• Do your homework. Read up about the model of car you’re thinking about. Will it perform as you will want? Be aware of any known mechanical problems with that particular model and remember to check them out when you take it for a test drive (see tip 15).

• Look up the current second hand values for the car. Try starting at www.what car .com. Also get some of the second hand car magazines and your local paper. Check out the prices being asked for similar cars.

• Car Insurance is always a major expense. How much will that car cost you to insure? It’s easy to find out on the Internet – get a few quotes. It’ll just take you ten minutes.

• Also check out the car’s other running costs. We’re talking about fuel consumption, servicing and repair bills. Again www.what car .com can help. Ensure you can afford to run the car!

• When you see the car insist on seeing its registration documents and, if the car is more than 3 years old, its MOT certificate. The registration documents will also show the cars’ VIN number. Carefully check that the documents tally.

• Always ensure that the person selling the car does actually own it.

• And always see the car at the seller’s own home or business premises. Then ensure that the address on the Registration Document is at the same as the address – if not ask why. You should be suspicious.

• Examine the Road Tax disc. Is it still valid? Does the vehicle registration number on the disc match the Registration Document and the number on its number plate?

• Ask to view the cars’ Servicing Record. Usually, this will also show the cars’ VIN number and details of the first owner. If the Service record is not available, has the owner kept any of the service or repair bills? Ask to see them.

• Now look under the bonnet and look for the VIN Number (it could also be on a plate on the inside edge of one of the front doors). Compare the VIN number with the number on the Registration Document and check that the number stamped on the car has not been interfered with. This will help to ensure that the car hasn’t had its identity changed.

• It’s best to take a friend with you who knows’ about cars – not only to look at the car but also to be a witness for what is said and anything that is agreed.

• Don’t pay for a car on your first visit and try not to be pushed into putting down a deposit. You need to carry out some checks before you part with any money (see 17 below).

• Ask the owner whether the car is subject to any outstanding finance. Take notes of what he/she says. Then, when you get home, get on the Internet and check out the information provided with RAC Vehicle Status Check. Go to the RAC’ web site. Click on “Car Buying” and then “Vehicle Status Checks”. The Status Check will cost you £24.99 but it will confirm whether the car has outstanding finance. Best to be safe – without this Check you could find out that a finance company actually has a prior title to the car.
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With the hurricanes and flooding that has hit in the south recently there are hundreds of thousands of vehicles that have moderate to severe flood damage.

Some of these vehicles that have not been completely submerged will be cleaned up, freshner sprayed into carpets and vents and shipped North, East and West.

The people who deal in these vehicles get them dirt cheap and do some clean up and then ship them out to the unsuspecting public. These vehicles will look normal but after buying one of them you will most likely develope serious problems down the road.

These vehicles will have mold started that you won’t be able to detect for some time and the odor will be covered up with some strong sprays that will hide the problem for several weeks/months. But then one warm day sfter being closed up in the sun you will open the door to a musty odor that will start to become worse each day until after a while it will be unbearable.

The odor may be the least of your problems for after a vehicle is submerged in water for any length of time the water and grit is in the engine, transmission, differential all the wheel bearings and working parts. So after driving the vehicle a few hundred miles you will start to develope major failures to these components.

Also the water will get into the electrical system of the vehicle and cause shorts in the wiring that may cause fires or serious damage to the computer system of the vehicle that will result in very high repair bills.

To avoid buying any of these vehicles you will need to do a complete inspection of the vehicle to check it out for any tell tale signs of water damage. If you can’t do this youself hire a good mechanic to check it for you, or use a vehicle inspection service and Carfax to determine if it has been in a flood or any type of accident or had major repairs.
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Sports car racing strategy is typical of other car racing techniques. Below are seven fundamental steps to keep in mind when joining a car race:

Engine Start – prepare the engine by lifting the start switch latch that is usually located at the driver’s side. The engine should be in operation once the announcer has started the countdown. Lightly step on the accelerator and feel the engine running. Another way of making sure that the engine is ready is by looking at the tachometer – it changes and moves from zero once the switch has been started.

Throttle – racing a sports car means 750 to 850 horsepower. Imagine the feeling behind that little wheel; it’s the breathtaking feel of total power. The secret for continuous power is for the car to have enough gas to rev up the whole machine. Fishtailing could be one of the problems when racing and to keep this from happening use a little effort to control the accelerator.

Engine Transmission – an automatic transmission sports car allows the system to automatically set the clutch. This is for amateur sports car racers so that they do not have to change gears manually. The sports car will be smart enough to operate the transmission for the driver. The traditional H symbol is used for manual transmission sports car.

Walls – during the race, it is unavoidable to bump the sidewalls. This is not a cause for alarm. The sports car driver just has to shift the gear into reverse to move away from the wall. Sooner or later the car should be back on track.
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Sometimes the best buys are made with pre-owned products. This is particularly true in the case of sports cars. Many people would like to have a sports car mainly for the performance but some may want to simply experience the sheer enjoyment that only a sport’s cars can give. Buying a brand new sports car may be too much expense for many people, that’s why a pre-owned or second hand sports car should be considered.

Here some good advice in the purchasing of pre-owned sports cars.

1. Set expectations
Many people go out to buy a pre-owned sports car with a brand new car in mind. Buying pre-owned sports cars is about getting the best value for your money. Knowing your needs and preferences is also a must in buying pre-owned sports cars.

2. Set a budget
Buying a sports car, even pre-owned ones can be expensive Researching through internet browsing or buying “buy and sell” car magazines can give a buyer a general feeling about the current prices of different sports car models.

3. Examine carefully
A buyer must be careful in inspecting the pre-owned car and take his time doing so. There are four essential elements of the car that should be thoroughly inspected: the interior, the body, the engine, and the papers. A well-maintained sports car is worth buying.
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