Top Tips for Buying Used Cars

These simple tips will help you find the right car and not get scammed.

Buying a used car can be an intimidating experience, but these simple tips will help you find the right car and not get scammed. 

Set yourself a strict budget based on what you can afford. Remember that the purchase price is only the beginning as there are running costs such as fuel, maintenance, insurance, as well as interest on any finance used to purchase.

Set yourself a strict budget based on what you can afford. Remember that the purchase price is only the beginning as there are running costs such as fuel, maintenance, insurance, as well as interest on any finance used to purchase.

Once you've set your budget, CarsGuide.com.au can help you get an idea of ​​what cars are available in your price range. There are thousands of cars for sale, and there's a handy price guide to help you figure out what to pay for.

Be wary of cars that seem too cheap. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.

CarsGuide.com.au lets you search for cars by make, model, price, body type, age and location, and more. Seek advice from our thousands of expert reviews, including used car reviews, to find out what to look for when cars are years and miles behind, or our many guides to help you in your search.

CarsGuide.com.au lets you search for cars by make, model, price, body type, age and location, and more. Seek advice from our thousands of expert reviews, including used car reviews, to find out what to look for when cars are years and miles behind, or our many guides to help you in your search.

But first, make a list of questions to ask about each car so you don't forget anything.

• How long have they owned the car?

• What is the reason for their sale?

• Has the car ever been damaged?

• What is the condition of the car, and are there any problems that are not visible in the photos?

• Will she pass the inspection?

• How detailed is the history of car maintenance and is it with the car?

Plus everything else that is not listed in the ad.

If the person selling the car is a private individual and not a dealer, insist on seeing the car at their home address. If the seller does not want to show you the car at his home address, he may be trying to hide something.

If the person selling the car is a private individual and not a dealer, insist on seeing the car at their home address. If the seller does not want to show you the car at his home address, he may be trying to hide something.

No matter how sincere or honest the seller seems to be, it's worth checking that the car you're inspecting isn't stolen, unencumbered by an outstanding loan, or even a previous write-off of insurance. All you need is the vehicle's VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) and a check against the databases of the state in which it is registered. For a small fee (free in some states), this simple step can save you a lot of money and hassle—even before you even go to inspect your car.

New South Wales, ACT and Northern Territory

Victoria and Tasmania

Queensland

South Australia

Western Australia

Even if you're not an expert, it's important to take a good look at the car in the flesh before making any purchase. If the car passes your own inspection, it would be nice to have an independent mechanic or workshop run a more thorough inspection to make sure you didn't miss anything.

Here are some tips for your personal inspection:

• Always arrange inspections during the daytime, never in the dark or in the rain, which can hide body marks, dents, rust and other defects.

• Check the underbody, hood, and carpet for rust and signs, such as weld marks or overspray, that may indicate that the vehicle was repaired after an accident.

• Make sure that the gaps between the body panels are equal - if not, this may indicate poor quality repair after an accident.

• Look under the hood for signs of oil leaks. Use the dipstick to check the amount of oil. If the level is low, then the owner did not properly monitor the car.

• Inspect the oil filler cap for a white substance that looks like mayonnaise - this could be a sign of a leaking head gasket, which can be very expensive to repair.

• Check all tires, including spares, to make sure they have enough tread and wear evenly.

• Inside the vehicle, check that the seat belts work properly and are not damaged, the front seats move correctly, and all switches and functions work.

• Try starting the car when the engine is cold, this can help identify issues such as poor starting or smoke indicating engine wear. If the seller warmed up the car, he may be trying to hide something.

Even if you're not an expert, it's important to take a good look at the car in the flesh before making any purchase. If the car passes your own inspection, it would be nice to have an independent mechanic or workshop run a more thorough inspection to make sure you didn't miss anything.

Here are some tips for your personal inspection:

• Always arrange inspections during the daytime, never in the dark or in the rain, which can hide body marks, dents, rust and other defects.

• Check the underbody, hood, and carpet for rust and signs, such as weld marks or overspray, that may indicate that the vehicle was repaired after an accident.

• Make sure that the gaps between the body panels are equal - if not, this may indicate poor quality repair after an accident.

• Look under the hood for signs of oil leaks. Use the dipstick to check the amount of oil. If the level is low, then the owner did not properly monitor the car.

• Inspect the oil filler cap for a white substance that looks like mayonnaise - this could be a sign of a leaking head gasket, which can be very expensive to repair.

• Check all tires, including spares, to make sure they have enough tread and wear evenly.

• Inside the vehicle, check that the seat belts work properly and are not damaged, the front seats move correctly, and all switches and functions work.

• Try starting the car when the engine is cold, this can help identify issues such as poor starting or smoke indicating engine wear. If the seller warmed up the car, he may be trying to hide something.

• Before you hit the road, turn the steering wheel from lock to lock to check for play or irregular noises that could indicate power steering problems.

• Check the handbrake on a steep slope to make sure it is properly adjusted.

• Listen for any irregular noises from the engine and make sure the radio is off.

• Drive at highway speeds if possible and try to find different road surfaces to get a better idea of ​​how the car behaves.  

• Make sure the transmission shifts smoothly up and down through gears and that the clutch on the manual transmission does not slip and engages smoothly.

There is often an opportunity to haggle over the seller's asking price.

• Make a list of all the problems that you found during the inspection and agree on the cost of fixing these problems.

• If there are no shortcomings, offer a reasonable figure under the asking price. The seller will then either accept or reject or offer a price closer to the requested figure. Work through this process until both parties agree.

There is often an opportunity to haggle over the seller's asking price.

• Make a list of all the problems that you found during the inspection and agree on the cost of fixing these problems.

• If there are no shortcomings, offer a reasonable figure under the asking price. The seller will then either accept or reject or offer a price closer to the requested figure. Work through this process until both parties agree.

• Make sure all registration and service documents are in order and the details match the seller. Also make sure you have original versions of everything, not photocopies.

• If you make a payment, or even just pay a deposit, get a receipt and make sure it has all the merchant details. Most, if not all state registration documents will include a receipt for this purpose.

Happy driving!