Used Car Checklist Before Buying: The Walkaround and Test Drive

Documents first, before you even open the bonnet

Checking paperwork before the car itself sounds backwards, but it filters out the worst cars in under a minute. Ask for the V5C logbook and confirm the seller's name matches it exactly. A seller who can't produce the V5C, or whose name doesn't match, isn't someone to view a car from at all.

• V5C logbook: name and address match the seller, and the watermark looks genuine, not photocopied.
• Full MOT history: free on gov.uk using just the reg plate, showing mileage and advisories at every past test.
• Service history: stamps or invoices, not just a claim of "full history" with nothing to back it up.
• A history check (HPI or equivalent): flags outstanding finance, a write-off record, or a stolen marker tied to the plate.

The MOT history is worth pulling before you even arrange a viewing. A mileage that drops or jumps inconsistently between tests is the clearest sign of a tampered odometer, covered in full in does mileage affect car value.

The walkaround, panel by panel

Do this in daylight, never under artificial light or in the rain, both of which hide panel damage and paint mismatches.

Run a hand along each door sill and the boot floor too. Bare metal, fresh paint over rust, or a boot floor that sits noticeably higher than expected all point the same way: a car that's been in a serious accident and repaired rather than a car that's simply had a hard life.

Inside the car

• Warning lights: all should light briefly on ignition, then clear once the engine starts.
• Electrics: windows, mirrors, aircon and infotainment all working, tested one at a time rather than glanced at.
• Wear on the driver's seat, pedals and steering wheel: should roughly match the mileage on the clock.
• A cold start if you can arrange it. An engine that struggles or rattles cold and smooths out once warm is hiding something a warm start won't show.

The smell test

Open every door and the boot, then step back for a moment before getting in. A musty smell often means damp getting in somewhere, sometimes from a leaking seal that's cheap to fix and sometimes from flood damage that isn't. Strong air freshener used to mask it is a red flag on its own.

The test drive: what to actually test

A five minute loop around the block proves almost nothing. Ask for at least fifteen to twenty minutes, covering slower residential roads and a stretch fast enough to reach motorway speed if possible.

1. Brake gently, then firmly, checking the car pulls straight rather than veering to one side.
2. Turn the wheel lock to lock at low speed, listening for any clicking or knocking from the front end.
3. Accelerate through every gear if manual, or through the full rev range if automatic, feeling for hesitation or a jolt on changes.
4. Drive over a rough surface or speed bump, listening for rattles or knocks from the suspension.
5. On a straight, quiet road, briefly take your hands off the wheel to check the car doesn't pull to one side.
6. Once back, check the temperature gauge sits where it should and no warning light has come on during the drive.

Red flags that mean walk away

Most issues are negotiable. A handful aren't worth the argument.

• The seller won't let you take the car for a proper test drive, or insists on driving it themselves the whole time.
• The V5C name doesn't match the seller, with no clear explanation like a recent family transfer.
• The history check flags outstanding finance that isn't settled before the sale completes.
• Meeting only arranged at the seller's home late at night, or in a car park with no paperwork on hand.

Once the car checks out, know what it's actually worth

A clean walkaround and a good drive still don't tell you whether the asking price is fair. Get a free instant valuation for the exact model, mileage and condition before you make an offer, so the negotiation starts from a real number instead of the seller's.