Buying checklist
Used car buying checklist: what to check before you buy
Buying a used car is one of the biggest purchases most of us make, and a few checks can save a lot of money and stress. Work through this list from first look to driving it home.
In short
- Before you go: run a free check on the registration and read the MOT history.
- On the viewing: check the documents, the VIN, the bodywork, tyres and the test drive.
- Before you pay: run a full history check for stolen, write-off and outstanding finance.
- After you buy: tax and insure it before you drive away. Tax doesn't transfer with the car.
1. Before the viewing
- Run a free check on the registration. The make, model, colour and engine should match the advert.
- Read the MOT history: mileage readings, failures and advisories. See our guide to MOT advisories.
- Compare prices for the same model, age and mileage. Much cheaper usually means there's a reason.
- Get an insurance quote so there are no surprises.
- Ask the seller how long they've owned it, why they're selling, and whether there's service history and outstanding finance.
2. On the viewing
Where and when
- View in daylight, and ideally when it's dry, as rain hides scratches and dents.
- For a private sale, view it at the seller's home, matching the address on the V5C logbook.
- Ask for the engine to be cold when you arrive. Some problems only show on a cold start.
The paperwork
- The V5C logbook, with the seller's name and address.
- Service history and receipts. Do the mileages fit the MOT records?
- The VIN on the car should match the V5C. See how to spot a cloned car.
The car
- Bodywork: dents, rust, paint that doesn't match, uneven panel gaps (signs of repair; see write-off categories).
- Tyres: at least 1.6mm of tread (the legal minimum), and even wear across each tyre.
- Under the bonnet: oil level and colour, leaks, and coolant that isn't oily or rusty.
- Inside: wear on the steering wheel, pedals and seat that fits the mileage (see clocked cars), damp smells or wet carpets, and that every switch, window and the air-con work.
- Warning lights should come on with the ignition and then go out once the engine starts.
The test drive
- Make sure you're insured to drive it.
- Drive at different speeds, including a faster road if you can.
- Listen for knocks and rattles, and check the car brakes straight and doesn't pull to one side.
- The gears should change smoothly, and the clutch shouldn't bite right at the top of the pedal.
3. Before you pay
- Run a full history check for stolen, insurance write-off and outstanding finance.
- Negotiate using anything you've found, such as worn tyres, advisories or missing service history.
- Pay by bank transfer rather than cash, so there's a record, and never pay a deposit on a car you haven't seen.
- Get a receipt showing the car, its registration, the price, the date and both names and addresses.
4. After you buy
- Tax it before you drive it. Road tax doesn't transfer with the car. You can tax it online using the reference on the V5C “new keeper” slip.
- Insure it before you drive away.
- The seller tells the DVLA about the sale and gives you the new keeper slip. Your own V5C should arrive in the post within a few weeks.
Your rights depend on who you buy from. From a dealer, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 says the car must be of satisfactory quality, fit for purpose and as described, and you can usually reject a faulty car within 30 days. From a private seller you have fewer rights: the car must be as described, but there's no right to return it just because a fault appears later.
Check a vehicle now
Free MOT, mileage and tax check for any UK car, van or motorbike. The full history check (stolen, write-off, outstanding finance and more) is £5.99.
No account, no subscription · pay per report