The car, and at its heart the throbbing combustion engine, is an integral part not just of modern society but also of western culture and an important part of the coming of age of most young people. In these times of economic downturn the motor industry around the globe is in slow down, and as a result both the new and used car markets are ideal for buyers, and you`re guaranteed to bag yourself a bargain. With ever lengthening warranty periods and improved build quality across the board, used cars are the way to go for many people. However, as with buying anything that is used, there are several pitfalls that you`ll have to avoid in order to make sure that your overall motoring experience is a smooth and inexpensive one. One of the biggest problems a buyer can faced when looking at the used car markets is establishing a vehicles history, though in the past few years the IT revolution as made this process a lot easier than it previously was. Sadly there are still people out there who will try and sell you a car that has a questionable, fraudulent or inadequately documented history, and buying such a car could not only be a financial pain in the proverbial, but also could be a danger to you and your passengers. It may sound implausible, but many people buy cars that are insurance write-offs but whose physical integrity has been disguised. If a car has been in a crash and has then been improperly repaired, the next time that any type of accident occurs the results for you, the new unsuspecting owner, will be many times worse than if the car had been properly refurbished after a crash. Thankfully, there is a ratings system employed by insurers which will help to indicate what kind of state a used car that has been in an accident is in. Ranging from A to F, the mid ground of category C and D is where you should be most careful. C relates to a vehicle which has been extensively damaged and deemed uneconomical by the insurer to repair, but with work could be brought back to a roadworthy state. D is a vehicle which has been damaged to a much lesser state than a C rated vehicle, but is still written off by the insurer, and again with the right repair work could be returned to the road.

Other Hidden Histories
It`s not just insurance write offs that you should be on the look out for, as a used car may have had its history tampered with in other ways. Though this may sound like an archaic practice, clocking a cars mileage so that it appears to have done many less miles than it actually has is still something that goes on, and this is particularly something to look out for in older cars. The easiest signs to spot are wear and tear on an old car that has done a lot less miles than the average for its year, such as worn upholstery on the driver`s seat, worn steering wheel and dashboard components and exterior wear and tear. For this reason it`s always important to insist on seeing the service history, as this will provide a step by step look at the mileage as well as any repairs that may have been done. An incomplete service history could suggest any number of things. Cheap car insurance for new drivers is an essential and often hard to find thing, though making sure that you`ve not got any problems with the vehicle before you buy will greatly improve the whole experience.