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When you’re in the market for a new car, the risk of buying one that simply isn’t fit for purpose isn’t all that high.

However, it’s still a risk that can affect your finances, your ability to get around, and your safety on the road. For that reason, you should know what you can do to make sure that you don’t get stuck with a lemon when you’re out shopping for a car.

Watch out for the private market

If you’re buying from a private seller, you should always be warier. Not only are they less liable to get into trouble if they try and scam you, but they’re also typically not trained to notice faults that dealers are. As such, they could be selling you a lemon without even knowing about it. Be mindful of scams and take the extra effort to do your due diligence of checking the car’s condition when buying privately.

Consider certified pre-owned

If you’re buying used, you might want to go a step further and ask your dealer if they have any certified pre-owned cars. These are cars that have been owned and driven before, but they have been serviced, updated, and maintained to quality standards set by the car manufacturer. Essentially takes away much of the risk that typically comes with buying used.

Get the maintenance to go with it

If you want to make sure that your vehicle stays in its best condition, then you should look at the services that you can get alongside it. There are car dealers, for instance, who will include service, maintenance, and repairs for general wear & tear to make sure that you’re able to stay happy with the motor for a long time to come. Of course, these extras also tend to come with the extra expense to match.

Know what to look for on a test drive

Most drivers know to test drive a vehicle before they take it home, but do you know what you should actually be looking out for on a test drive? A test drive checklist can give you an idea of what you should be keeping your eyes and ears out for, helping you see when a vehicle has signs of a serious hidden problem.

Have your mechanic take a look

If you’re getting ready to make the decision, you should pause for a second and request that you have your mechanic look at the car. If the dealer is unwilling, you should get to the bottom of why. When it comes to used cars, your mechanic might be able to tell you which problems are minor and fixable, and which are likely to become a recurring problem during your ownership, as well as an idea of how much it might cost to get the vehicle up to snuff.

You need to be picky about where you buy your cars, mindful of how you inspect them before you buy them, and quick to notice problems when you take them home.

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