One of the biggest reasons for buying a pre-owned car is that there’s a huge range of used cars for sale. You may find that a previous-generation of a current model is better suited to your needs or budget. Alternatively, you might have your sights set on something that hasn’t been around for a while.
Aside from the sheer amount of choice, buying a used car instead of a new car will mean you can spend less and avoid the financial hit of depreciation. New cars aren’t just more expensive, they can also lose a fifth of their value as soon as they drive off the forecourt.
As for stretching your money further, you can buy a better version of a used car than you could for a new model. For example, a new mid-spec Kia Picanto will cost you around £16,500. A used, three-year-old model in the same trim will cost around £12,000 - leaving you with a bang-up-to-date city car and a good chunk of change for servicing, insurance and aftermarket upgrades (infotainment, security etc) if it needs any.
With the cost of living biting and a need for all of us to make our money go further, there's never been a greater need to get a good deal when you're buying a used car.
The car market is rarely out of the headlines and has been on a bit of rollercoaster ride in recent years with used car values rising quickly when supplies dried up in the wake of the pandemic ... only for those used values to come tumbling back down again. With used car values stable once again, it means that it's now a pretty good time to pick up a used car.
Those in the market for an electric car for sale will be the biggest winners this summer. Used values on electric cars (EVs) have fallen considerably and suddenly cars that may have previously been out of budget suddenly look affordable. Take a look at Nissan Leaf, Renault Zoe the Volkswagen ID3, where bargains can be found.
September 1st signals the registration plate change, with the DVLA releasing the new '74' plate, replacing the '24' plate that appeared back in March. With many new car buyers loving to have that special feeling of the latest number plate, it means they’ll be part exchanging their used cars. This swells dealer used stock, with more cars to choose from. This puts you in a strong position to negotiate and buy as the dealer has more cars to sell and meet targets.
There are other things to consider as well. Much like motorbikes, convertibles and camper vans also sell very well in summer due to the sunny weather — so avoid buying in the hotter months if you're in the market for a used convertible as prices are likely to be strong, while there's always more demand for a 4x4 in the winter months which again, pushes up prices of these cars.
When considering the best locations in the UK to buy a used car, cities like London, Birmingham, Manchester, and Glasgow offer a wide range of used car dealerships and private sellers, providing diverse options to choose from.
No matter where you live, at heycar you can filter your search so you can find the perfect car for you close to home.
We’ve designed heycar with used car buyers in mind. Whether you know exactly what you want, or need a little more help deciding, we're sure you'll find the perfect used car for sale on heycar. You can narrow down you used car search with our filters, check out our latest car deals or get in touch with one of our helpful customer service agents via live chat.
We only have the best quality used cars for sale from selected dealers and you can even buy a used car online. We promise that all of our used cars on sale are quality checked, have a minimum of a 30 day warranty, and have covered fewer than 100,000 miles, meaning you can drive away with peace of mind. And to show you we’re serious about quality; we offer a 10-day money back guarantee.
We have a great range of used cars for sale from all the big manufacturers, while we also have used cars for sale on finance, so if you’re after Hire Purchase or a Personal Contract Purchase deals, then we can help you out. Head to our dedicated used car finance page to discover more.
As well as listing 1000s of used cars for sale that you can buy from one of our trusted dealers, we also have a huge variety of cars for sale online as well. It couldn't be simpler. Find the car you want from our huge range of buy online used cars, buy it outright or finance it and get it delivered straight to your front door. Take a look our guide to buying online with heycar to find out more.
Some used cars have been used more than others, so what can you consider high mileage? Well, the average UK annual car use is around 12,000 miles a year, which means a five-year-old used car with 60,000 miles on the clock is perfectly normal.
Some car manufacturers offer higher mileage warranties on their cars. Kia’s 7 year or 100,000-mile warranty is industry-leading, while these days a used car still has many years and many thousands of miles left in it at 100,000 miles.
If you want to be sure that your used car will last a long time, it’s worth buying one of the best cars for owner satisfaction. The annual HonestJohn.co.uk Satisfaction Index takes feedback from thousands of owners on how they rate their car in areas such as fuel economy, performance, technology, repair costs and, of course, reliability. Car brands with the most satisfied owners include Lexus, Dacia, Hyundai, Kia and Skoda.
If you’re buying a used car then pretty much the first thing you’ll have to do is insure it. With the cost of living going up, car insurance is a frustrating but necessary expense for car owners.
If you’re willing to shop around and be clever, though, you can save money on your car insurance. There are other tips and tricks, such as not automatically accepting your renewal quote the next year, not being afraid to haggle, adding a second driver with more experience or fitting a black box. Have a look at our list of the top 10 tips for getting cheaper car insurance - you might be able to save more money on your premiums than you think.
Insurance brokers can also help you find a better deal while cutting your allowed mileage to the minimum will reduce your premium. It’s worth avoiding powerful or expensive cars if keeping insurance costs low is important, so why not check out our list of the cheapest cars to insure.
If you’re in the market for a used car, the first thing to do is to understand what type of car you need. That’s easier said than done. There’s a baffling number of car body shapes available. We explain the popular different car body types available plus their advantages and disadvantages.
SUV stands for Sport Utility Vehicle and now takes in a vast collection of cars. They have the high driving position of a more traditional 4x4, and although some do have this function readily available, not all SUVs are four-wheel drive. SUVs vary hugely in size from the equivalent of small family hatchbacks to large estate cars and they usually have five doors and five seats, though some come with seating for up to seven.
MPV stands for Multi-Purpose Vehicle, though its also referred to as a people carrier. Need to chauffeur several people at once? Many MPVs have seven seats. Need to move some furniture? Just fold the seats flat and you’re left with van-like space. If there’s a downside, it’s probably that with all seven-seats up, boot space can be limited. The two furthest rear seats are really meant for big enough kids only.
A hatchback is a car that has a boot that opens with the rear window. There are multiple types of cars that fall under the hatchback category. Popular family hatchbacks are cars like the Volkswagen Golf and Ford Focus, while there are smaller options out there like the Audi A1, Ford Fiesta and Volkswagen Polo. Hatchbacks provide a great compromise for daily life as most have comfortable seating for five (taller adults might struggle for space in the back) and a reasonable sized boot.
Like the idea of a family hatchback but need more space? Go for an estate as they have more boot space than the hatchbacks or saloons they’re based on, while modern estate cars are a lot more stylish than some of their boxy predecessors. You'll also find that estate cars have a more useful boot space than rivals SUVs.
With coupe meaning cut in French, it’s not surprising these have just two doors. They’re designed to be fun to drive and often only have two seats, although many claim to be what’s known as a 2+2. This is when they have two seats in the back that are big enough for a couple of young kids.
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