If the car pulls to one side or the steering wheel judders when you apply the brakes, get the braking and steering systems checked. See how the car responds to an emergency stop, and if the car is fitted with ABS make sure it kicks in to prevent the wheels locking. If the ABS light on the dashboard fails to illuminate, there is a fault in the system which could prove expensive. The brakes should not feel spongy — if you are not happy with the way they respond, don’t buy.
Select a bumpy route which will test the suspension. You will soon notice any irregularities and hear the suspension bottoming out. A very rocky ride or noisy suspension is a sign of high mileage. Be very suspicious if the mileometer tells you otherwise.
After the test drive check the engine compartment and underbody again for leaks.
It is vital that you examine the vehicle registration documents and service history to make sure everything is in order. This is especially important if you are buying privately. Check that the name the seller has given you appears on the registration document. You need to be able to track them down if something is seriously wrong with the car, so make sure you view the car at their home (be suspicious if they’re standing by the car when you arrive; if you don’t see them going in or out of the house, you have no way of knowing that it’s not a false address). Don’t be embarrassed to ask for verification of the seller’s name and address if you are suspicious — there’s a lot of your money at stake here.
Compare the details listed — colour; VIN (vehicle identity number); engine number, size and type; and date of registration — against the car itself. Any alterations to these details must be notified, so if what you see does not correspond to the registration document there is something amiss. The chassis number is usually stamped on the fire wall. The engine number is stamped on the engine block. The transmission number appears on a label on top of the transmission (do not confuse this with the engine number). Previous owners and the date the car was first registered also appear on this log. Where there are indications that the documents have been falsified or amended, contact the vehicle licensing authority to check the details given are genuine.
The service book should be up-to-date and stamped to give proof of services carried out. If it looks at all suspect, don’t buy until you have been able to contact a previous owner and confirm the details. Ask to see service receipts, bills for new components (especially large items such as reconditioned engines) and repairs, together with roadworthiness (MOT) certificates, so that you can confirm that the mileage is genuine. No matter how low the price, don’t buy a car with a suspect or non-existent service history.
Buy a stolen car, and you are buying trouble. If the police can prove that you knew it was stolen you will be charged with dishonestly handling stolen goods. If you bought it in good faith, you may escape a prison sentence but you will lose the car. Because the car was not the thief’s to sell, the money you handed over gives you no legal claim to the car; it remains the property of the person it was stolen from.
To avoid purchasing a stolen car:
NEVER hand over your money until you have been allowed to examine the registration documents.
ALWAYS make sure the seller’s name appears on the registration document.
CHECK the VIN or chassis number and the registration against the vehicle’s documents. If the windows have been security etched, make sure that the number corresponds with the registration or VIN number.
Warranties and guarantees
When buying from a dealer, demand a guarantee. On a new car, you should get at least three years’ mechanical warranty. Read the small print to find out exactly what the guarantee covers, and any terms you must abide by — such as having the car serviced by the dealer who sold it to you.
You may have to buy a warranty for a secondhand car. Before you write a cheque, make sure the cover offered is worth having.
1 Don’t buy the first car you see, and don’t become too attached to any one car. Keep your options open.
2 Even if it is the car of your dreams, don’t let the seller know how you feel. Tell them the colour is wrong; that there are too many/too few doors; the engine’s the wrong size, etc.
3 Don’t let yourself be taken in by pointless frills like go-faster stripes, or GT badges.
4 When buying privately, it’s never safe to assume that extras such as the radio or alarm/immobilizer are included in the purchase price. If it’s not stated in writing (in the advertisement, for example), ask the owner to put it in writing. Make sure these items are in working order when you inspect the car. Ask for the handbook, and check that the spare tyre and tool kit are in place.
5 Have the car inspected by an expert if you are not yourself competent to judge potential mechanical faults.
6 Always haggle over the price. Make an offer which falls short of the asking price without being ridiculously low. If you find faults during the inspection and test drive, ask for a reduction to take account of the cost of repairs. When buying a new car, press for a substantial discount.
7 When buying from a dealer, establish the lowest price for the vehicle before discussing a part-exchange deal for your old car.
8 Check the tax disc and if the car is over three years old, find out when the last MOT or roadworthiness check was carried out. The MOT needs to be recent — if it’s more than three months’ old, strike a deal with the seller for the car to be tested again: you pay if it passes, they pay if it fails.
9 Get a receipt. At the bottom of the Vehicle Registration Document is a ‘Notification of Sale or Transfer’ which you will need to send off for the vehicle to be registered in your name.
10 Make sure you are given copies of any warranties or guarantees. Read the terms carefully — you could invalidate the guarantee if you fail to comply.
You’ve passed your driving test and bought a car — what more do you need? Before you can legally drive it on public highways, you need to make sure you have the following documents:
• A signed, valid driving licence (which will show the categories of vehicles you are permitted to drive). To drive overseas, you may also require an International Driving Permit.
• Vehicle Registration Document or logbook to prove that you are the registered keeper of the vehicle.
• A current vehicle excise licence (tax disc) to prove that you have paid your road tax, unless exempt.
• A current Vehicle Test Certificate (known in Britain as the MOT) to prove that the vehicle meets the minimum legal requirements for roadworthiness. All vehicles over three years old must be tested annually. Without a certificate you will not be able to renew your excise licence, so the car cannot legally be driven. (For details of what the MOT test covers, see Maintenance.)
• A valid certificate of insurance.
The police may require to see these documents if you are stopped while driving, though you have the option of taking them along to a police station within seven