A collection of tips on buying a used car. It focusses on checking out the car.

1. Things to look
out for when…
…buying a
used car
Buying a used car is a major purchase, but it’s
also a very risky one.
If you’re planning to buy a used car make sure
you know what to look out for.
These tips are a good place to start.

2. Bodywork
Pros
• A nice even coat of paint with no irregularities.
Irregularities could be a sign that the car has been in
an accident and re-sprayed.
• All panels and doors etc. are symmetrical and flush. If
they’re not this can be another indication that the car
has been in a crash and had a poor repair job.
Cons
• Rust patches; rust is a cars worst enemy. Check
everywhere: under the wheel arches, around the
trunk and especially the floor.
• Damaged or rotting rubber seals around the windows,
windshield and sunroof. If the seals aren’t right there
may be hidden rust patches.

3. The Engine
Pros
• A nice quite smooth sounding engine. If the engine
sounds rough or louder than it should this can be an
indication of a problem.
• A fairly clean engine bay. This is a good indication that
the car has been looked after.
• Smooth and responsive power. If a car is sluggish to
respond it may not have been well looked after.
Cons
• Oil leaks. If you notice any oil leaks this could mean
the car is in need of a costly repair.
• The oil light takes quite a while to go out. If the oil
light doesn’t go out quickly there could be a serious
problem.
• Coloured exhaust fumes. If there is blue, black or
white smoke coming out of the exhaust this could be a
serious problem.

4. Vehicle Information
Pros
• Full service history. A good service history shows that
the owner(s) have taken good car of the car.
• A low number of owners. This usually means that the
owners have been happy with the car.
• An average yearly mileage of under 15,000 per year.
Cars with more than this may have had a hard life.
• A clean vehicle history check. It’s important to get as
much info as you can about the vehicles history.
Cons
• Any issue with VIN numbers not matching, being
different from the documentation or looking like
they’ve been tampered with. If there is anything
suspicious at all about the VIN numbers don’t buy the
car.
• Numbers on the odometer out of line. This can be a
sign that the odometer has been tampered with and
the real mileage is actually much higher.