The way in which we buy used cars has changed a great deal over the years with more and more people turning to the online markets, as opposed to stopping by a local used car dealership. The pandemic has pushed even more business online, even those that would not have normally shopped for vehicles online. If you are wondering where to start shopping for your next used vehicle online, here are a few excellent sites to check out for buying used cars.

1. AutoTrader- is probably the most popular and reputable with a user-friendly interface and very large selection, so you can find just what you are looking for.

2. Motors- is a close second for UK shoppers. It is known for its user-friendly website and good visuals.

3. Yes Auto- is somewhat newer to the industry but still quite well liked with it’s 360 panoramic VR tech and the ability for users to rate cars on what aspects matter most to them.

Any of these three sites would be excellent choices for finding your next used vehicle.

Oil changes are an essential way to keep your vehicles engine in great shape and prolong its life. Often it is recommended to change your oil after every 3,000 miles or every three months. Modern day cars typically have excellent oil sensors that will tell you when you should change your oil and it is always good to visually check your oil every 1,000 miles or before setting off on a long journey. There are also some signs that your vehicle may exhibit if the oil needs changing such as:

• The oil is thick or black
• The oil is coarse or gritty
• The change oil light comes on in the dashboard
• The oil level keeps dropping
• You hear increased engine noise
• The car is overheating
• You smell burning oil
• The engine is difficult to start

If you experience any of these indicators signs, you should change your as soon as possible to avoid any damage to the engine.

You have probably heard somewhere that as soon as you drive a brand-new car off the forecourt it loses a significant amount of value straight away but is this fact?

Yes, it certainly is, although the amount of value lost will be entirely dependent on several factors such as the original purchase price. The correct term for this process is depreciation. Car depreciation means the amount lost over time on the value of a car, this is usually estimated yearly.

Say for example you purchase a car that costs £50,000 in 3 years that cars estimated value is likely to be 40% of the price you purchased it for, you will also need to factor in the use of the car for this to be a true representation of depreciation. Generally, car deprecation estimates are based on 10,000 miles driven a year, if you drive fewer miles then your car is likely to lose less value each year, as general wear and tear will be less.

With colder weather hitting many parts of the UK, snow has already started to cover the grounds in some areas. Over the last few weeks, snow has been predicted a number of times and those of us who have been lucky enough to escape it, know that it may be just around the corner. It is vital that you make sure that your car is ready not just for snow but for winter in general. With a lot of grit, mud and water on the roads, it is important that you use to keep your screen wash topped up (ideally that works below freezing). You need to be able to clean your screen regularly to enable you to maintain good vision.
Tyres are another important factor, especially during the winter months. You may find that you need to inflate your tyres when the colder weather hits as this can cause the air in them to shrink down. Be careful though not to overinflate them as this will give you less grip. Ideally, you should have winter tyres fitted during the snowy icy months, but this can be expensive. Often a good all year round tyre will be ok as long as there is plenty of tread left on it, inflated correctly and it is not damaged.

Anyone with a keen interest in cars will know that it’s rare for a modern vehicle to be able to achieve its published MPG figures under what most of us consider normal driving conditions, and often with some quite considerable variations. Speaking as a regular road tester, it’s something I assess in every vehicle I drive – what does it take to get or beat the published MPG?

Much of this can be put down to the now-defunct NEDC testing system, which was a laboratory based standardised testing system, that perhaps poorly reflected the nature of real-world driving. Or rather, much can be put down to manufacturers response to it. Whilst this is now being replaced as we speak with the more realistic (albeit still laboratory-based) WLTP system, manufacturers have been used to gaming these tests for years.

In the most extreme example, you have the defeat software as used in the Volkswagen emissions scandal, but the system-gaming runs much deeper; manufacturers will test vehicles with overly hard tyres, remove absolutely any unnecessary components, ensure any non-essential electrical loads are disabled, and so-on, all designed to ensure that the machine performs as best as it can in test conditions.

It would be naïve to expect this to end under the new system.