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Buying a used car online is a nerve-wracking procedure, especially if you can't go actually view the car before you purchase it. With the variety of scams taking place today, you may worry you'll end up with a heap of junk that needs continuous work and car parts, or that you'll get taken for every pound you have and end up with nothing. This is completely understandable, but it doesn't have to be true. In order to make sure you're getting the best and most trustworthy deal online, you need to know how to navigate a used-car website correctly.

Have you ever heard of a glow plug? If you've been driving cars that use petrol, chances are you've never come across a glow plug. These car parts are used only in diesel vehicles. However, they do have the same kind of functionality as spark plugs. Only instead of sparking an ignition like a spark plug does, these parts are responsible for heating air that results in ignition of an engine.

In the 1990's, the Renault Spider was supposed to be the small sports car. Unfortunately, it was overshadowed quickly by the mk1 Lotus Elise and didn't receive the recognition it deserved. This lightweight sports car was debuted in 1995 and became available to the public a year later. Renault meant to capitalise on the sport car boom of this time period. However, they didn't know that the Lotus would quickly eliminate any need for the Spider. The first would sell 10,000 of their series 1 car and go on to win awards. The second would only be in production for three years, with only 1,685 cars made.

One has to wonder, though, if this car might have stood a chance if the Lotus hadn't been in the spotlight. If you're thinking of purchasing a used Renault Spider of your own for this very reason, however, there are a few things you need to understand before you do. While there is plenty to celebrate about this particular car, there are also some disadvantages to buying it.

These days, any one can own and operate a vehicle without knowing the first thing about what's under the bonnet. Is it smart, though? Probably not. Not understanding what could be going wrong with your vehicle, and catching problems fast can result in very expensive repairs later on when the car finally breaks down on the side of a road.

If you're new to owning and operating a vehicle, or simply new to car repairs, there are a few symptoms you shouldn't ignore. Before we dive into those symptoms, though, let's discuss a few items you should have in your garage so you can determine exactly what is wrong with your car when you come across these symptoms.

A fuel pump is an important car part. If the engine is the heart of the car, the fuel pump is the pulmonary veins. It is responsible for ensuring petrol is moved from the tank to the engine, in the same way the pulmonary veins move oxygen-rich blood to the heart.

Without the fuel pump, your car can't operate. When this can result in being left stranded on the side of the road, which not something you want to happen. Thankfully, there are a few signs you can watch out for to help you determine when and if your fuel pump is going bad, so you can prevent this problem from happening in the first place.

You decide to go on holiday for a week with your family. You're leaving your car behind, because who needs it when you'll be spending every day soaking up the sun on a beach somewhere? Your mate, Jerry, has promised to look after your pets and plants while you're away.

On the second day of your holiday, Jerry phones you to let you know that his car broke down in front of your home. He's having it towed to a mechanic, but it could be days before they fix it. In the meantime, he has no way to get to the store or even get to work. Could he borrow your Land Rover for a few days?

You know the importance of curb appeal. It's a vital component when it comes to selling your home for the best price. You cut your grass, paint your front door, and plant a few flowers to attract buyers to your home when you're attempting to sell it. This phrase doesn't just refer to you house. In fact, it can work for other areas of your life as well, including selling your Land Rover.

Curb appeal is a concept that simply refers to how appealing something is from a distance. It's a term that literally describes how appealing something is from the street curb. When you're selling your car, increasing the curb appeal can drive up the price you are able to sell it for.

If there's one thing that Renault is known for, it's having the biggest range of electric cars throughout Europe. This car company is attempting to move into an entirely new group, however, by offering the cheapest electric cars for mainstream UK car owners as well.

Only their cheap four-wheeled car, the Renault Twizy, isn't actually a car at all. It's a quadricycle. It is defined as this because of its small size, low weight, and speed. With a price of only £7,000, though, who wants to argue logistics?

It can be difficult sometimes to recognise when car parts are breaking down. You may not notice when something is squeaking or when there's a slight change in the fuel mileage. During the heat of summer, though, you will notice when you're Peugeot's air conditioner is no longer functioning properly.

It's hard not to notice.

Even if you've never done any type of work on a car before, chances are you've heard of a ball joint. This car part is a critical component to the suspension of your Vauxhall, and they operate in a similar way to the ball and socket joints that connect our bones together in the body. Instead of connecting bones, though, they connect your tyre and wheel to the suspension system of the car.

You've no doubt seen the results of their failure if you've ever passed a broken-down car on the side of the road with its tyre folded under. You probably swore right then and there that you'd do what you could to avoid ever being in that situation. However, if you're not sure what a ball joint actually does, and don't know what some of the signs of its impending failure are, you may miss the symptoms that lead to you stranded on the side of the road too.