The 15-minute used car inspection checklist

Before the engine starts

Walk the car slowly and look along the panels from the front corner. Ripples in reflections, mismatched paint texture, overspray on rubber seals, and uneven panel gaps all point to accident repair. Check that every tyre is the same brand and that tread wear is even — feathered edges suggest alignment or suspension issues.

• Oil on the dipstick: honey to dark brown, not milky
• Coolant clean and at level, no oil film on top
• Boot floor and spare well dry and unkinked
• All keys present, including the spare

The cold start

Insist the engine has not been warmed up before you arrive. On start, watch for blue smoke (oil), white smoke that persists (coolant), and any rattle in the first two seconds that fades — a common sign of timing chain wear on some engines.

With the ignition on but the engine off, confirm every warning light illuminates, then confirm they all go out once running. A bulb removed from the dash is a deliberate deception.

On the test drive

Drive at least 15 minutes, including a stretch at 80 to 100 km/h. Brake firmly once from speed on an empty road and feel for pulsing or pulling. Find a rough surface and listen for clunks. Try full lock in both directions in a car park for CV joint clicking.

Automatic transmissions should shift without flare or shudder; a torque converter shudder at light throttle is expensive.

When to pay for a professional inspection

For anything above roughly $15,000, a pre-purchase inspection from a motoring club or an independent mechanic is cheap insurance. Book it before you pay a deposit, and make any deposit conditional on the inspection in writing.