Most people spend more time checking their phone than they do checking a car they're about to spend thousands on. Don't be that person. This walkthrough covers everything — from the moment you arrive to the moment you drive away (or decide not to).
Before You Even Get Out of Your Car
Park opposite the car and look at it from a distance. Does it sit level? A car that leans to one side has suspension or chassis issues. Are the panels all the same colour, or can you see variations in the light?
The Exterior Check
Walk slowly around the entire car. You're looking for:
- Panel gaps — run your fingers along the edges. Uneven gaps suggest a panel has been replaced after an accident
- Paint depth variations — shine your phone torch along the bodywork at a low angle. Repairs show up as ripples or slightly different textures
- Rust — check sills, wheel arches, under the boot, and the floor edges. Surface rust is cosmetic; structural rust is a reason to walk away
- Glass — chips in the windscreen can fail an MOT or spread into a crack
- Tyres — check tread depth (legal minimum is 1.6mm, but replace below 3mm) and look for uneven wear which indicates alignment or suspension issues
- Lights — check all four corners, including indicators
The Interior Check
- Smell — damp smell = water ingress. Cigarette smoke is hard to remove. Both should come off the price.
- Seats and carpets — wear consistent with the claimed mileage? High mileage cars have worn driver's seat bolsters and pedal rubber
- Electronics — test every button, every screen, air conditioning, heated seats, electric windows, mirrors
- Warning lights — start the car and wait for the dashboard to settle. Any warning lights staying on?
- Airbag warning light — if this is on, the airbags may not deploy in an accident
Under the Bonnet
You don't need to be a mechanic. You're looking for obvious problems:
- Oil level and condition — pull the dipstick. Low oil is a red flag. Milky/creamy oil means coolant is mixing with it — potentially a blown head gasket
- Coolant — check the level in the reservoir and look at the colour. Brown or oily coolant is a problem
- Belt condition — if you can see the cambelt, check it's not cracked or fraying
- Any leaks — fresh oil or coolant stains under the car or on the engine
- Corrosion — surface rust on the engine bay is usually fine. Flaking, structural corrosion is not
The Test Drive
Ask to drive it yourself, not just be a passenger. Drive it for at least 20 minutes including some faster roads:
- Cold start — listen for any ticking or rattling before it warms up
- Accelerate to motorway speed — any hesitation, smoke, or vibration?
- Brake firmly from 50mph — does it stop straight? Any juddering?
- Listen at idle with the radio off — any knocking, bubbling (coolant), or hissing?
- Check the clutch biting point — very high means it's nearly worn out
- Turn the wheel fully each way at low speed — clunking from CV joints
- Let go of the steering wheel briefly on a flat road — does it pull to one side?
The Paperwork Check
- V5C logbook — does the seller's name match? Does the VIN on the logbook match the car?
- Service history — stamps in the book, or digital invoices. Check the stamps are from real garages, not self-stamped
- MOT certificates — cross-reference the mileage on old MOTs against the current reading
- Finance settlement letter — if there's outstanding finance, the seller needs to settle it before you buy
Found the right car? Make sure you've run a history check first. Then browse all current listings on AllCarsUK to compare — London, Sheffield, Glasgow, and everywhere in between.