Buying a Used Car
Phrases
- Of course, the best way to buy a car is to buy a new one.
- It's much easier to get a loan when you are sure about the condition of a new car
- But if you are constrained in regards to money you should find a car that meets your needs and fits your budget.
- First, you need estimate the price of your future car.
- You shouldn't spend all your savings.
- Hide 20% of your budget. It may be possible you will need to spend about 5% to assess the technical condition of the car and about 15% for any necessary repairs.
- Choose the right model. If you have a family, you will want enough room for everyone plus ample cargo space.
- Some cars are cheap to buy but will cost a lot in the long run. Spend time before making a deal to search owner's forums to investigate common problems and ownership costs.
- Be careful with unnaturally low prices. You can become a victim of scammers.
- Find a good site with used cars. It should allow filtering by year, mileage, price and location.
- Think about logistics. If you look at about 3 cars a day, it will be necessary to find a mechanic nearby to assess technical conditions.
- The typical annual mileage on a car is about 12000 miles. Compare this with the annual mileage when choosing a car.
- Run a vehicle history report using the vehicle identification number (VIN). Ask the seller for it.
- Are you the first owner?
- Are the service records available?
- Are there liens on the car?
- How did you set the asking price?
- Is there any important information that wasn't in the ad?
- Can I have the car inspected by a mechanic?
- Test drive the selected car. Turn off the radio and try to find all types of road: hills, rough pavement, curves, highway. Try to define "is that car convenient for me". Are there any unusual sounds?
- After the test drive open the trunk, listen to the audio system, try to connect it via Bluetooth.
- Open the state's registry website to identify the form of contract you should have to register a car.
Vocabulary
- ad – an advertisement
- ample – enough or more than enough; plentiful
- assess – evaluate or estimate the nature, ability, or quality of
- available – able to be used or obtained; at someone's disposal
- constrained in – embarrassed, unnatural, or forced
- curves – a line or outline which gradually deviates from being straight for some or all of its length
- get a loan – borrowing money
- highway – a main road, especially one connecting major towns or cities
- hills – a naturally raised area of land, not as high or craggy as a mountain
- liens – a right to keep possession of property belonging to another person until a debt owed by that person is discharged
- long run – extending over a long time
- mileage – a number of miles travelled or covered
- nearby – not far away; close
- necessary – needed to be done, achieved, or present; essential
- ownership – the act, state, or right of possessing something
- pavement – a raised paved or asphalted path for pedestrians at the side of a road
- room – space that can be occupied or where something can be done
- scammers – a person who perpetrates a scam; swindler
- trunk – s a large, strong case or box used for storing things or for taking on a journey
- unnaturally – is strange and often frightening, because it is different from what you normally expect
- vehicle – a thing used for transporting people or goods, especially on land, such as a car, lorry, or cart
- victim – a person harmed, injured, or killed as a result of a crime, accident, or other event or action
