What type of used car should you go for?

If you are looking to buy a used car, the use that it will be put to should be at the forefront of your thoughts. For example, if you have a large family, you may want to consider an MPV, whereas if you plan to be driving around a lot on your own or as part of a couple, then you might want to think about getting yourself a small hatchback or coupe. Here is a rundown of most of the types of car that are available on the second hand market, and the pros and cons of each option.

If parking and fuel economy are your highest priority, then you may want to look into getting a city car. It is, however, rare to find vehicles of this type in good condition, and the ones that are tend to be expensive.

Small hatchbacks are one of the more popular types of car because they are cheap to run and insure, and are also very versatile. They tend to be quite cheap, although this is more to do with their low initial price than a lack of demand.

Family hatchbacks and saloons can often be picked up relatively cheaply, especially former taxis and fleet cars, as they are often bought and sold in bulk by companies. However, these have often seen some pretty rough treatment, as company cars do not tend to get the same level of care and attention as privately owned vehicles.

MPVs, also known as people carriers, can be great value for larger families, especially the smaller models. The larger models offer more in the way of room, but are also more expensive to run, and very difficult to park.

Sports cars and coupes from mainstream car manufacturers depreciate quicker than any other type of car, with the possible exception of mainstream luxury cars, and can often be picked up quite cheaply on the used market. Be sure to give any car of this type a thorough mechanical check before buying, as they have often been driven pretty hard by their previous owners, and parts can be expensive.

Mainstream car manufacturers often produce luxury models with the aim of enhancing their brand value, and these are some of the fastest depreciating cars around, which means that you could end up with a real bargain if you buy one second hand. They tend to be pretty expensive to fix when they go wrong due to the large amount of electronics on board, but the build quality is usually well above average, so you should encounter less mechanical problems.

If you do a lot of outdoor activities, larger 4x4s can represent a great bargain, as they tend to be very rugged and depreciate quickly, but be aware that four wheel drive vehicles consume around twice the amount of fuel as their two wheel drive counterparts, and rely on expensive proprietary parts that can be expensive to get hold of should you need to repair your vehicle.