There are various factors consider when choosing the type of cheap cars in Bristol you want to buy and they can influence its resale value when you decide it is time to upgrade again.

Colour

Black is now the new… well black, I guess, the only drawback is that visibility can be an issue. Silver has also been popular recently, but today’s popular will be tomorrows common place, so think twice about the potential resale value before you jump in.

Trying to re-sell a car that is any hue of brown, beige or green is going to be more difficult. If possible buy a metallic shade. These colours sell best although they are more expensive to re-spray.

Size

Goes without saying really, but have a think about the number of people you usually have to get in the car and this should give you a good idea of the size of car you should be going for. There’s no point in going for a 3-door hatch if you have 3 kids and a Collie because it’s going to be a bit uncomfortable.

Automatic vs manual

In Bristol, cheap cars with manual transmission hugely outsell automatics. Automatics are catching on but they tend to be less economical on fuel. Most big prestige cars tend to have an auto transmission as standard and as such trying to re-sell one that doesn’t can be a little more difficult. Manual is fine for smaller cars.

Petrol vs diesel

Diesels usually do a lot more miles to the gallon which with today’s fuel prices can only be a good thing. At best a petrol car is good for about 40 – 50 mpg where as a diesel can usually squeeze out up to 70 mpg. Diesels do have some issues though. Even with the newer ones they can still be a bit reluctant to start on some cold winter mornings.

Optional extras

As far as insurance premiums are concerned some optional extras can be a real perk, for example engine immobilisers, alarm and anti-lock brakes. Try and find a car with both dual airbags and traction control, for you own safety when driving.

Security and safety

Another big tip for keeping you insurance down as much as possible is to make sure the cheap car has an engine immobiliser and an alarm. Deadlocks on the doors is always a good extra to see off potential thieves.

In general, as a rule the bigger a cheap car is the safer it will be. Look for the EuroNCAP ratings (European New Car Assessment Programme) to see how much protection a cheap car will provide.

For more free information and advice of choosing the right second-hand car for you please visit Cheap Cars Bristol