But buying second hand does not have to be a risk. Buying from a registered dealer safeguards your purchase with a warranty and specific engineering checks part of the package. For example, buying a used BMW from a registered BMW dealership offers you many peace of mind from the 12 month warranty, but more so from the fact that every single used BMW is checked extensively by BMW technicians.
The recession is not filling the nation with sunshine at the moment, but one shining light is the fact that it is currently a very good time to buy a car, be it a brand new Audi, or Mini or a used BMW or Lexus, there are bargains out there to suit your budget. In many respects used cars offer much better value than a brand new car as you will avoid the loss of investment that occurs during the first year of depreciation of a vehicle.
Buying a used car from a registered dealership also provides you with the guarantee that the car has been finance checked, many people have been stung when buying privately as they have been hit from finance companies with overdue payments from the previous owner. Car data checks are vital when purchasing a used vehicle as these thorough checks to ensure the vehicle has not been involved in any unrecorded accidents and negate the unfortunate occurrence of purchasing a cut and shut vehicle.
Whilst a private sale may well be considerably cheaper, a dealership is risk free and offers excellent after sales customer care should there be any problems with the purchased vehicle. With somebody to fall back on - and experts at that - surely the extra cost is money well spent?
Many authorised dealers are having to add special offers, with extended warranties and other add ons just to sell some cars in the current economical climate as bargains are there for the taking. For example, a BMW 116i will set you back 22,500 pounds on the road, but in comparison a used BMW 116i, less than one year old and with just 3000 miles on the clock costs as low as 14,000 pounds from an authorised BMW dealer.
The uncertainty of the motor industry at the moment means that it has never been a better time to buy either a brand new car or a used car, and with better value for money in used cars there's no wonder why used car sales against that of brand new sales have risen of late. If you are considering purchasing a used car though, just bear in mind the peace of mind on offer from purchasing a vehicle from an authorised dealership ahead of a private sale.