Car Guides

Everything worth knowing before you buy

How to choose a car that fits your life, what it really costs to own, and what the numbers on a spec sheet actually mean — in plain language. Plus a full section on the German market: TÜV, registration, insurance and the used-car vocabulary nobody explains.

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34 guides

Choosing a Car 3 guides

Working out what you actually need, what you can afford, and whether new or used makes sense.

Choosing a Car How to Choose the Right Car Start from how you actually drive, not from the car you want to want. Read guide → Choosing a Car New vs Used: Which Actually Makes Sense? Where depreciation goes, what a warranty is worth, and the sweet spot in between. Read guide → Choosing a Car What Makes a Good First Car Insurance, running costs, safety and forgiveness — the four things that matter at the start. Read guide →

Buying a Car 4 guides

The process end to end — inspecting, checking history, negotiating and paperwork.

Buying a Car How to Buy a Used Car: The Complete Process From setting a budget to handing over the money, in the order it should happen. Read guide → Buying a Car What to Check When Buying a Used Car A practical viewing checklist — body, mechanics, electronics and paperwork. Read guide → Buying a Car Buying a Car Privately vs. From a Dealer Sachmängelhaftung, "gekauft wie gesehen", and what the dealer premium actually buys. Read guide → Buying a Car How to Check a Used Car's Mileage and History Tachobetrug is common in Germany. Here is how to catch it, and how to check for accident damage. Read guide →

Running Costs 2 guides

What a car really costs per year once depreciation, insurance and consumables are counted.

Running Costs How Much Car Can I Afford? A simple method for turning your income into an honest maximum price. Read guide → Running Costs The True Cost of Owning a Car Depreciation, fuel, insurance, tyres, servicing — the full annual bill, itemised. Read guide →

Engines & Performance 5 guides

Power, torque, drivetrains and how to read a spec sheet without being misled.

Engines & Performance Horsepower vs Torque, Explained Simply What each number actually describes, and which one you feel when you drive. Read guide → Engines & Performance FWD vs RWD vs AWD: Which Drivetrain Do You Need? How each one behaves in rain, snow and enthusiasm — and what it costs you. Read guide → Engines & Performance Understanding Car Specs: What Every Number Means Power, torque, consumption, dimensions, emissions — decoded, with what to ignore. Read guide → Engines & Performance What Does kW vs. PS Mean? Every German ad lists both. Here is the conversion and why two numbers exist. Read guide → Engines & Performance What Does Nm (Torque) Mean? The number that decides how a car feels to drive — and why diesels feel stronger. Read guide →

Fuel & Electric 3 guides

Petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric compared on cost, distance and charging.

Fuel & Electric Petrol vs Diesel vs Hybrid vs EV Which powertrain fits your distance, your parking and your patience. Read guide → Fuel & Electric What Is Euro 6 / Euro 6d / Euro 6e? The emissions classes in German ads, in plain language — and which ones age badly. Read guide → Fuel & Electric Petrol vs. Diesel vs. Hybrid vs. EV in Germany Tax, fuel prices, city access and resale — which fuel actually makes sense for your mileage. Read guide →

Maintenance & Reliability 2 guides

The checks and intervals that prevent breakdowns, and how to spot a genuinely sound car.

Maintenance & Reliability Car Maintenance Basics Every Owner Should Know The handful of checks and intervals that prevent almost every avoidable breakdown. Read guide → Maintenance & Reliability How to Find a Genuinely Reliable Used Car Reliability is a property of specific engines and specific histories, not of badges. Read guide →

Germany Specifics 15 guides

TÜV/HU, registration, insurance, Umweltplakette and the German used-car vocabulary.

Germany Specifics What Is TÜV / HU and How Does It Work? Germany's roadworthiness test — intervals, costs, the sticker, and what fails. Read guide → Germany Specifics Erstzulassung vs. Modelljahr — What's the Difference? Why a "2020 car" in a German ad might really be a 2019 model — and what it does to value. Read guide → Germany Specifics What Does Scheckheftgepflegt Mean? The most common claim in German car ads — and how to verify it in two minutes. Read guide → Germany Specifics What Is a Fahrzeugbrief (Zulassungsbescheinigung Teil II)? The two documents every German car has, and which one proves ownership. Read guide → Germany Specifics How to Register a Car in Germany Zulassungsstelle, eVB number, plates and costs — what to bring and what you pay. Read guide → Germany Specifics What Do All the Numbers in a German Car Advertisement Mean? A complete decoder for mobile.de and AutoScout24 listings, abbreviation by abbreviation. Read guide → Germany Specifics How to Buy a Used Car in Germany The full process, from searching mobile.de to driving away legally insured. Read guide → Germany Specifics Best Reliable Used Cars in Germany What the TÜV-Report and ADAC breakdown statistics consistently show — and the engines to avoid. Read guide → Germany Specifics Best First Cars for New Drivers in Germany Insurance classes matter more than the car. How to get mobile for under €4,000 a year. Read guide → Germany Specifics Umweltplakette Explained The green windscreen sticker, Umweltzonen, and the separate diesel bans. Read guide → Germany Specifics Running an Electric Car in Germany Charging costs, Wallbox rules, THG-Quote and the Kfz-Steuer exemption. Read guide → Germany Specifics Buying a Used Electric Car in Germany Battery health (SoH), warranty transfer, and the checks that differ from a combustion car. Read guide → Germany Specifics Car Insurance in Germany Explained Haftpflicht, Teilkasko, Vollkasko, SF-Klasse — and why identical cars cost different people wildly different premiums. Read guide → Germany Specifics How Much Does It Really Cost to Own a Car in Germany? Kfz-Steuer, insurance, fuel, servicing, TÜV and depreciation — a realistic annual total. Read guide → Germany Specifics Financing vs. Leasing in Germany Ballonfinanzierung, Restwertleasing, Kilometerleasing — and the sums that decide it. Read guide →