Buying a used car: checks

Work through the list in order. Hide the notes when you know what to do.

1. Budget an extra 10–15% for post-purchase fixes

   Even a well-kept car reveals small things after purchase: pads, belts, an overdue fluid change. Set the buffer aside now, not on a credit card next month.

2. Run a VIN history check before the viewing

   A VIN check service reveals accident history, odometer rollbacks, title issues and open loans. A free 10-minute check filters out half the listings before you waste a trip.

3. Match the VIN on the body to the documents

   Find the VIN stamped on the body (usually under the hood or in a door jamb) and match it to the title character by character — even one different digit means a mismatched or altered VIN.

4. Check the title is an original, not a duplicate

   A duplicate title often means the original is held by a bank as loan collateral that hasn't been paid off yet. Ask the seller directly why a duplicate was issued.

5. Match the seller's ID to the car's documents

   The seller should be the owner listed on the title, or hold a notarized power of attorney with the right to sell. Otherwise the real owner can contest the sale later.

6. Check how many owners the car has had

   Several owners within a couple of years is worth asking about — it can signal disputed sales or a problem previous owners quietly walked away from.

7. Ask for the service book and repair invoices

   A real maintenance history tells you more than the seller's word ever will. Check that the mileage in the records lines up with the odometer.

8. Compare the odometer to actual wear

   A worn steering wheel, pedals and driver's seat on a car with a suspiciously low reading don't add up. Odometer rollback is common on the used market.

9. Inspect the car in daylight and dry weather

   Rain and dusk mask signs of bodywork and paint color mismatches. Reschedule if the weather's wrong — it's not a minor detail.

10. Bring a paint thickness gauge or someone who knows cars

    A paint thickness gauge spots repainted panels in a couple of minutes — a sign of serious repair work after a crash, even when everything looks flawless.

11. Check underneath for leaks

    Oil or coolant stains under the parking spot are more honest than a suspiciously clean engine bay that may have been hosed down for the viewing.

12. Arrive when the engine is cold

    Time the visit so the engine hasn't been running. A warmed-up engine hides knocking, smoke on startup and hard-start issues — classic problems sellers don't mention.

13. Take a proper test drive

    Check acceleration, braking (the wheel shouldn't pull to one side), and listen for odd noises at different speeds and over bumps.

14. Check the tires and spare wheel

    Uneven tread wear points to suspension or alignment issues. Make sure a spare, jack and lug wrench are actually in the trunk.

15. Test all the electronics

    Power windows, AC, stereo, central locking, seat heaters — switch each one on yourself rather than taking the seller's word for it.

16. Get an independent inspection

    An inspection at a shop of your choosing, paid by you, is the best money you'll spend in this whole deal. If the seller refuses to let the car go for a check, that's a red flag — walk away.

17. Put the full sale price in the contract

    An underreported price "to save on taxes" shifts the risk to you — that lower figure is what gets refunded in a dispute or cancellation, not what you actually paid.

18. Hand over money only at the point of transfer

    Pay when the paperwork for the ownership transfer is actually being filed, and get a signed receipt with the amount, date and the seller's ID details — never earlier, on a verbal promise.

19. Re-register the car on time

    Check how many days you have to register the car in your name after the purchase — miss the deadline and you risk a fine, while tickets in the meantime can complicate things for both of you.

20. Get insurance right away

    Don't drive off uninsured, even just to get the car home. Set up a policy online in advance, dated for the day of the deal, so you can legally drive away right after signing.

21. Don't buy on the day of the first viewing on impulse

    After the excitement of a great listing, sleep on it before signing and run through this checklist again. A genuinely great deal like this one shows up roughly once a week, not once ever.