“The best package”

Over the next few weeks, new professionals will be getting new jobs. Some will be lucky enough to land perfect jobs. A luckier few will get a new set of wheels as a graduation gift.

Fortunately for parents looking for affordable, reliable, safe, fuel-efficient cars, there are options aplenty with some offering style, others substance and some with a bit of both.

The reason why there are so many solid and affordable options is that automakers are aggressively competing for the attention of young drivers. The names of the game in this market are style and efficiency, be it a small Suzuki Alto or a chic Kia Picanto.

But for starters I would not recommend dropping Daddy’s wallet on a brand new set of wheels unless your name is synonymous to Pawnshop Chains or Shipping Lines.  Although buying brandnew is always the best option, I would rather you spare Daddy’s retirement fund and get yourself a secondhand car.

With the influx of the top car brands over the past two decades, the choices of secondhand cars have never been better.  If you fancy my advice, here are few tips that will help you find and purchase a quality pre-owned car.

Make a list

Make a list of the cars that fall under your budget. Narrow the list down by researching on  high maintenance costs, breakdowns and availability of parts. Gather information from friends, taxi drivers and medical representatives with the same cars.

Check the papers

Go through the car registration meticulously. Ask for the Original Certificate of Registration and check if it’s clear and free of tampering.  Check if the word “ENCUMBERED” is written. If this is present, it simply means it is still tied-up to a credit institution.

Check for the current registration by checking on the LTO Official Receipt and stickers on the plate numbers. Ask for old receipts, service papers or better yet, the original receipt from the showroom where it was purchased.  This will help you verify the ownership history of the car.

When you are about to close the deal, visit your local Traffic Management Group Office or Land Transportation office and have the car verified.

Get under the car

Get yourself dirty and go under the car. Go to the gas station and have the car lifted. Anybody can see if there is a gaping rusted out hole or something, or if there are leaks that should be addressed.  Besides which, it makes you look like you know what you’re doing, which will put a shady seller on guard.

Take it to the SRP

While test driving your potential wheels, take it to a long road. Get it to highway speeds and you may discover a terrible rattle or shake, or misalignment that could be dangerous but that would be missed in a general mechanic’s safety check.

Test everything

And I mean everything.  All windows.  All doors. Trunk latches. Key holes. Dashboard Gauges. Seat adjustments.  Seat belts. Lights. Wipers. Turn signals. Radios and  Antennas, etc.  There’s nothing worse than buying a car, and then experiencing the slow and agonizing discoveries that your new wheels really aren’t all that new, nor fully operational.

Tag along a friendly mechanic

Have your friendly certified mechanic check the car thoroughly. Please don’t cover his bill by buying him a few drinks, pay him well.   That way, he will be most obliged to do the job well.

Check the Mileage

If the mileage is above 60,000 kilometers, ask the owner if the car has been generally serviced already. If uncertain, have it check by a certified service center. If it’s more than a 100,000 kilometers, huddle the price and save the remaining funds for major maintenance work.  Remember, I would rather buy a “high-mileage” car with religious service/maintenance records than a low mileage “pre-owned” with no records at all.