Normally, the cheapest way to buy a car is via newspaper classified ads or online auction sites. This way, you can deal directly with the car seller while cutting out the associated costs of a middle man. Car classifieds such as 'Auto Trader' have a huge choice of cars, vans and motorbikes for sale each week.

Although it's possible to get a bargain through this channel, buyers should have some knowledge about cars to avoid paying more than they should. If you don't have a lot of mechanical knowledge, it's a good idea to take a friend along who does. Also, remember that when doing business with a private dealer, there's often no form of guarantee should the car have any problems after the purchase. In conclusion, buying from classifieds can offer the best bargain, but is also more risky.

It's also possible to buy used cars from internet auction sites; and again, good deals can be found online. However, it's also a risky way to buy because you're not able to properly see the car before your bid, thus having to rely on photographs and the seller's description of the vehicle. That's fine if the seller is honest, but could cause problems if the seller omits certain vital details. However, that said, the world's biggest internet auction site, eBay, claims that a car is sold every two minutes - so it's obvious that people aren't being put off by the risks of online bidding.

If you want to buy a second hand car, but prefer a little more security in the sale, a second hand car dealership is a good place to look. Cars bought from second hand dealerships are normally a safer buy, as the cars are professionally assessed for mechanical soundness.

Cars bought from second hand dealerships are also normally more flexible in the payment methods they accept. And unlike private dealers, who normally only accept cash, dealerships accept credit cards and debit cards, in addition to offering plans - meaning you can spread the cost of the vehicle over several months or years.

If you don't want the risk of buying second hand, then buying a new car should give you complete peace of mind. New cars come with a warrantee that guarantees against any defects that occur within a set timeframe - normally about three years - but these can sometimes be extended to an even longer period.

So whether it's from an online auction, the newspaper classifieds or a new car dealership, there's always a way to get a great deal on a new set of wheels, whatever your financial position.