For most people, buying a car is a daunting prospect. It’s the second-largest purchase that lots of folk are ever likely to make, and many go into it with little or no idea of what they’re doing.
The potential pitfalls seem many and varied. Buyers are concerned that their perceived lack of knowledge - either about cars, the car-buying process, or all of the above - might land them with a turkey of a car that’s riddled with mechanical maladies, causing endless headaches and expense.
Others worry and that they might be overcharged for their car by unscrupulous sellers. Then there are those who worry about inadvertently buying a car with outstanding finance, or with hidden crash damage.
We know all this, because the UK’s motorists have told us so. In late 2026, we conducted a survey of more than 2,000 British drivers to find out the nation’s pain points in the process of buying a used car, and figure out precisely where they need support in the process. Incredibly, just 15% of drivers stated that they feel confident and well prepared in buying a car today. A whopping 72% admitted that they needed additional guidance or research before buying a car, while almost a quarter (22%) said that they felt overwhelmed by the process. You can read the broader results of that survey here.
And taking into account those results and the concerns they threw up, we’ve put together this, our Ultimate Used Car Buying Guide, to address those concerns point-by-point. Using the links below, we take you through every part of buying a used car, from the checks you can make at home, to the checks you should make when inspecting a car, to the questions you should ask the seller, to how to conduct a test drive, to haggling and doing the deal.
This is our one-stop guide for anyone looking to buy a used car, and who wants to feel confident and prepared about doing it. We sincerely hope it helps.
- The 10 Benefits of Buying a Used Car
- What is the Overall CarGurus rating? Our data-driven verdict to help you find your next car
- Checks to Make Before Viewing a Potential Used-Car Purchase
- Important Checks to Make When Inspecting a Used Car
- The 12 Questions to Ask When Buying a Car
- How to Test Drive a Used Car
- How To Get a Used Car Inspected by a Mechanic
- How to Negotiate the Best Price on a Used Car
- How to Buy a Car Without Seeing It
