmine of information! Thank you so much!

[@somepolishguy8228]

Id recommend taking a few driving lessons again, just to make sure you remember how to drive. It is very common for people who have passed their test and not driven to forget how to drive in a few years or even months.

[@stephanie1590]

@@somepolishguy8228 thank you so much! Currently looking at some refresher lessons in my area. Unfortunately it’s very expensive right now :(

[@somepolishguy8228]

@@stephanie1590 That's understandable, good luck with that anyways though

[@richardhunt1384]

Agree with your "What to check when you arrive" but the number plates being doesn't necessarily mean that just because they're different means it's had an accident. Could simply be that the front number has delaminated/ faded due to it being where it is so has been replaced because it wouldn't pass an MOT. We've changed plates at work for new a new for this very reason.

[@viduransivakumar3192]

Very informative. Another thing to note is to be prepared to walk away if you have any doubts about the car you're looking at

[@Mycryptospaceuk2127]

This is the exact type of content that is needed thank you!

[@karlnegado6376]

I’m going to the dealership tomorrow to purchase my very first car. Lol. I hope I get a good deal. I’ve written down notes on my pad, and I’ll be quizzing them tomorrow. Thanks for all your help!

[@seanfein3783]

Day insurance policies from companies such as CUVVA will also help you insure a vehicle to get you home, they often offer 1,3,6,12 hour policies and are very handy if you need more time to sort your insurance out or obtain new quotes. Just remember it is what it says it is, temporary and as soon as it expires your car is removed from the ask mid data base and you will not be insured ! Matt thanks mate, I’m finding myself doing impressions of your ‘hi guys welcome baaaaaaack’ voice 😂

[@mattrobinson9423]

Thanks so so much for this guide! You massively helped me buy my first car just now! Got myself a 2014 Hyundai i10 Premium

[@jamesthesecond1123]

I would say this is pretty much bang on. Building a picture of the cars life through evidence and research is key to getting a decent vehicle. The only thing I didn't agree on is not taking into consideration previous amount of owners. If buying a high performance sports car plus 60k this makes some sence. But if buying a low/mid range performance car such as a m140i or A35. If its had 5 or 6 owners in three years. It rings a few alarm bells. Keep up the good work.

[@glennhaley7404]

Great content, no bling, no bullshit, effortless delivery, humorous honest sound advice

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thanks!

[@poseidon201]

Great video with some good tips. In the current UK climate with used cars at crazy prices, there are a lot of "wanna be" car dealers buying from auctions, and then selling from home pretending to be private sellers, to avoid the consumer rights act that dealers have to adhere to. For this reason I would always ask how long have you owned the car. Unless they have a good reason for changing so soon, the're probably flipping the car to make a quick buck. In the south east UK, we are surrounded by large car auctions, encouraging Joe public to come and buy from them. They then sell from their drive, with little knowledge or care as to how good or bad the car is. Keep up the good work.

[@checker3694]

What are you talking about, 80% of used first sold cars oridinate from Auctions. You will know a dealer selling from home, loads do. Check the V5 first if name does not match and yellow strip is torn out of V5 its a dealer. If you can't tell a legitimate dealer from a slippery chave, your a bit of a dope.

[@ric6383]

Much obliged, very useful. I've just put myself through refresher driving lessons after a 30 year gap in driving, so now I have to buy one!

[@phild1860]

Hi, great channel and content. Just a quick FYI, the legal loophole around being able to drive on car parks without insurance was closed off a number of years ago, even when you pay to access the car park. You even need valid car insurance to drive a car in your front garden or on the drive. Hope this helps.

[@culaterw41pr]

Brilliant spot

[@Nousmourronsseuls]

Wonderful! Love the “looking at the photos to determine the quality of the seller”. Couldn’t agree more. Makes a huge difference.

[@robertsmith1553]

Thanks for a very informative & helpful video Mat. 👍

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thanks

[@billweatherley8335]

Superb video, learned a lot here👍👍👍

[@christopher9727]

Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Come to Jesus Christ today Jesus Christ is only way to heaven Repent and follow him today seek his heart Jesus Christ can fill the emptiness he can fill the void Heaven and hell is real cone to the loving savior today Today is the day of salvation tomorrow might be to late come to the loving savior today John 3:16-21 16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 20 For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved. 21 But he that doeth truth cometh to the light, that his deeds may be made manifest, that they are wrought in God. Mark 1.15 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel. 2 Peter 3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. Hebrews 11:6 6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Jesus

[@parkecorepersonaltrainingp2601]

That was wonderful Matt I know when I got my 1st car I could have done with that advice. Excellent as always man 👍

[@JemCutter]

I always look at what the pre-saved radio stations are too. Radio 4 saved as number 1 and you’re onto a winner

[@culaterw41pr]

Triple extra bonus points for non verbal cues as to the person you are buying the car from.... You could say taste body language in action...

[@greyfoxmce]

Great video. Only thing I would add is ... I always look at the tyre brand. For example my beloved 14 year old E class came with Conti's when it left the factory but there are some far better modern rubber on the market now and I have subsequently changed it since. But if you view a mid to premium range car and it is fitted with budget tyres then it is an indicator that the owner either didn't have the money or didn't have the respect to treat the car properly. Just my humble opinion 😁

[@youraveragejoe1]

Lots of the cars I have been looking at have Chinese tyres like “landride” or “roadglide” or some BS. I certinaly agree with your opinion, I look at them too. especially when it’s a BMW or Mercedes with nasty tyres, puts me off

[@michaelcrump1288]

Great to listen to you from my retirement in New Zealand as long did your job for 30 years in UK from 1967 to 92.

[@culaterw41pr]

"as long did your job for 30 years in UK from 1967 to 92." Please explain

[@GLH8]

Check bolts and screw heads on panels to see if there’s signs of them being slackened or tightened since it left the factory.

[@antoniopalmero4063]

Tooling marks .

[@gabrielswordtails9398]

Hi, where are those screws located?

[@alioffski45]

i am buying a used car soon after a gap of 20 years of owning one. I've watched a couple of your videos , and all I can say is Thank you very much.

[@leeholden8658]

Hi Matt, great video. I bought my first car 15 days ago a good friend took us down to view it and we left a deposit and took us down again after a fresh MOT was done. But here’s the thing, the car had an MOT last September with advisories but because the seller offered a full 12 month MOT it was taken for a new MOT. Here’s where it gets silly, we asked the dealer if any advisories would be dealt with,to which he replied YES. Today we took the car to a Honda Specialist who also do MOT’s and found it should have failed the MOT on three counts plus a missing rear prop shaft (CR-V) and to put things right it’s going to cost £500+ without the cost of the prop shaft. But here’s my question: Why wasn’t the serious and dangerous items not picked up on the MOT? Who’s at fault? The dealer is picking the car up next week to rectify the problems as it is under the 3 month warranty. But I think the dealer needs to change his MOT station imo. I just hope everything gets done what needs to be done and properly as it’ll be visiting the Honda specialist again to check if the work has been done.

[@Bottomburbsburnbums]

The MOT tester/garage are clearly friends with the dealer - hence the bullshit MOT.

[@leeholden8658]

@@Bottomburbsburnbums exactly our thoughts. The dealer is wanting to correct the faults but to be honest,I don’t want them any where near the car. I’d rather take a reduction in costs and take it to a garage of our choosing. Apparently this isn’t the first time someone has complained about this dealer on autotrader. Someone dropped their car off for new brakes and when the work was done they ended up with more repairs.

[@kennethhenry6096]

I’ve actually seen a BS MOT happen. My mate was selling his car and wanted a full MOT to go with it. He took it to a friends test station. We went for a coffee and a chat then he asked about when the car (which was parked in the street) would get tested. Hoho. It’s passed… he was told.

[@_Just_Some1]

Please please you should report said MOT station!

[@robbieh535]

Looking at getting my first car. This was spectacular quality. Thank you!

[@jacksonsystemslimited]

Thanks mate and just in time - I am starting a dealership :)

[@natnat8393]

This was so incredibly detailed; thank you! I planning to buy an SUV for my husband's land mark birthday next September and wanted to start to really look into what I'd need

[@HighPeakAutos]

Glad it was helpful!

[@williamkellore4234]

Sadly, a vehicle check will only verify if the car has been in a recorded insurance claim!! I would guess there are many situations where the vehicle owner decides not to declare the incident to their insurer, then go on to pay out their own pockets for a fix at their local indy repairer.. Doing it that way will save them paying out on any future insurance hike, and no worries about losing any no claims bonus. Of course this may not be strictly legal in some situations, but word on the net says that this is pretty much wide spread. So all said and done, doing a vehicle check proves nothing really.

[@adrianm8852]

How many people are going to pay out of their pocket for damage exceeding £1000? Very few, and therefore most of the time you're talking about a bumper replacement or something superficial, which doesn't really matter. The idea that "a vehicle check proves nothing" is nonsense: they tell you about mileage discrepancies, finance, recorded accidents, recorded stolen, etc.

[@williamkellore4234]

@@adrianm8852 Calm down dear. Someone p*** on ya daisies!!.😉.. With regard to your latter comments, "Yes" you are quite correct, mileage, finance etc will all show up on a vehicle check.. "However" my main focus was on minor accident repairs, or superficial, as you put it.. .... "Which Doesn't Really Matter".. your words not mine. Lets put it another way : If you were out to buy a brand new motor, and your chosen vehicle, turns out to have had a minor bumper repair & paint, or ding repair & paint, say, during transit... Well sir, don't know about you, but i'd want to know about it! Would I be informed Mmmm debatable. On a more serious note, this is certainly worth a look.. Google "This is Money, One in - 50 Right Off Cars" ( would have sent a link, but I'm old, and its way over my head)

[@criscross3787]

@@williamkellore4234 😂👍Shocking stats though!

[@utopian666]

@@williamkellore4234 He was super calm. You seem completely insane though.

[@1988dgs]

Why would not making a claim be not strictly legal? Even if you wrap it round a lamppost but make no claim, the insurance company are not paying out so won’t record it against the car(the next mot might be interesting tho)

[@whitewittock]

This is one tip I wish I'd seen or read somewhere: when the car is off turn on one of the internal lights (boot or roof light) if it's dim you know the 12v battery is dying and you can knock some money off for that

[@oliverlane4050]

Great vid, thanks! I had a bit of a shock last week when I bought my new (to me) car, Auto Trader said the tax would be £155 per year so I thought no more about it, when I went to tax it with the dealer it was £490! I would still have bought it but would certainly have budgeted differently 🤔

[@fractalofgod6324]

Yeah I worry about that issue, I'd there a fail proof way of checking the true taxation class of the vehicle

[@ali78610121012]

@@fractalofgod6324 I think it's something to do with the list price of the vehicle, if it's over 40k and registered after 2017

[@jeanr6948]

There is a ‘but’ with online insurance websites - health warning - if you are not sure the boxes cover your exact history/situation or maybe there is not the facility to answer fully a reply due to box ticking format - PHONE and check out the quote is valid against your full explanation if you could have given it except for limitations of format. Because the question isn’t asked doesn’t mean they don’t REQUIRE to know it!! Really great info as usual.

[@andrewbaines8760]

I always do a car tax check on gov website as well as mot check as the tax site shows when the last v5 was issued so can find out how long current owner has had it.

[@alam379]

Very helpful tip there, thanks for sharing.

[@waltertadiwa3288]

This is the best explanation ever. Thanks for everything because I want to but a car for the first time. Thanks very much you’re the best

[@HighPeakAutos]

Glad it was helpful!

[@RussellSmithOmegaW]

Great stuff. I took mum to get a replacement car about a month ago and thankfully figured out enough of this to get a fair price for what seems so far to be pretty much solid for what we were going for. The only real bit of haggling was on making sure we had something on the part ex and knowing we wanted to leave with the vehicle by that point made that easier. My own car came with a not too cheap air con issue which I haven't yet resolved but it fell outside ability to resolve through a complaint, but to be honest the rest of the car has been great! And that one I'd only seen on pictures up till taking delivery of it.

[@chrismantonuk]

Thank you so much! I hate buying used cars, which has led me to chickening out and buying new for the last few vehicles… but that of course means I’ve paid waaaay over the odds. I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who feels super uncomfortable haggling 😒

[@chrissmart4984]

Brilliant video as always Matt and even though us blokes think we know everything about cars you raise all the points everyone should know…….a great video that will now sit on the internet forever and safeguard people when buying cars 😎👌

[@jadevandeventer9057]

I would also recommend that you get a head gasket test kit. Use this when you go check a vehicle from a private seller. Head gasket can be a costly repair and you will only see symptoms when the vehicle is on first start up or when it gets hot in some cases

[@timbailey7168]

Checking the tyre brand on a used car is also useful. If its a small or medium sized car that's done less than say 40,000 miles it should still have the original tyres on the rear if its front wheel drive. They should be from a premium tyre manufacturer like Michelin, Continental, Pirelli, Bridgestone etc. I once saw a Passat advertised with apparently 16,000 miles on the clock with a complete set of tyres with a name I'd never heard of. Something was badly wrong here . It should at least have two premium tyres. If you're not sure you can soon check the name on the Internet to find out who made the tyres. Quite often a dealer will keep the costs down by putting a cheap set of tyres on a good quality car. This will ruin its driveability. Ask the dealer to swap them for something fitting the quality of the car.

[@serenityinside1]

Good luck with that - dream on 🙄

[@jimdarr9118]

Hi Matt, I did a Car Vertical check before handing any money over and it showed up unit stocking finance 5 months outstanding, this after I asked him if any outstanding finance remained, and he could not produce a v5 slip and did not know where it was, the gov.uk v62 stopped me applying after 2 steps in, so I walked away from the dealer, Ponko of Cambridge, BMW X3 30dse, gutted because it took ages to find!! Keep up the good work, best regards Jim

[@shane24v]

How do you feel about dealers putting on admin fees? Me personally I prefer the price all in and usually just scroll past any with admin fees

[@HighPeakAutos]

I hate that

[@_Just_Some1]

Yep, scroll pass at the speed of light!

[@ivorjones6618]

yes i have walked away from a few deals when asked for that why should a punter have to pay the dealer to sell the car to the buyer its just robbery

[@ridgmont61]

On the MOT history I like to see that the advisories have been fixed by the next MOT.

[@johncordontravelstudiophot9608]

Very handy tips, thanks Matt. Would you bother with an AA or similar inspection for a car under £10k? BTW I have just paid a deposit on a 3.0D Jag XF after watching several of your buying advise vids. Let’s hope its OK 🤣

[@a.a2304]

How’s the car lol

[@johncordontravelstudiophot9608]

@@a.a2304 Brilliant thanks, I paid £320 Ifor an AA report and it came back as excellent with a few minor points which the selling dealer rectified. Really pleased with the XF.

[@mikew742]

Very sound advice, don’t be afraid to ask the seller questions, and do your research…a car that looks too good to be true, most likely means there is something wrong, and don’t accept a promise that “something will be done once you’ve bought it” like I’ll pop the second key in the post next week etc… also avoid electric cars as they are shit, or buying from a pikey as they’ll try and stitch you up, and cars owned by chavs will have been treated bad.

[@typhoon2970]

In my 40 plus years in the Auto industry, I've decided that the best overall vehicle (used) would be the Mercedes E320 and/or E500 preferably years 2001 to 2004. I found this model to be essentially bullet proof and Maintenance free. Also, the price is right for what you are getting. Thanks for your perspective. Your videos are the absolute best !

[@PaulWashington..]

What is second and third best?

[@typhoon2970]

@@PaulWashington.. (don't laugh). Honda and Toyota

[@nintendokings]

Meh, I stay away from Mercedes. Maybe well-built and reliable, but when you do need work done-and every car will need work done especially when 20 years old-Mercedes bills are very high. Equivalent Toyota parts are much cheaper

[@giotto4321]

​@@nintendokings Very true, but that does mean ... you've got to drive a Toyota! I know they're reliable but you're really comparing apples and oranges. I've yet to see a Toyota that has the same quality of say, interior trim, that you'd get in a Merc.

[@glennsheppard3320]

Bought the last two remotely, BMW Z3, VW Jetta GTI, after talking to the sellers and using MoT history check and carvertical which has saved me on at least one occasion of buying a car with a suspect history.

[@wolfgangezeh2221]

Concise and educative as usual. Could one pay the RAC or the AA to do a PPI ( Pre-Purchase Inspection), and what do you think of that?

[@brynmills7767]

Good idea

[@johnnunn8688]

Yes but how would ensure that the RAC/AA person, is properly trained.

[@samthoma2719]

@@johnnunn8688 that’s not a real question right? 😭

[@RKUK6]

@@johnnunn8688 Funny enuff to get to be an AA inspector they have to pass certain tests and qualifications, and an organisation like the AA is not gonna risk its reputation being tarnished by employing cowboys

[@johnnunn8688]

@@samthoma2719, yes, yes it is. Is RAC/AA trying, that thorough?

[@grahameelton1899]

Just to clarify for everyone. Dealers have to state if the car is registered as accident damaged, private sellers don't.

[@EugenioVaccari]

This is a very useful video, well done! I would only add that if you're buying privately, it's worth check the insurance first. In the process of buying my previous car, I checked the insurance price on a different engine and trim level than the car I ended up buying, and it had an impact (of £200) on what I paid for the insurance. May I only ask you how to deal with cars that also have apps, like Teslas? You do need to transfer the ownership of the app too, otherwise the old buyer can still check where the car is and potentially unlock your car and drive it by having access to the app.

[@andyrobertshaw9120]

Thanks for this - great advice to all buying a car. One thing I will say - Auto Trader recommend their private sale price with a little wiggle-room. The suggestion seems to be made on the car actually selling for 10% less. If I were to sell a car privately, I would expect people to make offers around 10% less, and price the car with this in mind.

[@bungabening3530]

Agree. I was surprised when Matt said he didn't haggle because if I'm selling a car that I think is worth £5000 then I will advertise for £5250 or maybe more

[@ludicer122]

Early viewer crew!

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thanks!

[@joedoe1268]

Thanks for this read my mind. Have bought 7 used cars in 3 years and have lost about £2k is hidden immediate repairs or had to scrap two cars less than six months because private sellers were not totally honest. Will watch at lunchtime. Your channel rocks. Thank you. Cal expat based in Surrey 😊

[@devlinracing3553]

A good video as always. Personally I never pay the asking price and 9 times out of 10 I have always been able to buy cars and motorbikes for less than the asking price by haggling. This applies to private sales and also dealer sales. I enjoy haggling, if you don’t ask you don’t get. The worst the seller can say is no and then you can decide if that asking price represents value worth having.

[@kidtv6445]

Correct. A dealer saying "why haggle?" Because money in my pocket is better than the dealers pocket

[@genjic627]

How do you haggle

[@anarchodandyist]

Mathew you are becoming my regular watching, more than Eastenders. Love the vids lad 😁👍

[@Lee-xc1jj]

Great content as always Matt, I have a question to you and anyone in the know. I bought myself a 2013 E class mercedes in January, it's had a full Merc service history.... it's now due a service B and gearbox service, quoted just shy of £800 for both at mercedes, is it worth maintaining the mercedes service history or should I go to my usual independent? Cheers 👍🏼

[@HighPeakAutos]

Thanks! I'd just go to a specialist

[@Lee-xc1jj]

@@HighPeakAutos Thanks for the reply buddy, appreciate it 👍🏼

[@n0nvi0l3t]

This really helped me overcome some of the anxiety associated with buying a car. Thank you! I also loath voice calls, but it is true that you should have a verbal conversation with the seller. I think I dodged a bullet by calling up a DEALERSHIP with a too-good-to-be-true listing. Turns out the dealer wasn't really keen on talking about the car's history and details, couldn't get rid of me fast enough, which makes me think there are hidden faults with the car that my questions would have surfaced. To be clear, I don't think I asked unreasonable questions, or too many for that matter. Instead, I went with the dealer who called me back with more details after our first chat, because they thought the car wasn't represented well enough and offered some more details about it.

[@rob5944]

Most dealers won't be knocked down anyway in my experience. Having said that I did chip £500 off my current car that was £10k. Just as well as I wasn't happy with part of the service record regarding the timing belt, they'd just written it down on a piece of plain A4 paper!

[@fasthracing]

Car dealers hey

[@fractalofgod6324]

When I first left school I went to work in our local garage as a mechanic... The owner would come to me with a car for service, he would tell me, take out the plugs and run them through the wire wheel to clean them up, wipe the oil filter clean with a rag and put the high pressure airline onto the air filter, he would charge the customer for a full service. At 16 that opened my eyes to car dealers.

[@rob5944]

@@fractalofgod6324 is he still trading?

[@fractalofgod6324]

@@rob5944 he came to me half way through my apprenticeship and handed me a sledge hammer, I asked him why and he replied that he was going bankrupt and he was closing the garage to open an ice cream parlour so he wanted me to know a hole in the wall... He's still trading but over the other side of town. Proper crook.

[@rob5944]

@@fractalofgod6324he's probably indulging in ice cream wars now lol

[@stephen25uk]

Super video, packed with good advice. My only comment is that your checklist is so thorough that only a new car is going to pass everything. Good to remember it is after all a used car so perfection is simply not possible and the price will reflect that.

[@auser1484]

For the consumer I think paying by card, preferably a credit card is by far the safest option as then you get the S75 protection as well. I know there is the fees but they can be priced into the deal. I find it a little suspicious if traders/dealers won't take cards. I'd never pay cash and would only do a bank transfer if I happened to know them locally.

[@tardeliesmagic]

Even private? I've never done bank transfer when selling my cars in the past, i'm not a trader btw.

[@philliphaylor1590]

You are such a good bloke Matt ! There are people out there wouldn't have a clue ! love your videos !

[@markbeards4441]

I always find autotrader overpriced but so are most cars these days. The second hand car market has gone through the roof. Auctions used to be a good buy but even their prices are too much also. A car that was worth say £500 two years ago would now go for about £1000 plus now. Great information Matt. 👍👍

[@danpaul4975]

Bad place to buy, good place to sell

[@koetsi1978]

Great video, i'm 44 and haven't bought a car in many years so some great reminders here!

[@Dunkelzeitgeist]

1) check it's not in Birmingham, Bradistan or Romford 2) check surname of seller 3) carvertical 4) insurance check 5) best mike brewery impression

[@Mrmallet777]

😂

[@rasherbasher8203]

Great advice. I pretty much do everything in this video every time I've brought a car. Buy only from a dealer now. Got ripped off once. Like you say that one time you don't do the proper checks. You live and learn. Looking forward to your next cheap car buy and do up video.

[@alexonthestreet]

Thanks. Great as I am about to buy a car. Really appreciate your style, honesty and general approach. Keep going!

[@stevenhull5025]

Some years back I bought a Triumph Acclaim privately. Looked really nice. A few months later took it for its MOT and to my horror (and surprise) it was found the sill to the drivers side was stuffed with newspaper and then covered with filler. A lesson learned.

[@Musingsonthelawofattraction]

Brilliant video especially for people like me who aren't used to buying cars in general.

[@mrthomas394]

Another quality video 👌I've always bought private but your absolutely bang on about the photos and house lol. If they can't be assed cutting the grass or keeping the garden clean the car will be a ruff 1. My last car was bought from a chap in Leeds the house was immaculate and so was the car and I mean immaculate.... It was £1000 more than the others I'd looked at. 2 years laters not 1 thing has gone wrong with it and it still looks great. And the mad situation we are in at the moment we buy any car have offered me £300 more than I paid for it 2 years ago 😂 for the record it's a 2016 ford Mondeo titanium with xpack and powershift box and without doubt the best car I've ever owned. I get hpi check on my phone done for about 10 quid and worth every penny

[@HarryJamesBooks]

The first question you should ask a "private" seller on the phone is "Hallo, I'm ringing about the car. Is it still for sale?" If it's a genuine private seller he'll know what car you're talking about, because he's only got his own car for sale. If it's a fly-by-night dealer he won't know what car you're talking about because he's got seven taking up all the parking down his street and another eight hidden round the back of some garages a mile away.

[@solodilly1380]

You are probably the most knowledgeable guy in car details I have ever known. Top Video

[@glenbetton3146]

A lot easier than it used to be. Bought my second car privately in the early 80s. Didn't notice the MOT certificate had been stapled over the ownership document obscuring the fact that the car was a business fleet car. Needed a recon Silver Seal engine within 3 months. Lesson learned, although 300 quid at the time was a steep price to pay.

[@hughneal6881]

Just one point - you said that you hate bartering. You meant haggling. Bartering is swapping goods with another person, where the goods are of roughly similar value. Haggling is negotiating over the price with the owner of an item for sale.

[@donnythedealer9761]

this video is actually great. Its a topic that does need explaining but nobody seems to. Top stuff. Love the channel

[@easy4x4]

Great straightforward advice for UK buyers. You're right, buying in Spain means a trip to a " Gestoria" solicitors office or a nightmare booking a visit to the government Traffic department office

[@leedstown]

One main thing I would add is to check the chassis number from the log book (v5) with the number at the bottom of the windscreen on the cars passenger side, and also it will be on a sticker on the cars A post (where the front doors close,

[@kappa2x2]

One bit that's missing here regarding the bank transfers and private sales, it's better to inform the bank prior to the deal, either as seller or buyer. When buying- might be a daily transfer cap. When selling- can't be sure how legitimate the buyer's funds are and the bank might find you suspicious and block you for a few weeks while undergoing checks, if you've informed the bank before that you're selling the vehicle, they'll have a note on the account and won't touch you.

[@madnaniv20]

I would like to thank you so much for this video. I will be purchasing a car for me for the first time and this video is tremendously helpful to me! Cheers!

[@darthbuzz1]

One of the hardest parts is knowing what you want. It is a minefield of choice. Buying a vehicle for upto £9,000 is a very daunting task for someone coming out of 10 years of depression and solitude. I did learn loads though. Thank you.

[@cmartin_ok]

Ah, but one of the biggest problems at the moment is buying a used car at a reasonable price. Dealers are charging more for slightly used cars than new ones because of the long delays in getting new cars, and older second hand cars also have inflated prices compared to 20 months ago when huge discounts were available on new and used cars to stimulate sales

[@AlanCooney]

Matt, there’s a high % of cars under 3 yrs old with fake mileage! Buyer’s are getting them on the PCP rental scheme, then calling the mobile “mileage correction service” who visit their home and turn the clock back for a nominal fee!, before they return the car to main dealer. They are not breaking UK law! It’s only illegal to knowingly sell a car with fake mileage! Dealers and fleet rental companies are fuming about this ongoing problem!!! It took me nearly 4 months to find a GENUINE low mileage VW Golf in the colour and spec I wanted! Examples I was seeing at main dealers - 1 yr old, 13,000 miles on clock, 4 different brands of tyre on wheels, brake disc wear looking more like 30,000 miles, etc. etc.