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A used car which is also known as a second hand car or a pre-owned car is a vehicle that is previously owned by one or more owners. Used cars are sold through a variety of franchise and independent dealers and rental car companies. Individuals can also purchase and sell used cars through online and newspaper classifieds.

Purchasing a used car can save a lot of money. A new car depreciates fast in a few years and is worth only about 50-60 percent of the original price after as short period as three years. It is true in general that a new car requires less maintenance initially and during the original warranty coverage period offered by the manufacturer, most of the problems would be covered. Still, buying a new car will not always mean that the buyer will get complete perfection. Buying a used car still involves a bit of a risk – there is no guarantee that the car has been properly maintained. There may be some hidden problems in the engine or automatic transmission that may not be felt when the car is test-driven while buying. Maintenance costs are typically higher for a used car. However, used cars are more preferred these days but some care is exercised before buying. Moreover many car manufacturers offer used cars of previous models under Certified Pre-owned programs where the used cars are inspected and reconditioned and packed with additional warranty coverage.

Steps to buy a used car:

Step 1: which type of car? Typical factors are how may people are to be transported, distance to commute, safety features, mileage, accommodating in the parking area or garage.

Step 2: How much can be afforded? Down payment in a single stroke or determining a realistic monthly payment that will fit into the budget is an important first step.

Step 3: Used car bargains. The price of a used car is based on its brand name, condition, mileage, performance and reliability. Hence, prudent bargaining should be exercised.

Step 4: Research the prospective used car. An online research can also be looked for used cars in the desired price range by reading car reviews, buying tips and safety ratings. Car buying tools which provide model information and side by side feature comparison can be examined. Physical inspection of the interiors and exteriors can be carried out in the first place to satisfy that all the interior components lighting system and tyres are in good condition. Any defective items requiring replacement after the purchase will increase the cost of the used car. A review of the vehicle history report can indicate the details like history of registration, odometer readings, major accidents, lease or Finance details, stolen and warranty check. A check on the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) can be made by comparing the VIN with the title to the number on the car to make sure they are identical. The VIN is usually located on the dashboard under the windshield, on the door, hood and engine.

Step 5: Finance for the car can be done through Cash, Bank loans or Financing through the dealer. Unless it is planned on purchasing by full payment in cash, it is suggested to get pre-approved financing and the cost of Insurance is also to be factored. Usually the interest rates on a used car will be higher.

Step 6: Used Car markets. Used cars can be bought from Private parties; new car dealerships used car lots and auctions.

Step 7: Test-driving. On a test drive, the aspects like Acceleration from a stop, Engine noise, and Hill-climbing power are to be checked.

Step 8: Negotiation. The foundation of successful negotiation is information. A thorough study on the price prevalence for similar type of cars should be known before buying.

Step 9: Closing the deal. A thorough review of the contract is required. The charges like cost of the vehicle, documentation fee, smog fee, smog certificate, sales tax and license fees are to be understood.

Lemon Law: <>

Lemon laws generally apply to new cars sold to private people. Used car lemon laws cover non leased cars bought from dealers. Some of the steps to avoid buying a lemon are as indicated below:

The VIN # has to be checked. There are possibilities that even a new vehicle might have been damaged or written off and not disclosed by the seller. Obtaining a report from authorized agencies like CARFAX (in Canada and the US), is recommended.

Confirmation in writing should be obtained that “there is no lien“on the vehicle.

An independent mechanical inspection is to be arranged.

All implied or expressed warranties are to be obtained in writing. This is required especially on an used vehicle as normally warranty will not exist. If there is a warranty, period and coverage of the same will have to be obtained in writing.

Salespeople are not mechanics. A copy of the report of the mechanical inspection completed by the dealer and signed by a certified mechanic is to be insisted rather than merely relying on a verbal mechanical report from a salesperson.

Allowing your teenager to drive on their own can have many advantages. One of which is the convenience of not having to drive them from place to place. Yet they must truly acquire the responsibility to handle a car on their own and must meet the required age to secure a license. Of course, in order to prevent this additional vehicle to become a financial burden, the price of the car, its maintenance and insurance coverage must be reasonably affordable.

The fact is that most insurers charge (much) higher auto insurance premiums for teenagers. To the insurance companies, most teen drivers are more reckless and accident-prone than adults. This is at least true when you look at claims statistics.

Fortunately there are ways to lower the auto insurance premiums for your teenager’s car. These pointers may help you get a better price from the insurers – in the long run and in the immediate future. These are tips that can help you enjoy the benefits of letting your teenager own a vehicle without burning a hole in your pocket:

1. Clean driving records. Well, this applies to any driver, especially teens, due to the tendency for auto insurers to slap them with higher-than-usual insurance premiums. Emphasize to your teen the importance of observing traffic laws and of having a clean driving record. Speeding tickets and other traffic violations instantly inflates their auto insurance cost to the stratosphere.

2. Increase the deductible. Auto insurance premium goes down as the deductible increases. However do take note that you’ll have to pay for the deductible amount in the event of an accident. So increase the deductible only to an amount you’re comfortable paying for.

3. Make and model of car. Some cars are categorized as more “hazardous” than others. Therefore their insurance premiums are higher. Sports cars attract the highest premiums, so avoid these. Choose an automobile that has a lot of advanced safety features built into it, and preferably one with a lower engine capacity.

4. Limit mileage. Advise your teen to drive only when necessary. Higher mileage tends to attract more bills –- higher auto insurance bills, gas bills, maintenance bills, et cetera. They certainly love joy rides, yet you’ll have to get them to schedule these activities and limit them to reasonable frequencies.

For teenagers, getting their own automobile evoke feelings of freedom and adulthood. They have probably spent some time fantasizing about arriving at a party driving their brand new car with their partner in it. And if you’re able to find an ordinary-looking, second-hand car that has a lower engine capacity, chances are you’ll be able to get a car with a reasonable price and affordable car insurance.

You may want to consider installing some anti-theft devices (like steering wheel locks, fuel cut-off devices or GPS tracking devices) on the car as well. This may not only reduce the insurance premiums, it is also a way to protect the car from theft, which may result in a bad financial loss.

Most importantly, help your teens be accountable for their vehicle. You can also encourage them to pay for part of the auto insurance or fuel cost. In the long run, their auto insurance bills will begin to see a decline and paying for their car insurance does become more affordable.

1. The motorcycle engine starts to cough.

 

2. You start to cough.

 

3. Other motorcycle riders keep their distance.

 

4. Pieces of the motorcycle start to fall off for no reason.

 

5. The seat starts to feel glued to your pants.

 

6. People turn away as you ride past.

 

7. The sun starts to burn directly into your eyes.

 

8. No matter how dark your sunglasses are, they don’t seem to help.

 

9. You hear a siren and wonder who it’s for.

 

10. And then you realize you left the coffee pot on in your house.

You rarely have that much warning before an accident. But if an accident does happen, here are ten actual tips of advice from a motorcycle accident lawyer to follow. You can also learn more about how to handle a personal injury in Orange County, or any city, by calling the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson at any of the numbers which can be found on our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learning how we can assist you.

 

Obviously, if you have had an accident, and you are reading all of this advice, it may have been a few hours since the accident. However, if you ever have another accident, or if it’s only been a few hours since you were hurt, here’s what you should do from the start.

 

First, take a look around and determine if you or anyone, are hurt. If so, taking steps like trying to prevent further injury or loss of blood are the most important thing you can do. Even if some other driver caused you to be injured, it’s just good manners to help the other driver if they are hurt. They may even be so thankful that they admit their fault to you. The worst thing you can do is get angry or start a fight.

 

Second, make sure everyone is safe from being injured further. If you are in the middle of traffic, and you are dizzy, sit down away from traffic. If your vehicle is a traffic hazard and you have accident warning devices like flares or triangles, put them out on the road to warn other drivers and get away from the car. Let the police an other emergency personnel investigate the scene with the vehicles in place and move them more safely at a later point.

 

Third, call the police. Accident reports are extremely helpful if the police will do such a report. Let the police know you are injured immediately. Answer the police questions honestly. But if you are dazed or confused, let them know you need medical treatment and answer only what you feel sure about. Remember, your statements can and will be used against you if you admit fault, and it will be too late and too fishy to later say you didn’t know what you were saying at the scene. Police know that your best recollection is immediately after an accident.

 

Fourth, get the other driver’s information including their names, addresses, driver’s license numbers, make and model of their vehicles, license plate numbers, and their insurance company name and policy number. If there are witnesses, get their names, addresses and telephone numbers as well. If the other driver makes any admissions of fault, write those down as well.

 

Fifth, if you have a camera on your cell phone or in the car and you aren’t too injured, take some photos of the vehicles and the scene. If you can’t do it right away, do it after you are released from the hospital.

Sixth, if you are hurt, obtain medical treatment. Don’t decline the ambulance or hospital examination to save your insurance company money or to be stoic. Take your valuables out of your car if you can and get checked out at the hospital. If you are not hurt, don’t get treatment you don’t need. However, remember, after an accident, you may feel a rush of adrenaline that causes you to only start feeling symptoms of pain a few hours later. If you have a health plan that requires you to obtain permission first, call them and find out where you are allowed to seek treatment.

 

Seventh, call a good motorcycle accident attorney as soon as you have had your initial treatment, so the lawyer can gather other important evidence and prevent the insurance company from taking advantage of you and obtaining such things as recorded statements that you feel fine, when many of your symptoms have yet to manifest themselves. A good motorcycle accident lawyer can save you from making a great deal of mistakes and can shoulder much of the hassle of knowing what to do about car repairs, car rentals, medical treatment, witness statements and the like. If you think you will save money by not having an attorney, think again. A good motorcycle accident lawyer can almost always obtain much higher settlements, obtain reductions of medical bills and insurance liens and prevent you from making costly mistakes. Also, most motorcycle accident lawyers advance costs of obtaining police reports, medical records and the like and are paid and reimbursed for these costs only out of any settlement.

 

Eight, you will need to report the accident to your insurance company, but since they will want to take a recorded statement from you, just like any other driver’s insurance company, it’s good advice to retain an attorney first. And if the other driver did not have insurance, remember that it is your own insurance company that will be your adversary. You will also need to report the accident to the Department of Motor Vehicles and your lawyer can give you the form for this.

 

Ninth, do not agree to settle your claim privately with the person at fault for the accident. This almost never works out to your advantage. Don’t agree not to call the police. Police reports that determine the fault for an accident are golden. Your agreement to not involve the police only affords an opportunity for the other driver to change his story and blame you when the police will no longer investigate the accident.

 

Tenth, don’t pay a traffic ticket without a fight if you weren’t at fault or agree to accept a small payment for your vehicle repairs without knowing that the amount will in fact cover the cost of all the repairs.

 

If you’ve had a motorcycle accident in Orange County, Newport Beach, Anaheim, Irvine, Huntington Beach, Corona del Mar, Laguna Beach, Santa Ana, Orange, Fullerton, costa Mesa, Westminster, Buena Park, Mission Viejo, Garden Grove, Laguna Niguel, San Clemente, Chino Hills, or anywhere in Southern California, we have the knowledge and resources to be your Newport Beach Motorcycle Accident Lawyer and your Irvine Motorcycle Accident Attorney. Be sure to hire a California law firm with auto, motorcycle, truck, bicycle, pedestrian, car, bus, train, boat and airplane accident experience, wrongful death experience and insurance law expertise who can ensure you are properly represented and get the compensation you deserve.

 

If you have a personal injury legal matter, a dog bite or if you’ve lost a loved one in a wrongful death accident, call the Law Offices of R. Sebastian Gibson, or visit our website at http://www.SebastianGibsonLaw.com  and learn how we can assist you.