Tag Archives: money

The Truth is Out There… Debunking Popular Car Insurance Myths

Like death and taxes, car insurance seems somewhat inevitable. You want to drive on UK roads? You must be covered by some kind of acceptable policy. But perhaps because you must have insurance, there is a lot of chit chat that goes around pubs, dinner tables and other social meeting places, which discusses the potential intricacies of costs, policies and covers.

If you’re one of those people who’ve whipped out your phone or powered up your computer to check on some rumours you’ve heard – then you’ve arrived in the right place. Let’s go through some of the most popular assertions and fact check them to see if they’re the real deal, or just some old fake news.

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Help… I’ve Been Hit by an Uninsured Driver

You’ve been hit, and you know it wasn’t your fault. Once you’ve shaken yourself down and regained your composure, you speak to the driver of the other vehicle. Then you discover they don’t have any insurance or you get the details, only to find it’s a made up policy, or an older one that’s already expired.

Or worse still, the offending vehicle simply pulls off and drives away. The dreaded hit and run incident. Not only bad from a legal standpoint, but a truly callous act if someone has been hurt and injured. Fortunately there have been laws and organisations in place to protect you from uninsured drivers – but what are the practical steps you need to take should such a situation arise?

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Know Your Rights – What Happens When Buying a Used Car goes Wrong?

Hunting for used cars is a national past-time. Whether you’re in the market for a bargain, or are a collector trawling through barn finds and small ads, looking for that dream motor – you can find a huge selection of vehicles at some top notch prices. Most sellers are decent people, looking to run a business, or simply trade up on an old car, but this doesn’t mean mistakes can’t be made.

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How to Spot a Cut and Shut Car

Over the years we’ve mentioned the dreaded cut and shut job many times. From the selling tricks of dodgy dealers to spotting cloned cars. Although this problem was more prevalent when there was less information and checks available to keep sellers and mechanics honest about this dastardly practice, it hasn’t disappeared completely.

Accidently buying a cut and shut unknowingly is disastrous. Not only is it illegal for someone to sell you a reconditioned write-off, but it is incredibly dangerous to the driver, any passengers and other road users. If it is involved in a crash it will literally fall apart. How can you avoid this potential catastrophe by spotting a cut and shut before you buy?

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How to Spot a Cloned Car

Buying a car is a process fraught with potential problems and dangers. There’s a reason why the stereotype of the used car salesman exists, although the majority of people who work in this field are reputable and honest.

Still, sometimes flood damaged vehicles appear on the market, sellers can pull off dodgy tricks and you’ll need to have your wits about you during your test drive. But there’s another red flag you’ll want to avoid when looking for a potential purchase, and that’s the cloned car.

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How Not to Devalue your Car

When you sell on your new or second-hand car, you’ll want to achieve the best price possible. A well looked after car, both in terms of the exterior and the engine is obviously more desirable to a buyer, and will hence attract a better price. However there are many factors that can devalue a vehicle, from a messy interior to a brakes that’ve been pushed too hard. What are the ideal ways to take care of your car to achieve the optimal sell on price?

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The Best Methods to Help You Spot a Clocked Car

In days gone by sellers would rip off car buyers by winding back the mechanical odometer using a number of techniques. This is a process that’s more commonly known as clocking. In the past it would often leave tell-tale marks like screwdriver scratches on the dash or the numbers in the meter not quite lining up.

With the event of digital and electronic odometers, you might think that this practice has all but ended, but actually clocking is on the rise, and now with the range of electronic systems that can be used to alter mileage – it’s more prevalent than ever.

What can you do to make sure that you’re not a victim of this deceitful selling practice?

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How to Avoid Buying a Flood Damaged Vehicle

Some areas in the UK are prone to drastic flooding. We’re not talking about a big puddle here, but rather rivers breaking and metre high waters that hang around for days. Expose a car to this kind of wetness and it’s going to get in every single space and cause some serious damage.

It’s not enough to simply give the car a good airing or replace the carpets and upholstery. There’s a real need to look beyond cosmetic damage as flood water can impact the performance of the brakes, starter motors, catalytic converters as well as running havoc with the electrics.

Flood damaged cars are dangerous. It’s that simple. However, unscrupulous sellers will try to cover up problems caused by flood waters – so here’s how to make sure you don’t get lumbered with a compromised vehicle that’s been previously submerged.

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Don’t Get Sweet-Talked – How To Swerve Those Clever Car Selling Tactics

We have talked about the tricks employed by less than reputable car sellers in a previous article, but there are still legitimate tactics that can be used by every seller on the forecourt.

Whilst almost all dealers are honest and it’s only a very small minority that will try to hoodwink you into a bad deal, there are some tactics that can be used to shift cars and lower prices that you should know about. This article is intended to put you on the front foot and give you a clear perspective when it comes to the buying process.

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18 things not to say to a car sales person

Thinking of buying a new car? With used prices staying high you have to put in a little effort to get the best price possible. Make the right preparations and you can ready for all the negotiation tactics the sales person can throw at you. Remember if you go forearmed with knowledge then you’ll know a great deal when you see it.

Much of the deal is decided in the negotiation. Our team has put together a list of phrases, statements and questions you need to seriously avoid during the negotiation phase to get the most for your money.

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