So you are interested in buying a sports utility vehicle better known as the abbreviated SUV. You would like to obviously buy brand new but your budget just does not stretch. Alternatively you can look into the used vehicle market where hopefully you can find and obtain a bargain which will suit your given requirements.
Things you should know before buying used SUVs
Your first start off point would be setting yourself a budget and also to consider what the general use of the vehicle is going to be.
Considering the size you require is important, there are two main types of SUVs either car-based or truck-based. The main difference obviously apart from size is that a car-based SUV offers much more comfort, steering control and fuel consumption than its truck-based counterpart.
It is also good to compare the two types when considering if you going to be driving off road or towing a heavy trailer. If you are not it is not really viable to buy a truck-based model. This is due to the fact that the extra features and designs on the truck-based SUVs are purely made for off road driving. So if you are not going to be driving off road the truck-based model is of no benefit to you.
Safety is a concern and even more so with SUVs due to the vehicleshigher centre of gravity. You should make sure the vehicle that you are viewing has curtain air bags and is equipped with electronic stability control. Both are beneficial as SUVs are more likely to rollover than other vehicles. Most SUVs brought onto the market from 2005 will have this equipment installed.
Evaluating the engine power is something to consider as SUVs obviously have a varied amounts of engine sizes. Also determinethe wheel drive system that you require such as atwo wheel drive, four wheel drive or all wheel drive system. All of these systems are beneficial but as stated it depends on your planned usage for the SUV.
Fuel economy of the SUV varies depending on the size due to features such as brush guards, oversized tires and towing. Make sure you will need all the features on the chosen vehicle otherwise due to the weight it could prove to be detrimental to you financially.
The most important aspect in buying any used vehicle is that you are aware of all the history that comes with it. Making sure everything tallies up with the vehicleslog book is essential. You can obviously do this yourself but it can take time and be somewhat confusing. One fast and efficient way of obtaining all historical information such as engine size, owners, year, model, write offs and serious damageis to consult a company that can provide this. I text check with companies for this information by sending a text message of the vehicles registration number to them and for a small fee they will send me all the vehicles history. I can then crosscheck the information received with the information that the seller is providing. These companies obtain the vehicleshistory via a government database so you can be rest assured that all the information you are receiving is correct and up to date.
Before you conclude any sort of deal take the SUV for a test drive, thus allowing yourself to get used to the higher seating and driving control. If it is your first SUV both comfort and control whilst your driving is paramount.
One other thing to consider is insurance, SUVs are generally more expensive to insure than conventional cars, so check your insurers rates before you commit to buy.
