Lifestyle

5 common used car buying mistakes to avoid

Published

3 years ago

October 12, 2023

Used cars are more popular than ever and for many drivers it can be easy to see why! Brand new cars are still facing huge manufacturer delays and many drivers are opting for a second-hand car when they need a vehicle. Not only that but there are a huge choice and availability of used cars to take advantage of! If you’re buying your first car or haven’t had much experience with buying a second-hand car, these common used car mistakes can help you get the best deal possible.

Why should you get a second-hand car?

When you’re shopping for your next car, you may be debating whether to get a brand new or used car next. Here are the top reasons why used cars reign supreme for many drivers:

Huge amount of choice and availability.
You suffer less financial depreciation when buying used.
Lower purchase price than brand new cars.
Options to finance used cars with affordable monthly payments.
Usually cheaper insurance rates are available for second-hand cars.
Long new car warranties can be transferred with ownership which can benefit used car buyers.
Some dealers can also offer servicing plans on used cars to help you budget better.

Used car buying mistakes to avoid:

1. Not doing your homework first.

Car buying is one of the biggest purchases you will make in your life so it’s important it’s a good choice for you. Before you jump into buying a used car, you should firstly check out the market price of cars you like. This can help you to shop for cars within your budget and get an idea of how much your car will cost. Knowing the market is also key when it comes to negotiating with car dealers on the price of the vehicle. If you’re already aware of a similar car at a rival dealer with a lower price, it can help you to get a better price when negotiating.

2. Solely focusing on the price.

It’s no secret that UK drivers love a bargain! However, when it comes to buying a used car, cheaper may not always be better. You should stick to an affordable budget which you are comfortable with and if you’re looking to get finance for a used car, you will need to be able to meet the monthly payments on time and in full until the end of the term. Purchasing a used car is one thing but don’t forget to also consider the cost of insuring and running a car. It can be worth checking insurance rates for a car within your budget before you sign on the dotted line as you could end up with a car that is very costly.

3. Only shopping for your car locally.

Whilst getting your car locally from a trusted dealer is a time saving and easy way to get a vehicle, it isn’t your only option. The emergence of online car buying is growing in popularity and the knock-on effect of Covid-19 meant more drivers were looking at contact free buying. It can be worth shopping for cars online or using an online car finance broker to help sort your finance first and then shop for a car from a reputable dealer. Casting your net further afield could get you a better deal and many cars also come with free delivery across the UK!

4. Not checking the history of a used car.

The main drawback of buying a used car is that you aren’t the first owner of the vehicle and are in the dark about its previous history. When you buy a car from a private seller, you are having to take the sellers word for it and have to take the car at face value. Buying from a dealer can be safe as they will have their own checks in place to verify the condition of the car. You can also do your own history checks on a used car by entering the details on the Gov.uk website to find out it’s MOT status and also get access to the MOT history report to see if there are any previous faults you should be aware of.

5. Feeling pressure to rush a decision.

The availability of used cars means buyers have an endless amount of choice and don’t need to be rushed into the first car they see. Don’t give into any pushy salesmen and feel the need to decide on the spot. If the car doesn’t fit your lifestyle, isn’t fit for purpose, you can’t afford it or you simply don’t want it, you have the right to cancel the sale at any point before you buy it. If you’ve bought a car with a fault, you are covered under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 to return the car and get a full refund within 30 days of purchase.

Lifestyle

Why Toba Ogunremi Believes High-Performing Teams Start with Belonging, Not Pressure

Published

1 day ago

July 23, 2026

Michelle Langton

Most teams don’t fall apart all at once. It happens slowly, missed conversations, quiet disengagement, people doing what’s required but nothing more.

Toba Ogunremi has spent years working inside care environments where that kind of shift is easy to miss until it starts affecting everything. Leading operations at Samorem Care in the UK, he has seen how systems can appear stable on the surface while teams underneath struggle to stay connected to their work.

One experience early in his career changed how he looks at leadership entirely.

He had taken over a team that wasn’t in crisis, but it wasn’t working well either. The people receiving care were safe, but they weren’t thriving. The same was true for the staff. There was no urgency, no energy, just routine.

The usual solution would have been to tighten control by setting new targets, increasing supervision, and creating performance plans. He didn’t do any of that.

“I started with conversations,” he says. “Real ones. Not rushed, not formal.”

One by one, he spoke to each team member. What came out wasn’t frustration with the job itself, but something quieter and harder to spot.

“They weren’t disengaged because they didn’t care,” he explains. “They were disengaged because they felt unseen.”

No one had asked what they thought. No one had taken the time to understand how they were coping. Over time, that absence had turned into distance. That moment stayed with him. It shaped how he leads today.

His approach is simple, but not always easy to apply: people perform better when they feel they belong.

He believes high performance usually comes when people feel like they genuinely belong and know that what they do actually matters.

In healthcare, where pressure is constant and expectations are high, this idea can sound secondary. The focus is often on outcomes, compliance, and efficiency. Toba doesn’t dismiss those things, but he questions what happens when they become the only focus.

Even when all the processes are in place, if the people delivering the care feel disconnected, it eventually reflects in the quality of the work.

At Samorem Care, this thinking shows up in small but consistent ways. Recruitment is not just about experience. It’s about how someone responds to people, how they handle pressure, and how they communicate. Once they are in, the focus shifts to keeping teams stable and supported, rather than constantly rotating staff or reacting only when something goes wrong. He also pays attention to how leaders show up day to day.

According to him, leadership is not just about giving direction; it’s about being present enough to understand what your team actually needs.

That presence matters more in care than in most industries. The work is demanding, often emotional, and not always recognised for what it takes. When teams feel stretched or overlooked, it affects how they interact with the people they support.

For Toba, resilience is less about constant pressure and more about creating a work environment where people can do their jobs well without burning out. In his view, strong teams are not just coping; they are supported enough to stay clear-headed and consistent in their work.

His background outside healthcare still shapes how he leads. Having worked in sales and communications, he understands how important it is to read people and build trust. In healthcare, though, the impact is far more direct, as decisions affect someone’s everyday life, not just an outcome on paper.

That shift makes leadership more personal. Teams need more than instructions; they need stability, clarity, and a sense that they are understood. What defines Toba Ogunremi’s approach is its simplicity. He focuses on being consistent, listening carefully, and addressing issues early rather than reacting late.

In the end, his belief is straightforward: teams perform better not because they are pushed harder, but because they feel valued and part of something that works.