What to check before buying a used car

Written for UpdateSee: the essentials, without the noise.

The paperwork tells you more than the paint. Make sure the registration document matches the seller, the identification number on the car matches the document, and the service history has stamps at sensible intervals. A history check for outstanding finance or an insurance write-off costs little and has saved many buyers from a car they could not legally keep.

The paperwork tells you more than the paint.

On the car itself look for uneven tyre wear, mismatched paint between panels, damp carpets and warning lights that stay on after starting. Drive it cold, on a mix of roads, and listen with the radio off. If the seller rushes you or refuses an independent inspection, walk away; there is always another car, and the good ones are rarely sold in a hurry.