BUYING:

When buying a used car it is useful to follow these guidelines below:

EXTERIOR:

1. Never view a used car in the dark/rain as this can cause you to miss out on scratches, dents and window chips.
2. Walk around the car first, even a few times if necessary.
3. Take your time and never feel rushed into making a decision there and then.
4. It’s recommended you bring a friend/colleague with you. If the car is very old maybe even a mechanic from an independent garage if possible. This will give you a chance to get time to yourself while the seller is talking to the other person.
5. Check all tyres and make sure they are of the same make and that all thread depths are similar. If the car is rear wheel drive then pay special attention to the rear tyres (the driven wheels) as this will give you a good indication as to whether the car has been driven hard. Same applies to the front wheels if it is a front wheel drive car. Uneven tyre wear may be a cause of uneven suspension.
6. Check that all 4 wheels are aligned correctly, if they aren’t then the car might have been involved in a car crash and the chassis may be twisted.
7. Check the panel gaps to see if any are uneven, if so then the car may have been crashed or parts refitted badly.
8. Check the paint for even colour tone to see if any panels have been resprayed/replaced.
9. The minimum tread depth is 1.6mm for the whole way around the tyre. Use a tread depth gauge to see how much is left – the more, the better.
10. Pay a lot of attention to under the front and rear bumper for scratches or cracks in case the vehicle has been grounded or shunted.

INTERIOR:

1. Make sure all seatbelts work…. It’s illegal to drive a car with broken seatbelts.
2. On older cars (when digital odometers weren’t in production) especially, it is not uncommon to find the odometer has been hampered with…. Drive the car to see if the miles increase etc. otherwise there might be more miles on the clock than it says! Digital odometers can be hampered too with people plugging in laptops and overriding the systems correct mileage although this is less common.
3. Either way, make sure the mileage tallies with old MOT certificates and service history.
4. Check all the switches, air conditioning, seat wear etc. It is also recommended starting the car (from cold if possible) so as to hear the engine ticking over.
5. Check under the bonnet…. Especially the oil level and colour. Oil should be a Golden yellow colour but if it is black and sludgy then this could imply the engine might be damaged, driven hard and/or simply not regularly serviced.
6. Look around the oil filler cap for a white mayonnaise-like substance - this is an indication of a damaged head gasket which could be expensive to put right.
7. Finally And don't forget to carry out a vehicle history check to find out whether its stolen, an insurance write-off or subject to outstanding finance.