Top Tips for Test Driving a Used Car

When buying a used car, taking it out on a test drive is essential. There’s no way you’ll know if a car is right for you without taking it on a test drive. When shopping for a used car, here are the things you need to look out for on your test drive to make sure that the car is in a good condition and the ideal vehicle for you:

Take Out Insurance

If you’re looking for a used car with a reputable dealer like Shelbourne Motors, then the insurance we have will cover you for when you take the car out on a test drive. However, if you do look at cars with private sellers, be sure to check out what the insurance cover is. Check your own policy to make sure that you’re covered to drive any car or ring up to arrange comprehensive cover for a period of time so you’re covered whilst test driving.

Drive Normally

One of the main things to do when test driving a used car is to make sure that you’ve tested it out on a variety of different types of road surfaces. If you spend most of your time commuting to work on the motorway, then test driving a car to see what it feels like on a country road isn’t going to be of much use to you. Try and test drive it for long enough so that you get to experience a variety of different types of roads and get a real feel for how the car drives on each different one to see if it’s the right car for you. Make sure you drive as you would normally, so have a go at reverse parking to make sure you can see properly when doing manoeuvres and can reach all the controls and steering wheel comfortably.


Listen to the Engine

If the engine sounds like it’s struggling, then there could be a problem with the car. When you get in it to test drive, the engine should be cold so always touch the bonnet, if it is warm the seller could be trying to hide a fault. This is the same when it comes to the gears and brakes. Brake as you would normally to make sure that you have confidence in the brakes and make sure that you can engage the gears through the gear box without crunching.

Be Comfortable

Spend long enough inside the car to ensure that you’d be comfortable driving it for long periods of time. Things like getting in and out with ease, whether there’s enough room in the boot for the shopping and whether there’s enough space for the kids all need to be considered before you make a decision on the car.

By following all these top tips when going on a test drive, you can be sure that you’ve got a great deal on the perfect used car for you today.

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