Best used car buying tips

Set yourself a strict budget based on what you can afford. Remember that purchase price is just the start though, as there are ongoing running costs like fuel, maintenance, insurance, plus the interest on any finance used for the purchase to consider.

CarsGuide.com.au enables you to search for models based on make, model, price, body type, age, and location among many other helpful details. Seek advice from our thousands of expert reviews, including used reviews to find out what to look for when cars get a few years and kilometres under their belt, or our many guides to help you with your search.

If the person selling the car is a private party and not a dealer, insist on inspecting the car at their home address. If the vendor isn’t willing to show you the car at their home address, they could be trying to hide something.

Even if you’re not an expert, having a good look over the car in the flesh is very important before agreeing on any purchase. If the car passes your own inspection, it’s a great idea to have an independent mechanic or workshop conduct a more thorough inspection to make sure you haven’t missed anything.

Here’s a few pointers for your personal inspection:

• Always organise inspections during daylight, never in the dark or in rain that could conceal body marks, dents, rust and other defects

• Check underneath the body, bonnet and carpet for rust and signs – such as evidence of welding or paint overspray -- which may indicate the car has been repaired after a crash

• Check the gaps between the body panels are equal – if not, this could indicate poor crash repairs

• Under the bonnet, look for signs of any oil leaks. Use the dipstick to check the amount of oil. If the level is low, the owner hasn’t been looking after the car properly

• Look around the oil filler cap for a white mayonnaise-like substance - this could be an an indication of a leaking head gasket which can be very expensive to fix

• Check all tyres – including the spare – to make sure there’s plenty of tread and that they’re wearing evenly

• Inside the car, make sure the seatbelts work correctly and aren’t damaged, the front seats move properly and all switches and features work

• Try to start the car when the engine is cold, which can help reveal problems like poor starting or smoke that indicates engine wear. If the seller has warmed the car up, they could be trying to hide something.

There is often leeway for bargaining down from the seller’s asking price

• Make a list of any faults you discovered during the inspection, and negotiate based on the cost of fixing these problems

• If there are no faults, suggest a reasonable figure beneath the asking price. The seller will then either accept, decline, or suggest a price closer to the asking figure. Work through this process until both parties agree.