With the ever-increasing prices of new and luxury model vehicles, there has been a boom in demand for used vehicles that look and feel just like a new model but at a fraction of the cost. There are numerous factors to consider when purchasing a second-hand car, and if you are not familiar with the process of buying a second-hand car, the process can feel stressful and overwhelming. Our simple to follow checklist below can help to identify key areas to inspect and common red flags to avoid. Here is what you should keep in mind and check when looking to purchase a second-hand vehicle.  

Extensive Prior Research: 

Finding the ‘right’ car is very important, so the first to consider is what are your needs/requirements, in order to gain a better understanding of what vehicle you need to look for. You should then ask yourself some simple questions such as: 

1. Is the car big enough or do I prefer a smaller one? 
2. Does it help or get in the way of the activities I plan to use it for? 
3. Does it have the features I need? 
4. How much insurance and servicing will this cost? 
5. What is the desired price range/budget? 

There are many details to consider but once you have narrowed down the make and model of the car you would like, then you’re ready to start searching dealerships or online marketplaces for your desired car. 

Exterior Inspection:

A vehicles exterior body and paint are where most buyers spend their time inspecting a car, and rightly so - it’s where the majority of faulty work and damage can be found. But most people only focus on looking for significant bodywork damage, such as massive dents in the panels or other areas that are bent of out of shape. In conjunction with this, it is also vital to keep an eye out for:  

1. Mismatch in the body panel colour as it's an indicator that there was a previous accident or poor repair job.  
2. Chips or cracks in the glasses, headlights, taillights and side-view mirrors. These could be expensive to replace and getting caught with a damaged/faulty head/tail light can incur an expensive fine.  
3. Look out for rust as any rust can be an early indicator of potential future damage or overall poor maintenance of the vehicle.
4. The tyre’s tread and wear. Try to see if you can spot out any differences between the tyres as this can be a sign of possible misalignment issues. 

 Engine Inspection: 

As engines are often considered the heart of the car, it is important to check to see if your chosen vehicles engine is in a healthy condition, as this has implications for making sure it will be roadworthy, reliable and safe. To the untrained eye, it can be difficult to comprehend what might be wrong when popping the hood of a car, but ideally, it is important to: 

1. Make sure there is enough oil in the engine. This can be checked by taking out the dipstick, cleaning it, and repeating the insert again to gain an accurate reading of the oil level. The oil itself should be clear and in a dark yellow colour, if there’s another form of liquid that’s not oil, there is an issue. 
2. Check for any leaks such as oils, or coolant as this indicates there is a leaking issue resulting in additional repair costs. 
3. Start the engine and listen for any irregularity with the engine noise, delayed start, or smoke out of the exhaust. 

Interior inspection:

A comfortable interior is regarded as an important part of a car as this is where the entire driving experience takes place. While most people look out for features such as mobile connectivity, comfortable seats and a spacious interior, it is also important to look out for: 

1. Switches and dials, this also includes the indicators, headlights, and wipers. All features should work without any delay or issues.  
2. Make sure you can adjust the side mirrors 
3. Test out and feel the air conditioner and heater temperature.  
4. The car seats, ensure they can be easily adjusted, the seat belt is fully functional, and there are no major stains, tears or sun damage. 

Test drive:

With all said and done, the first four steps will have helped you find and inspect a reliable car, but looks may be deceiving. Even if all looks perfectly fine, there can still be unseen problems that can cause greater issues down the road, so it's always recommended to take the car out for a test drive before making any purchase. Things to look out for include: 

1. Check if the car has an active CTP and Rego, whilst ensuring the details match.  
2. With the test drive, you want to make sure the car operates fine when driving at high speed, so take it out to a highway and drive for a while at 100kmph 
3. Check if there is any sign of engine overheating. 
4. Feel for the overall car ride, is the ride smooth when gaining speed? No weird noises could be heard when braking? Is the steering wheel quick and responsive? 

With all your research done you should now have a much better idea of what to look out for and ensure the car has all its functionality working correctly. You are now well-armed with information and considerations to help you pick your reliable 2nd hand car to help you meet your everyday needs.