Buying a used car

Introduction

Buying a used car, especially an older one, can be a challenging business. Getting a good deal is important, but so is getting the safest vehicle you can.

After all, when you're driving at 100 km/h with only a few centimetres of paint separating you from oncoming traffic, you're trusting your new vehicle with your life. With safety, as with everything else, you get what you pay for. This site tells you the key things to know about buying a used car.

What to look out for

Before you buy a car, TAKE YOUR TIME looking over it. Make sure you examine it carefully and see what you want to see, not just what the seller wants to show you.

Whenever possible inspect a car on a dry, sunny day. There are lots of easily spotted visual clues that can tell you what condition a vehicle is really in, if you know what to look for.

Remember - generally speaking, the older and cheaper a car is, the more things it is likely to have wrong with it. After 100,000 km, age starts to take a real toll. Engine wear and rust are two things to be especially wary of.

Know what you can fix if you need to and how expensive it will be to have work done for you.

When looking at a used car, there are a few things you should take with you:

• A checklist of things to look out for.
• A magnet to check for hidden rust repairs and a torch for looking under the bonnet.
• A friend - preferably someone with a bit of mechanical know-how.

Used car inspections

Before you even consider taking a vehicle for a test drive, take your time looking over it carefully. Use the checklist below as a guideline.

While following this checklist should help you avoid buying a dangerous vehicle, you should still insist on a full professional inspection before buying any used car. Most garages will perform this service for you. There are also specialist pre-purchase inspection services.

When the professional inspection is complete, you and the seller will each get a report sheet indicating what repairs, if any, need to be carried out.

Paperwork

Check if the car has a current Warrant of Fitness (WoF). A vehicle for sale must have a WoF that is less than one month old. Or you can opt for the 'as is, where is' option. To buy a vehicle this way, you must give the seller a written promise that you will only drive the car from where you buy it to a garage or inspection station to get a WoF.

Keep in mind that you will very likely have to spend money on repairs in order to bring a vehicle without a warrant up to WoF standard. Ask the seller if there are papers recording the vehicle's service or repair history.

If you are buying a vehicle privately there are some simple change of ownership procedures to follow which can save you a lot of hassles down the track. Making sure you transfer ownership of the vehicle legally will ensure you don't get stuck with unpaid vehicle licence fees or other people's fines.

Safety checklist

Checking the exterior

Rust

You're most likely to find some rust on an older vehicle. Whether or not it's a major problem depends on the extent of the rust and where it is on the vehicle.

Rust often appears first around the edge of panels, boots and bonnets or on the bottom of door sills.

Structural corrosion (rust on the main structural supports) is dangerous and is a big problem. A vehicle with rust in any of the areas shown in the diagram below is likely to fail a WoF inspection, and repairs will be costly.

Look carefully for signs of rust on any of the weight-bearing parts, as well as on the steering mechanism mountings. When you get into the vehicle, look under the carpets, the boot liner and in the spare tyre area. Another good place to look is inside the door of the petrol cap.

Body rust can be problem too. If the vehicle's paint is bubbling, rust is probably eating away at the inside. Of course, a recent bog and paint job may be covering up the problem. This is where your magnet comes in. When you run the magnet over the car, it won't stick to places that have been filled with bog. Be aware, however, that some crafty bog repairs will pass the magnetic test because the filler has been mixed with iron dust.

Paint

Does the car look a bit too good? Has it been painted recently? This could mean that paint has been used to cover up recent repairs or rust. Again, you can use your magnet to check for bog.

Have a close look at the paint job. A rippled finish can indicate body work underneath. So can different shades of paint on different parts of the car. Look under wheel arches and rubber strips by windows to see if there is over-spray or different colour paint in these places.

Shocks

Standing at a corner of the car, push it up and down until you have a rhythmic motion happening, then stop. The car should stop moving immediately. If it doesn't, you might have to replace the shock absorbers. If you can't get an up and down motion happening at all, they definitely need replacing. Repeat this at all four corners.

Stand back and take a look at the whole vehicle, from the front, back and sides. Does it sag down to either side? To the front or back? If so, the springs or shock absorbers may be defective.

Tyres

Check the treads of all the vehicle's tyres, including the spare. Good tyre tread is essential to maintain road grip, especially in wet weather. Legally, treads must be at least 1.5mm deep across 3/4 of the tread pattern, around the entire circumference of the tyre.

Most tyres are required to have tread-wear indicators in the centre groove to show when the depth is less than 1.6mm. In most cases, if the tread is level with these indicators, the will need to be replaced.

Also look for uneven tyre wear, which may indicate problems with the vehicle's steering, suspension or alignment. Turn the steering to full lock each way in succession and look at the inside of each front tyre. (There will often be damage here that can't be seen with the wheels pointed straight ahead.)

Panels

Open and shut all the doors, the bonnet and the boot, making sure they are aligned properly and move smoothly. Also check that the windows open and shut easily, and make sure they will stay open halfway.

Exhaust

Look under the car to check out the muffler and exhaust system. Look for soft, brittle areas or use of putty. You can use your magnet to check around this area too. Use a rag on your hand and plug the end of the exhaust pipe with the engine running - the pressure should build up and blow your hand away from the pipe. If you can keep your hand there without much trouble, there is a leak somewhere in the exhaust system.

An exhaust leak can be very dangerous. If the exhaust finds its way inside the vehicle, carbon monoxide poisoning can result.

Looking inside

Dashboard

Push, pull or twist all the switches and knobs, checking that they do what they're meant to do.

Have your friend stand outside and check that all of the lights and indicators work, including the brake lights.

Do the wipers work? The radio? What about the levers for opening the boot and bonnet and adjusting the mirrors?

Also check for any old or loose wiring underneath the dashboard.

Seats and seatbelts

Make sure the driver's seat is comfortable and can be adjusted to where you need it. Are all the seats in the vehicle properly secured to the floor? Do they match? Look under seat covers, if fitted, for damage.

Check that all the seats have seatbelts fitted and make sure the buckle and retractor mechanisms work. Belts should lock up tightly when you give them a sudden pull. Check the webbing on the seatbelts - frayed or faded material can indicate damage from UV rays, which weakens the belts. They may need to be replaced.

Pedals

Push on the brake pedal and the clutch. They shouldn't feel loose or spongey. Push the brake pedal hard. If it slowly drops down to the floor, there could be a serious hydraulic problem - dangerous to drive with and costly to fix. With the engine off, pump the brake pedal a few times to use up the vacuum in the servo reservoir. With your foot still on the pedal, start the engine - you should feel the pedal push down to the floor under your foot.

Check the handbrake. Is it strong enough to hold the vehicle on a hill?

Move the gear shift with the clutch in. It should move smoothly. Start the car and check if the stick vibrates - this is a sign of wear.

Leaks

Leaks in a vehicle are a bad sign and can be difficult and expensive to fix. They can indicate wear (especially rust) and poor care.

Look for dampness or water stains on seats and carpets. When possible, lift up the carpets and check underneath, including in the boot area.

Under the bonnet

Engine

A very dirty engine points to vehicle neglect. On the other hand, a sparkling clean engine means it has recently been steam-cleaned, quite possibly to hide defects.

Have a look for any frayed or burnt wiring, oil streaks and poorly attached or damaged hoses. Look especially carefully around the carburettor and fuel lines for petrol leaks.

Check the oil. Black, soupy oil may mean a worn out engine. Look under the vehicle for any oil leaks or other drips. Oil leaks eventually mean expensive repairs.

With the engine running, take off the oil filler cap. If large amounts of gas come out (and especially if the gas has a blue, smoky tinge) the engine is badly worn.

As a second check, idle the engine for a few minutes then get your friend to watch the exhaust pipe while the engine is accelerated.

A single puff of blue smoke from the exhaust during the acceleration means the engine is worn, although not badly. However, continuous blue smoke coming from the exhaust means the engine is badly worn.

(Note that this test is not valid for diesel cars, but the test of gases coming out of the oil filler cap is).

Radiator

Check the radiator for leaks, rust or water stains. Look closely for leaks in the radiator hose and where the cylinder heads meet the engine block.

WHEN THE ENGINE IS COOL, take off the radiator cap and check the water. A little rust colour is OK. The water may have a green or blue tint from coolant or engine conditioner - this is OK too. Any oil in the radiator water indicates a major problem. As with a sparkling engine, be suspicious if the radiator water is perfectly clear - it's probably just been changed.

Test drive

WARNING

Before you take any car for a test drive, ask about its insurance. You may be liable for damages if you crash an uninsured vehicle.

Before starting up

Switch on the ignition, but don't start the engine. Warning lights should come on. If they don't there may be a fault. The oil and coolant level lights should go off after a few seconds. The hand brake light should go off when the brake is released. Any ABS or airbags lights will have their own testing sequence. Check the vehicle's manual to see what this should be. If any lights stay on - especially those for brakes or coolant level - ask some questions.

Start the engine

Start the car up, with the engine cold if possible (this makes problems more noticeable). The starter motor should turn over quickly and the motor should catch quickly. Listen for odd noises like backfires or a rattling exhaust. Make sure the oil pressure light goes off after the car has been running for a few seconds.

See remarks above about smoke emerging from the exhaust.

Listen while you drive

Listen carefully to the engine and other parts of the car - you don't want to hear any odd noises that could indicate problems.

Clanging or clunking noises when starting and stopping could mean problems with engine mountings, exhaust, suspension, transmission or the drive shaft.

Tapping or knocking noises could be from a failing rod bearing, piston or piston pin.

Grinding or whining can mean worn gears or bearings - expensive repairs.

Squealing noises when you break may mean new brake pads or linings are needed.

Listen carefully when driving at low speed on full steering lock in each direction (use a carpark for this test). Rhythmic clunks from the front of the vehicle may indicate the drive shaft joints are badly worn and will need replacing.

Does it stink?

The smell of burning oil can mean a worn-out engine. If you can smell petrol fumes while you are driving, you may have an exhaust leak. This can be very dangerous, as carbon monoxide leaks can poison you and your passengers and you could pass out behind the wheel.

How's the power?

The engine should pull smoothly when you accelerate, without any stalls or power losses. When you take your foot off the accelerator, the engine should also power down smoothly.

Find a hill to drive on. How does the car drive going up the hill? This is a good time to watch for blue smoke from burning oil coming out of the exhaust. Go down the hill with your foot off the accelerator. At the bottom of the hill, push down on the accelerator again. If the engine is old and worn, it may take a while to accelerate and you may see another big puff of smoke out the back.

Brakes

The brakes should respond quickly to a touch of the pedal - you don't want 'soft' brakes.

Check that they stop the vehicle smoothly and in a straight line, without pulling to either side.

Find a quiet stretch of road and try an emergency stop, from about 30 km/h. Put on the brakes firmly, but don't slam them. The car should slow down quickly and in a straight line (if the car starts to veer to one side, release the brakes and correct the steering).

Changing gears

You should be able to change gears easily and smoothly. Change down a few times quickly - if you hear crunching noises, the gearbox may need work.

An automatic transmission should change gears smoothly as well. Unexpected gear changes or bumping noises are not good signs.

Transmission oil should be a clear red and should not smell burnt.

The engine (again)

After the test drive, stop the car but leave the engine running and have another look under the bonnet. This is the best time to look at the motor for smoke, oil or water leaks, or problems with the cooling or electrical systems.