How to Inspect a Used Car Before Buying

Before you spend $249 on a professional inspection, spend 20 minutes doing your own walk-around. About a third of the cars we get called to inspect get cancelled the night before because the buyer noticed something obvious during a second look. Here's the routine that catches the 'don't bother' problems.

Approach the car cold

Always inspect a car with the engine cold. Sellers who insist 'come around mid-morning, I'll have it warmed up for you' are masking cold-start smoke, lifter tap, idle hunt, and a hundred other defects that only show in the first thirty seconds.

The 8-minute exterior pass

Exterior walk-around

Stand at each corner and look down the bodyside in sunlight — ripples mean filler under paint
Check panel gaps with a fingertip — even gaps front to back; mismatched gaps = prior repair
Open and close every door, bonnet, boot — listen for grinding hinges
Press paint with a thumbnail; bubbling means rust below
Examine the windscreen edges and roof for stone-chip cracks
Look at all four tyres: same brand, same age (DOT code), even wear
Inspect wheel arch lips for rust, kerbing or filler
Open the fuel cap — a strong fuel smell + corrosion = neglect

Under the bonnet (5 minutes, engine OFF)

Engine bay

Pull the oil dipstick — golden/clean is good, charcoal-black is overdue, milky is head gasket trouble
Inspect the underside of the oil cap — coffee-coloured emulsion = head gasket
Coolant: clear bottle, correct level, no rust flakes or oil sheen on surface
Brake fluid clean and at MAX line
Look for fresh oil weep around the rocker cover, sump and front timing area
Wiggle every hose — soft, swollen or sticky = perished
Belt edges should be square; glazed shiny edges = worn
Battery date code (round sticker) — anything older than 4 years is on borrowed time

The cold start

Ask the seller for the keys and start the engine yourself. Listen for: clatter that fades after 5-10 seconds (cold lifters, usually OK on European), tapping that persists (worn followers or low oil pressure), and any blue smoke from the exhaust on the first throttle blip (worn rings or valve seals).

Interior 5-minute test

Interior controls

Sit in the driver's seat. Look for cracking or splits on the bolster
All windows up/down with one touch
Test the indicator stalks, wipers, lights, horn
Climate: A/C blowing cold, heater blowing hot, fan all speeds
Infotainment: pair your phone, test reverse camera, check all speakers
Sniff for smoke, mould or pet urine — these never come out
Smell after 60 seconds of A/C — sour = bacterial buildup in evaporator

The test drive routine

1.Pull straight away from the kerb on a flat road — does it pull left or right?
2.Accelerate to 60 km/h on a quiet street — clutch slip? Shift hunting?
3.Brake firmly at 60 — pedal vibration = warped rotors; pull = sticky caliper
4.Find rough road — knocks over bumps = worn suspension
5.Try a tight U-turn at low speed — knocking from the front = CV joint
6.Highway 90+ if possible — vibration through the wheel = wheel balance or driveshaft
7.Stop, leave the car idling 60 seconds, look in the rear mirror — any haze?
8.Switch off, restart hot — slow crank or extended start = battery or starter due

Common questions

What's the single biggest red flag?

Mismatched paint depth on two adjacent panels. It almost always means prior collision repair, and a buyer who notices it in 30 seconds is worth $4,000-$10,000 at the negotiation table.

Should I check service history before viewing?

Yes — ask the seller to email or photograph the service book before you drive across Sydney. A car with no service stamps for two years is rarely worth the petrol to inspect.

Lock in your inspection

Book a mobile pre-purchase inspection at the seller's address. Same-day slots across Sydney from $249, with a money-back guarantee.

Book an inspection 02 8320 1246

How to inspect a car before buying (Australia 2026)