Used Car Buying Checklist: What to Check Before You Buy

A used car buying checklist works best in three stages: the free checks you run on the number plate before you travel, the inspection and test drive at the viewing, and the paperwork and payment when you buy. Many bad buys are avoidable. The warning signs, such as an MOT history that doesn't match the advert or a V5C logbook registered to someone else, are usually there if you know where to look.

The used car buying checklist at a glance

Before the viewing: what to check on the number plate

Ask the seller for the registration number before you arrange a viewing. A genuine seller won't mind, and it lets you do most of the background work from home.

Run a free car check on the number plate. It pulls the official DVLA record, the DVSA MOT history and a mileage analysis. Then compare it with the advert:

• Does the description match? The colour, fuel type and engine size should agree with the advert. A different colour can mean a respray, so ask about it.
• Is the MOT history clean? Read every test, not just the latest pass. Our guide to checking MOT history explains how to read advisories.
• Does the mileage add up? Readings should climb steadily from test to test. Our mileage check flags drops automatically, and how to spot a clocked car covers the other signs.
• When are the tax and MOT due? An MOT that runs out next month is a cost to factor into your offer.
• Will it be charged in a clean air zone? If you drive in London or another city with a zone that charges cars, run a ULEZ check first.

It's also worth checking for an outstanding safety recall. GOV.UK's guide to checking a used vehicle you're buying links to the official recall checker.

Run a full history check for finance, theft and write-offs

DVLA and DVSA records don't show three of the biggest risks: outstanding finance, theft and insurance write-offs. The full car history check in our app, powered by Experian, covers those plus scrapped, import and export markers, keeper changes, plate changes, colour changes and salvage auction records.

Outstanding finance is the one to take most seriously. A car on hire purchase or PCP belongs to the finance company until the agreement is settled. Citizens Advice explains that a private buyer who bought honestly without knowing about the finance can often keep the car, but that's a dispute you don't want.

A write-off isn't automatically a reason to walk away, but it should be declared and reflected in the price. Our guide to write-off categories explains what Cat S and Cat N mean for you.

At the viewing: check the V5C logbook against the seller and the car

View the car at the seller's home, at the address printed on the V5C, or at the dealer's premises. A private seller who wants to meet in a car park or at a service station is a warning sign on its own.

Work through these logbook checks, which follow GOV.UK's guidance:

• Watermark: hold the V5C up to the light. It should have a "DVL" watermark.
• Serial number: if it falls between BG8229501 and BG9999030, or between BI2305501 and BI2800000, the document may be stolen. Don't buy, and call the police when it's safe to do so.
• Name and address: the registered keeper's details should match the seller and the address you're standing at. Ask to see photo ID.
• VIN and engine number: the 17-character VIN is usually visible at the base of the windscreen and on a plate in a door pillar or under the bonnet. It must match the V5C exactly, and so must the engine number.
• Issue date: compare the issue date on the seller's V5C with the date of the last V5C on your free check. If the seller's copy is older, it isn't the current logbook.

Never buy a car without the logbook. "It's in the post" is a reason to come back another day.

Bodywork, tyres and under the bonnet

Look at the car in daylight and in the dry, crouching at each corner to look along the sides.

• Panel gaps: the gaps around the bonnet, boot and doors should be even. Uneven gaps suggest panels have been replaced or refitted after an accident.
• Paint: look for colour differences between panels, overspray on rubber seals or badges, and rippled patches that can hide filler.
• Rust: check the sills, wheel arches and door bottoms, and look for corrosion advisories in the MOT history.
• Tyres: the legal minimum for a car is 1.6mm of tread across the central three-quarters, around the whole tyre. Uneven wear on the inner or outer edge can point to alignment or suspension problems. See our guide to legal tyre tread depth.
• Under the bonnet: check the oil and coolant levels, and look for leaks or fresh oil around the engine.
• Inside: wear on the steering wheel, pedals and driver's seat should be in line with the mileage. Press the carpets for damp, and test the windows, air conditioning and infotainment.

Test-drive checklist

Make sure you're insured first: Citizens Advice says not to test drive a car if you're not. Dealers usually have cover, but for a private sale, check your own policy.

Ask the seller not to start the engine before you arrive, because a cold start is when starting problems, rattles and exhaust smoke show up. Then drive for at least 20 minutes on a mix of roads.

• Warning lights come on with the ignition, then go out once the engine is running.
• No blue or thick white smoke from the exhaust.
• The clutch bites smoothly, not right at the top of the pedal, which can mean it's worn.
• Gears engage cleanly with no crunching, and an automatic changes smoothly.
• The car brakes in a straight line without vibration or squealing.
• The steering stays straight, with no pull to one side and no knocks over bumps.
• The handbrake holds the car on a slope, and no new warning lights appear by the end.

Paperwork to ask for

• The V5C logbook: the original, never a photocopy.
• Service history: stamps or invoices. Check the mileages against the MOT history, and ring a listed garage if something looks off.
• Receipts for major work: a cambelt change, clutch or new tyres all add value.
• Proof of finance settlement: if a history check shows finance, get written confirmation from the lender that it's been paid off.

How to pay for a used car safely

Don't pay anything until you've seen the car, the logbook and the seller in person. Treat any request for a deposit on a car you haven't seen as a red flag.

• Bank transfer: leaves a clear record. Pay at the handover, once you have the keys, the V5C and the new keeper slip.
• Cash: Citizens Advice warns you lose the protection some credit arrangements offer, and carrying a large sum is risky.
• Credit card: for goods costing between £100 and £30,000, paying at least part by credit card gives you Section 75 protection. Dealers are more likely than private sellers to accept cards.
• Debit card: you might be covered by your card provider's chargeback scheme.

Get a written receipt with both names and addresses, the date, price, registration, VIN and mileage. Keep the advert and your messages too, as a record of how the car was described.

Your rights: buying from a dealer vs a private seller

Who sells you the car decides your legal protection, and buying from a dealer gives you far more.

From a dealer, the Consumer Rights Act 2015 gives you 30 days to reject a faulty car for a full refund. After that, the dealer gets one chance to repair or replace it. If that fails, you can ask for a price reduction or reject the car for a refund, although with cars the dealer can deduct an amount for the use you've had. In the first six months, a fault is presumed to have been there at the sale unless the dealer proves otherwise; after that, it's up to you to show it was.

From a private seller, there's no promise of satisfactory quality and no 30-day right to reject. The car must be as described and the seller must have the right to sell it. It's also an offence for anyone to sell a car in an unroadworthy condition, unless they reasonably believed it wouldn't be driven until it was fixed.

Auctions are riskier still: Citizens Advice says you probably won't have the protection you'd get from a trader. Read Citizens Advice on buying a used car for more.

Red flags that mean you should walk away

• The seller's name or address doesn't match the V5C, or there's no V5C at all.
• The VIN on the car doesn't match the logbook, or the VIN plate looks tampered with.
• The MOT history shows a mileage drop or doesn't line up with the service history.
• The engine was already warm when you arrived, even though you asked for a cold start.
• A history check shows outstanding finance, a theft marker or an undeclared write-off.
• They'll only take cash, or want a deposit before you've seen the car.

After you buy: insure, tax and set your reminders

You can't legally drive the car away until it's insured, taxed and, if it needs one, has a valid MOT. Arrange insurance first, then tax the car online using the 12-digit reference on the green new keeper slip from the V5C. Tax doesn't carry over from the seller; our guide Is my car taxed? explains how it works, and you can check the car is taxed afterwards.

The seller should tell DVLA about the sale, and a new V5C in your name will follow in the post. Keep it safe, because you'll need it when you sell.

Finally, don't let the MOT and tax due dates sneak up on you. The app sends reminders for both, so you always know what's due.