The 10 cheapest cities for buying a car

If you're planning to buy a used car, find out where you can get one at the best price!

With money pretty tight for many of us, buying a new car probably isn’t high on your list of priorities. After all, purchasing a new car can do some serious damage to your bank balance.

Not only can the initial outlay of buying a car be extremely pricey, but one of the major issues of buying a brand new, shiny car is that the minute it leaves the showroom, the price automatically starts to drop. As a result, you’re set to lose a fair chunk of your money the minute you climb into the driver’s seat.

There is, of course, a solution to this, and that’s to buy your car secondhand. Not only will the car be cheaper in the first place, but its value won’t depreciate at 100 miles per hour.

However, you can save even more money on your car if you're lucky enough to live in the right area. Because believe it or not, the location in which you buy your car can also have a significant impact on how much you pay!

Top 10 cities to buy a car

Recent research from Gumtree has revealed the top 10 cities where second hand car prices have decreased the most – making these ideal locations in which to buy a car. These are as follows:

For anyone living in Leeds and hoping to buy a car, you’re certainly in the right place! Over the past year, car prices on the Leeds Gumtree site have fallen by almost half, with the average car price standing at just £1,739.

Glasgow and Coventry are also pretty great places to be if you need to buy a car as prices here have dropped by 23% and 21% respectively.

Buying tips

Before you get too excited, however, buying a used car does come with risks. Sadly, there are scammers out there who will take it upon themselves to swindle you out of your hard-earned cash if you don’t have your wits about you, especially on sites like Gumtree. So here are a few tips to keep you safe.  

1. Meet in the right place

Always meet the seller in daylight and bring a friend with you.

You should also be very wary of anyone who wants to meet you at somewhere other than their house or business. If the seller suggests you meet in a supermarket car park, don’t go because thieves often use these areas to offload stolen cars.

2. Check the documents

You should always ask to see the car’s V5 registration document MOT and full service history. Make sure you check the car’s Vehicle Identification Number (the unique serial number used to identify individual vehicles) to ensure it matches the V5 document.

3. Check for damage

Examine the car carefully. Check for any damage on the bumpers, lights and car panels, and make sure the heater, radio, horns and lights function correctly.

4. Get a HPI check

It’s also a good idea to see whether the car has an outstanding hire purchase agreement on it. You can do this by carrying out an HPI check on a website such as HPI. This way you can check the car’s hidden history so you can see whether the car has been written-off or stolen. You will have to pay around £20 for this, but this is worth it for peace of mind.

5. Take it for a test drive

The best way to see whether the car is functioning properly is to take the car out for a spin. Listen for strange sounds, check the brakes are smooth and ensure the gears slot easily into place.

For even more advice, read 11 tips for buying a used car. And don't forget to compare car insurance quotes at lovemoney.com before you drive off in your new motor!

More: A cheaper way to get a new car | Ten ways to cut your motoring costs