How to make choosing a used car easy
There are many factors to take into consideration when buying a used car, but what can you do to make the process easier?
The Cazoo editorial team
Published on 22 September 2025 | 1 min read
Buying a second-hand car can be a stressful and complicated process, especially if you’re not prepared.
There are thousands of used vehicles out there that have hidden pasts, and it’s something you want to avoid.
But if you do your homework and make some sensible decisions, the second-hand car buying process can be made a lot easier and hassle-free.
We’ve compiled a list of all the factors you need to take into consideration to make buying a used car simple.
Always take a test drive
One of the best ways to make a used vehicle purchase easier is to take it for a test drive. We’d always recommend you drive your potential purchase before you buy, as you’ll get a good feeling on whether it’s the right car for you.
Make sure you go on a mixture of rural and urban roads as well as the motorway, so you can check that the car drives in a straight line, there are no nasty knocks or bangs coming from the underside and that you like how it feels.
If you don’t take the car for a test drive, there is a higher chance that you might not like the vehicle after you’ve bought it, or there might be something wrong with it, leaving you stuck with a car that you’d wished you hadn’t purchased.
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Look at the finance options
Always take a look at the finance options with the car you’re buying, and never shake on the first deal you find.
Always shop around as there will be plenty of different finance options out there with cheaper monthly payments, a smaller deposit contribution and greater annual mileage allowances.
If you don’t do your research into your finance options, you could end up in a deal with higher payments in a longer contract agreement than you might have wanted to fork out.
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Do your research into the make, model and size of the vehicle
It’s always best to know the exact car you’re looking for as it makes it easier to find your ideal vehicle.
Make sure that the car you’re looking at ticks all of the right boxes when it comes to your lifestyle. Has it got enough seats? Is the boot big enough for the weekly tip run? Is it small enough to fit into tight parking spots?
This will make the buying process a lot easier, as you’ll know what cars are best for you, without having to spend lots of time trundling around second-hand forecourts looking for the right car.
If you don’t know which car you’re after and don’t do your homework, you could end up with a car that is too impractical for your needs, too expensive to run or just isn’t what you are looking for. This means you’ll end up selling it for a loss, or you’ll have to hand back the keys and continue the search for your next used car.
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Always haggle on price
Never pay the full asking price as haggling will always get you a much cheaper car.
Most second-hand cars will be up for sale for a certain price, but that doesn’t mean that you should pay that.
Look to see how long the car has been advertised for, as dealers may be down on sales targets and will need to shift a certain amount of vehicles for the month, meaning some substantial discounts could be made. Look around the car and check for any damage, such as scratches, dents and curbed alloy wheels, as these are a great way of bartering down that asking price.
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Get an insurance quote before you buy
Regardless of your age or how much experience you have on the road, always do an insurance quote before you buy your next used car.
An error that some people can make is falling into the trap of buying a car before tallying up the running costs, with insurance being the biggest hurdle to climb.
If you’re a young driver aged under 25 years old, a low insurance premium is the key that will unlock you to your first or second set of wheels. If you’re an ageing driver, getting insurance can also be a problem, due to the higher risk factors of accidents from failing eye sight and slower reaction times.
Before you buy, always get an insurance quote on the car you’re interested in and then make sure that it’s within your budget as some quotes can be more than what the car is worth.
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Do a vehicle history check
Always make sure you do a vehicle history check before you buy a second-hand car as it can tell you a lot from the car’s past.
If you pay a £10 to £15 fee, a vehicle history check will look at whether the car has previously been involved in an accident, if it’s ever been stolen, had a colour change, whether there is any outstanding finance or if it’s been clocked, which is where the mileage has been wound back.
These reports can stop you from making a big financial mistake, as you might end up with a car that may not belong to you, is dangerous to you and other road users or is hiding its true identity.
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Always try and view the car first
Whether you’re buying privately or from a dealership, it’s always best to go and view the car first.
This is because you can see the car’s imperfections up close, such as dents, scratches, previous bodywork repairs and the condition of the interior. Always ask about the service history and if the V5C log book is present, and make sure that you get a proper looking over the car.
Some car supermarkets won’t enable you to view the car first, but that doesn’t mean that when the car arrives at your doorstep that you have to accept it. Many firms have a ‘money back guarantee’ policy within seven days if you’re not happy with the vehicle.
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