WHAT TO LOOK FOR WHEN BUYING A USED CAR

We've created this ultimate checklist of what to consider and look for when you're making the decision to buy a used car.

Work out what you want

The first thing you need to do is straightforward - and make a list of what you are looking for in a car. Will you need it to ferry family members about, do you need it to be big enough for your dog to fit safely and comfortably? Do you want it to have the latest technology, with Apple CarPlay or Android Auto? Are the safety features of parking sensors or rear view cameras important?

If you can rank those features in order of importance, you can work out what you really need from a car, and what would be a 'good to have' feature. This can inform your decision-making process from the beginning.

Set a budget

The price you pay will depend on a number of factors. Will you be buying the car outright, with a personal loan, or will you be using finance options such as Hire Purchase or Personal Contract Hire? Once you know which payment solution works for you, you can then decide how much is an affordable monthly amount - including insurance and road tax as well as running costs.

Select a dealership

Now you have your budget, and your wish list, it's almost time to start looking at cars. But before yo...