Cars are expensive, and they depreciate in value as soon as you get them. They’re incredibly practical and useful, but they definitely could not be described as a good investment. If you are looking for a new car, a second-hand vehicle is probably the way to go.

When looking for a car, here is a good checklist to follow:

• Check the mileage.
• Ask if it has a full service history and make sure it has its service log book.
• Check whether any work has been done to it recently. If it has just had major work carried out, like a new cambelt or new engine parts fitted, this could save you money in the future.
• Ask about previous owners and how many there have been.
• See if there is any kind of guarantee.

When you find a car you like and you have test driven it, you might want to see if you can part exchange an existing vehicle.