There is a lesson that I learned from my Mother at a very early age. I remember every single time I used my pocket money to buy a cheap toy, which would inevitably break after only a few minutes, she would chime in with a phrase that has stayed with me ever since. The phrase in question is; “if you pay cheap, you get cheap”. Basically, this means you get what you pay for. If you decide to skimp on the cost of something, you really don’t have much right to complain if the source of the product skimped a bit on the quality.

Now that I am an adult I tend not to buy toys anymore, but the saying still applies to every single facet of capitalist life. I would say it was especially prevalent when it comes to buying yourself a used car. Used cars represent the more affordable area of the car market where many people go directly to find a bargain. However, there is an incredibly small line between ‘bargain’ and ‘pile of scrap’ when it comes used cars. I would recommend spending a little more to ensure you get a car of some distinguishable quality. 

Depending on the type of car you are looking for, I would always recommend a manufacturer of Audi’s ilk. For a very long time now they have been producing great cars that have garnered a fantastic reputation for reliability and longevity.

It could be said that the purchase of a Used Audi may prove to be slightly more expensive than a lot of other brands, but it would pay dividends in the long run with better reliability levels.

I have always likened buying a used car to traversing some kind of assault course, laden with all manner of traps and pratfalls ready to catch the unsuspecting victim out. A car sat on a dealer’s forecourt may look absolutely divine and irresistably enticing to the potential buyer. However, a closer inspection under the bonnet may reveal a multitude of problems that would cause many headaches in the months to come.

With this in mind it is definitely worth only visiting reputable used car dealerships, as they will offer you assurances of quality, such as 3 month mechanical guarantees and suchlike. The trick to ensuring you get the best quality used car is to do your car shopping with a series of questions in mind.

The first of these questions is to ask about the vehicle you are interested in with reference to service history. If a vehicle comes with a full, comprehensive and up to date service history, it is highly likely that the vehicle has been looked after and you shouldn’t get much trouble out of it. The second question is to check if the vehicle has been involved in any serious accidents that are likely to affect performance later in the ownership of the vehicle.

When I was faced with the task of buying a used car, I looked specifically at Used Audi models, as a manufacturer of Audi’s ilk and reputation can be relied upon much more than many of the competition. It may cost slightly more, but the investment will pay off over time.