VEHICLE INSURANCE: WHAT TO LOOK F...

As your research on vehicle insurance quotes will tell you, the type of vehicle you buy can have an impact on the premiums you pay in the future. That being said, buying a ‘problem’ car can have a bigger impact.

This is why it is why buying a reliable car is the wise thing to do, which can be easier said than done when looking at second hand cars. But, if you inspect the car well enough, you can get a good idea of just how reliable a car will be in the future.

Vehicle Insurance Inspection Tips

When looking at second hand car, be diligent. The following factors will indicate if the car might be expensive to maintain:

• Panel gaps: If there are irregular gaps between panels of the car, tread cautiously. This could be a sign of past accidents which have been covered up. This might mean unreliability in the future.

• Tyre wear: Tyre wear goes further than suggesting you will have to fork out for new tyres in the future. Irregular tyre wear is often caused by suspension problems, meaning you may be on the hook for a costly repair job in the not-too-distant future.

• Warm bonnet: If the bonnet is warm to the touch, the owner may have started it before you arrived in order to cover up a starting issue. Be wary of this. It is also vital that you request an up to date service history from the seller.

Once you’re satisfied that these factors are in order, check the electrical systems. Be sure to check the lights and indicators, radio, air conditioner etc. before you take the car for a test drive.

During your test drive, pay attention to the following:

1. Engine and Transmission: the engine should be reasonably quiet and shouldn’t smoke excessively.  Listen out for strange sounds whilst driving. Similarly, the transmission shouldn’t crunch when you change gears.
2. Clutch: make sure that the clutch bite-point isn’t too high. This shows a weakness in the clutch that may have to be dealt with soon.
3. Brakes: you shouldn’t have to push the pedal very far down in order to slow the car, and you should feel confident that the brakes respond well when you push the pedal. You don’t want to be nervous about stopping distances.
4. Steering: make sure that the steering is responsive but not ‘twitchy’. There shouldn’t be any free play on the wheel, and you shouldn’t feel any excessive vibrations, even at speed.

If you’re happy with all of the above, you probably have a good car on your hands. And, as you know, a good car means lower vehicle insurance costs and fewer trips to the mechanic, so it’s win-win.

Image credit: www.bankrate.com/financing/cars/car-loans-break-another-record/