ACF Car Finance 'Drive A Better Deal'

The motor industry has been hit hard recently, with less and less people buying new cars and many now opting to pick up a used car bargain.

By the end of 2008, the average used car had lost one-fifth of its value, but the average value of a used car rose by 5 per cent last month and prices are beginning to show a sustained and significant increase.^†

Leyton Cooper, ACF Car Finance’s Group Buying Manager, has been in the used car market for almost fifteen years. ACF Car Finance buys and sells thousands of vehicles every year and Leyton oversees every car purchased throughout the UK as well as all part exchange disposals.

From auction houses, private sellers, nationwide dealerships and remarketing companies, he knows every trick of the trade and reveals the eye-opening reality of how to dodge driving-home in a costly mistake!

1. Look around the oil filler cap for a white mayonnaise-like substance - this can be an indication of a damaged head gasket which can be very expensive to put right
2. Watch out for tow bars – never a good sign as heavy towing can cause excess wear and tear and you run the risk of chassis problems
3. Carry out a HPI check on any car you plan to buy to ensure that there is no outstanding debt linked to the vehicle – you may find yourself responsible for it!
4. Before driving off double check the tyres haven’t been replaced at the last minute with bald, uneven ones
5. Missing head rests are also very hard and expensive to replace on some older models. Some can cost as much as £150 retail!
6. Look out for a missing parcel shelf – tricky to source and more expensive than you think to replace
7. If wear on the pedals is particularly high and doesn’t correspond to mileage – this is a major clue that the mileage has been tampered with
8. Beware of speciality or limited edition paint types and colours – this can be another expensive extra if you ever need a re-spray or touch-up
9. Don't buy new. Let someone else take the pain of the initial depreciation!
10. Once you’ve bought the car, get a new set of keys cut and take a copy of all of the documentation in case you loose them – you’ll save yourself a lot of time and money if you ever do.

Leyton Cooper concludes: "We travel the length and breadth of the country every day of the week ensuring we buy the best used-cars out there. But for many people they will only buy a couple of cars in their lifetime – it’s difficult for them to know what they are really buying. I hope these hints help – otherwise pop in to ACF Car Finance! We specialise in helping customers to find the top quality used car they’re looking for at a monthly repayment to suit their individual budget."

ACF Car Finance is a privately owned UK company which specialises in providing quality used cars and arranging car finance. It operates a network of eight dealerships across the UK including Leeds, Manchester, East Midlands, West Midlands, Bristol, Dunstable and Maidstone.

The company specialises in catering for the sub-prime market, allowing customers to conveniently apply for car finance online or via telephone.

^†Source Manheim Auction Houses.