What to look out for when buying a used car?
There are thousands of used cars on the market which could be hiding a suspicious past, so what checks can you do to avoid being caught out?
Used cars are a tempting proposition because of their lower asking prices.
However, there are thousands of cars on the second-hand market which could be hiding a secret past, putting you out of pocket and leaving you with a vehicle that could be dangerous.
So, what do you need to look out for when purchasing a second-hand vehicle?
We’ve compiled a list of all the checks you need to do to get you into the perfect used car.
Check to see if it has any service history
Regular maintenance is one of the crucial parts of keeping your car on the road for longer.
Every vehicle will need to be serviced regularly, and will commonly have intervals of once a year or 10,000 miles – whichever comes first.
Most cars will come with a service book, where records of its service history are kept with rubber stamps marked throughout to show when, where and what service was carried out.
If a vehicle is missing its service book, be very cautious. This could mean the vehicle has never been serviced and the previous owner didn’t take much pride in their vehicle.
However, if you find a vehicle with dozens of previous invoices, receipts and a service book fully stamped up, then this shows pride in the previous owner’s upkeep in the car. Vehicles with lots of service history, both in the service book and paperwork makes them more valuable to potential buyers and will make them a lot more reliable, too.
Buy a vehicle history report
Buying a vehicle history check may just save you thousands in the long run.
It’s a detailed document giving you all the information regarding a vehicle’s past.
Paying a small fee enables you to find out whether a car has been previously in an accident, if it’s been stolen, had a colour change or if there is any outstanding finance on it.
The average cost of applying for a used vehicle history report ranges from £20 to £30, which is money well spent if it helps you steer clear of any vehicle that might have a secret past.
Check the bodywork for previous accident damage
There are millions of vehicles on our roads, so it’s inevitable that from time-to-time they will come into contact with one another.
When looking at a second-hand vehicle, look for colour differences in its paintwork. If there has been previous repairs, a car will have had a respray, so check to see if the colour match against the original paint is correct.
Another telltale sign are panel gaps. If a vehicle has been involved in an accident, some of the shut lines on the panels – or the space between the bodywork panels – will be either smaller or larger on one side than the other, indicating that the panel has been damaged or removed to be repaired.
Look at the condition of the interior
A car’s interior will often indicate how many miles it’s covered over the course of its lifetime. If a vehicle has all of these signs, but is showing low mileage, it could be a case where the car has been clocked.
Firstly, check the condition of the upholstery on the seats, if the bolsters and lower bases are sagging, worn or ripped, it can suggest the car has done a lot of miles. Secondly, look at the condition of the steering wheel and gear lever as these two things are touched the most when driving a vehicle. If they are both really shiny and worn smooth, it indicates more high mileage usage.
Clocking is illegal and is when a vehicle’s mileage is wound back to increase its value.
Look at how much MOT is remaining
An MOT is a legal requirement for a vehicle once it becomes three years old.
It checks to see if a vehicle is roadworthy and will be given a certificate for 12 months to show it’s fit for the road (at the time of the test).
If you’re looking at a used car that has a valid MOT, look how long it has remaining before the next one. If there is only a few weeks left, it could be a good way to haggle the price down. But, if there are loads of advisories from the last record, check with the seller to see if any of the work has been carried out. If it hasn’t, it could mean the car has been run on a tight budget, and not been well cared for.
Look under the bonnet
Always look under the bonnet of a used vehicle. Check the fluids such as the engine oil, brake fluid and coolant and also check to see if there are any stickers showing when the cam belt was last replaced.
Some cars will come with a cambelt which keeps the engine running smoothly and in time together. If it breaks, it could cause severe damage and could result in a new engine.
Manufacturers recommended they are replaced once every 10 years or 70,000 to 100,000 miles. If you are buying a car that is older than that and there’s no evidence of a cambelt change, you would need to look into a replacement fast.
