And for Galway car buyers the news is good. The used car choice is huge and buying a used car can cut your motoring costs in half due to lower depreciation levels. Our estimates are that there are more than 3,200 quality used cars available at dealers within the county, offering exceptional value across all brands for your motoring update. 

Used cars are presented well nowadays. All cars come in a good condition and most main dealers offer used car guarantees that give the buyer peace of mind.

With longer life guarantees on modern cars and improved levels of reliability, there is less risk when buying a used car than in the past. But first of all you need to prepare yourself for the job in hand.

Do as much research as you can. Read reviews, consumer reports, ask colleagues and friends, compare options, get your hands on the fuel consumption data on the make and model you're interested in. Examine reliability ratings. Try to determine maintenance costs and upkeep, etc.

You should aim to narrow your search to one or two models. Why? Because if you just enter a dealership without knowing what you want, chances are you won't be happy with your purchase. Later you may find out that it's simply not exactly what you wanted or what you can afford.

Another reason to narrow your choice down to only one or two models is because when you test-drive a few different cars of the same model, it will be much easier for you to compare their condition and pick the best one. Recognising a problem during your test drive will also be easier if you try a few vehicles of the same model instead of becoming confused by testing out different models.

You should check a car's history records. This will help you to eliminate half of the vehicles from your list with potential problems. In fact, it is not even a good idea to look into a car until you check its history. And make sure that the car has a current NCT test if its more than three years old.

And don't buy based only on what you've been told. Check out the car yourself very carefully. And if you can, ask a knowledgeable person who knows about cars to help you.

As a final step, bring the car to the mechanic you trust for an inspection. A word of caution, NEVER give a deposit or sign a contract before the car is inspected.

If buying from a dealer, read the warranty policy and all the papers, including the fine print, very carefully. If it's an ‘Approved’ used car, you'd be wise to check exactly what items were checked off and approved because sometimes the car might have a history of an accident in the past, come with a poorly maintained engine and still be ‘Approved’.

Do not rely on a salesperson's verbal promises. Get whatever is promised as part of the deal in writing. Find out if the remaining original warranty will be transferred into your name because different manufacturers have different warranty policies.