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One of the first, and arguably most important, decisions you’ll make when buying a car is whether to go for new or used. It’s a difficult decision, and there are a surprising amount of factors that go into making it. With pros and cons on each side, it can feel pretty intimidating, and it can be hard to know where to start. Luckily, by considering a few simple options, there are ways to make the decision far simpler and easier. Here are some things to consider when deciding between a new or used car.

Depreciation

We get pretty attached to our cars. We set them aside from our other possessions because of what they represent to us. Freedom, independence and a whole host of other things. But the truth it, a car is an appliance just like a dishwasher. This means that the trade-off when buying a new car might not be as worth it as it seems. When buying new, you’re setting yourself up to take the hit on significant depreciation in value. A new car can lose as much a 50 percent of its value in the first few years. That’s half the value of your purchase that you’ve basically just thrown out the window. A used Nissan might be technically worth less than a new one, but it will be much more likely to maintain it’s value.

Maintenance

When selling a new car, dealers will often include a few years free services. New vehicles will also have a longer period before you need to take it for it’s MOT. A used car poses a severe contrast to that. It doesn’t matter how well a car has been cared for, after a certain mileage, things will start to wear down. This means that repair and maintenance will have to happen more frequently and come with higher costs than if the car was new. Budgeting for the maintenance of a used car requires thought and discipline. You need to make sure that that is something that you’re able to deal with.

Down payments

One of the biggest things that can affect the decision of whether to buy used or new is that of how much money you’d need to put down upfront. A used car will often need a far smaller down payment. When it comes to a new car, the smaller your down payment, the larger the interest charges can be. If you have the money to put down, then a new car may end up being the more cost effective option. But if you want a smaller up front payment or have nothing to put down at all then you may well be better off going for a used car.

The choice of whether to go for a new or used car is a very personal one. It’s important to check your financial position, both immediately and long term, before making any decision. Whatever you choose, don’t let sales people pressure you into making a decision that you’re not comfortable with.

There are many things that you should be looking for when checking that the tyres on your vehicle are roadworthy. Your tyres are extremely important to the efficiency of your car and also your own health!Under inflated tyres are prone to overheating and if over inflated they can cause real problems when steering and driving your car properly on the road, which could lead to an increased chance of a collision. It’s reported that around 6% of fatal accidents on the UKs roads are caused by under-inflated tyres suddenly failing, and it is such a problem that you could be fined £2,500 per tyre with 3 points if they are over or under-inflated enough to be considered un-roadworthy. It is also vital to check the depth of you tyres tread. One sign that your tyres need changing is noticing deterioration in performance. For example, your car does not handle or grip the road as well in poor weather conditions as it normally does, or it takes longer to stop when you apply the brakes. It is the driver’s responsibility to ensure that the tread has not worn beyond the legal minimum limit of 1.6mm.

When Should you Check your tyres?

You should always check your tyre pressure when the tyres are cold. Under driving conditions the tyres will warm up and give you a false reading, so if you have driven further than roughly a mile, leave your car for an hour or so for the tyres to cool down.

Common Tyre Issues

Both edges of the tyre are worn – This could signify under inflation. Check your tyre pressure!
Centre of the tread is worn – This could signify over inflation. Use a pressure gauge to test and if on checking the pressure, you have found that one or more are over inflated then you should take some air out.

Worn on one side only – Your wheels may be poorly aligned.
Whining, clunking and other noises – Your wheels may be poorly aligned or you have worn shocks or tyres.
Scuffs on edge of front tyres – You may be driving and cornering too fast! Slow down.
Treads worn unevenly – Your wheel balancing and/or tracking may be out.
Unevenly spaced bald spots – Your wheel balancing may be out or your shock absorbers are worn.

From the time of its inception, Merseyside Car Hospital has been fully committed to its “Patients’ Charter” – The Finest Treatment in The Shortest Time.

When I decided to enter the accident repair industry, I knew that I had to have a unique approach. The idea was to establish a business that would be recognised not only for its uniqueness but also for providing the highest quality of Patient/Customer care and standard or repairs.

Formed in 1998, Merseyside Car Hospital has succeeded in developing a business that has appealed and become noticeable to work providers and customers alike, and has become synonymous in achieving and surpassing what is originally set out to do.

I realized at a very early stage that creating a successful accident repair business would not be easy, as I had come from a marketing and accountancy background. However, I believe that if you are fully committed to your ambitious, have the ability to recruit the right personnel, and you have the management structures in place (Both financial and people) you are half way there.

Patient/Customer care is the forefront in the philosophy of Merseyside Car Hospital. So much so that I personally call customers within 2 hours of their vehicle being returned to ensure that they are completely satisfied. Customers are also left with a pre-paid questionnaire to return when they have had time to drive their vehicle. However, if there is a time when we have made a mistake, it is the treatment of this mistake, which is most important. We listen to any complaint carefully and offer the customer an immediate re=inspection. We don’t argue, any genuine complaint is rectified, otherwise we contact the insurance company right away.

I believe the successful Accident Repair Centre in the 21st Century must be 100% customer focused and have customer care as a priority. You may be the best repair Centre but if you don’t treat your customers or work providers with respect, you will fail.

Since opening, Merseyside Car Hospital has increased turnover from £600,000 per year to over £2,000,000 and now ‘Treats/repairs’ an average of 50 patients/vehicles per week. The company employs over 25 professional staff, both technical and support staff.

We have purchased over this period approximately an extra half an acre of land for secure storage which is remotely monitors as is all the complex 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

The 12,500 sq. ft premises are equipped with the latest state of the art equipment, which is regularly updated. Calling itself a Car Hospital has helped promote the business and make it an Accident Repair Specialist that is easily remembered.

The hospital theme is much more than a gimmick. There is a corporate identity encompassing the exterior signage, vehicles and documentation. Merseyside Car Hospital has taken every aspect of the repair process and renamed it using hospital terminology including Admissions (Reception), Fracture Clinic (Panel Shop), Cosmetic Surgery (Paint Boots), Transfusion Centre (Paint Mixing Room) and for a little humour Sample Room (Staff Toilets).

Merseyside Car Hospital is one of the first Accident Repair Centres to achieve the BSI 125 accreditation, and is aiming to have the BSI 10125 at the earliest opportunity. This shows how serious we are about the quality of repairs and the efforts we make to ensure we are at the top of our game.

I thoroughly enjoy working at Merseyside Car Hospital and it has been an honour to work with some of the best staff in the Accident Repair Industry which has made growing Merseyside Car Hospital at lot easier. I hope we continue to grow and provide the highest quality care to all our customers.
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There are now over 35 million vehicles using our roads. On average there are 5 deaths and 59 serious injuries EACH day on the roads in the UK. Now we will look at some absolutely shocking statistics which my explain these figures.

Drink driving accounts for more than 13% of all road fatalities.

591,000 were cautioned for speeding in 2014

Now, after we digest these figures, these may explain why there are so many accidents on our roads. It is vital that when you are driving you give the road your 100% attention. Have you ever been in an accident and the other driver has admitted ‘I didn’t see you coming?’. This may be for a variety of reasons but the Number 1 reason is because they were not paying attention.

Our cars are getting safer but this does not mean that driving standards should be lowered. Even the smallest of accidents can have devastating consequences for those involved. Those most at risk for drivers who are not paying attention are cyclists and motorcyclists. They do not have the safety features of a car and therefore injuries tend to be a lot more serious.

It is imperative that you keep your speed down, attention of what is around you and most importantly never drive when you are feeling tired or ill. This can have a severe affect on your reactions and this could have serious consequences for yourself, other road users and any passengers you may be carrying.