35 things to check before buying a used car

In this article we cover pre-sale research options, how best to look over the stationary vehicle, how to get the best from the test drive, as well as some useful post-sale information.

Buying a used car always represents a risk given it is a step into the unknown. There are inherent risks that are assumed by the buyer upon purchase, hence the often used phrase “Sold as seen” indicating the buyer bears all the risk once transacted upon. However there are steps you can take in order to mitigate such risks, and this article will outline some key practical advice the average car buyer can accommodate.

 

Pre-Sale Online Checks and Research

MOT History

You can check the MOT history and related mileage submissions if you have the registration plate at the above link. This documents all major (failure) and minor (advisory) issues as well as the recorded mileage. It can be crucial to know of any significant failure reasons as well as advisory items including how and when they were resolved. Mileage discrepancies should also become visible upon review.

HPI Check

There are numerous online sources that provide a HPI check to verify a vehicles history. Generally they will reveal; any outstanding finance the vehicle remains subject to, if the vehicle has ever been recorded as stolen or written-off, if the V5 logbook in circulation is legit, vehicle identity check in accordance with the DVLA database, if any registration plate transfers have been recorded, as well as verifying the number plate and VIN chassis number correspond to the DVLA records.

ULEZ Check

A relatively new development and one that will impact London residents only is the new ULEZ tax charge based on emission pollutants. The £12 daily charge is currently restricted to the congestion charge zone, but will inevitably expand at a rate until the entire Greater London will be covered.

Insurance Group

Each vehicle has a designated insurance group between 1 to 50, as documented on the Parkers website. If your prospective new purchase falls in a band with a higher group than your current vehicle, you can anticipate your insurance premium to rise (assuming all other factors remain static).

Insurance Quote

Engaging the wider market rather than just your current insurance provider for a quote is always advisable given the continually shifting landscape. Obtaining an insurance quote prior to viewing the vehicle is highly recommended so you have peace of mind of knowing the full picture. Going into a purchase with a healthy insurance quote can make the difference in the outcome.

Owner Club Research

Reviewing online vehicle owner forums can prove extremely useful when purchasing an unfamiliar vehicle. You can read about the different vehicle iterations in the range, typical problems and resolutions, typical upgrades/modifications, find good garage recommendations. Many have buyer guides specific to the make/model of vehicle, which will often include an informative and exhaustive list of traits compiled over many years by those with strong practical experience. Many also have a section listing members’ cars for sale, which may be of interest compared to generic sales platforms. We recommend establishing if your target vehicles engine is chain or belt driven and what mileage these should typically be replaced at. Armed with this knowledge you can ask the seller if they have a garage receipt for the work, or at the very least be prepared for an impending maintenance cost.

 

The Vehicle

All prospective buyers should be wary, especially for private sale adverts. If possible travel with someone else and preferably without cash, except maybe deposit money. If your unable to take some company ensure someone you trust knows where you are travelling to, why and what time to expect your return. If the seller is overly secretive about disclosing information – think the vehicle registration plate, their name, their contact details, their address etc. then it may be worth walking away. Honest sellers have no reason to be cautious and try to hide any information the buyer requests. It is always recommended to ask the seller if the vehicle has a recorded damage category as sellers do not have to volunteer this information, but is obligated by law to disclose when asked.

Once you have peace of mind the seller is legit you turn your attention to verifying the vehicle is also legit, or at least worthy of the asking price. To remove the likelihood of overlooking a feature of the car to inspect it can be beneficial to compile a list of items to visually examine.

Vehicle Exterior

Vehicle Interior

Test Drive

Finally, if the prospective vehicle has passed all the above criteria we arrive at the all-important test drive - the crucial hurdle to unearthing your next vehicle.

 

Post Sale Useful Information

V5 Document

Also known as a Vehicle Logbook, the V5 document sets out who is the registered vehicle owner as administered by the DVLA in the UK. Upon purchase the buyer will commit their personal details to the green shaded section 10, which in turn the seller sends off to the DVLA to amend the registered keeper and despatch the replacement V5 logbook.

Agreed Valuation

Be aware insurance companies will pay out based on criteria that often significantly undervalues the vehicle, along the lines of how “We buy any car” arrive at their basement level valuations. Submitting a vehicle valuation to your insurance provider has no bearing on the pay-out value, so it might well be worth establishing an agreed valuation price with the insurer, although they will likely increase the premium.

Declared Modifications

Your own personal taste may be anywhere from subtle to pimp-my-ride style or somewhere in-between. Please be aware another issue insurance companies like to benefit from is what they consider the failure to declare any modifications – that is anything on the vehicle that has been altered. It’s quite possible a previous owner to switch an item to an aftermarket part where the new owner may not be aware. Beware as some unscrupulous practitioners in this industry has set the bar as low as categorising a removable sat nav as a way to invalidate claims. Wrapping or painting your vehicle a different colour; remember to notify the DVLA so insurance does not become invalid.

Road Tax (Vehicle Excise Duty)

Upon purchase, assuming a valid MOT certificate exists, the new owner will be required to pay road tax to the government. This is always backdated to the first day of the calendar month the cover was taken out on. Tax rates are vehicle specific and are higher for vehicles deemed excessive polluters than their peers.

It is our intention the content of our articles are a good read and imparts knowledge and insight into our shared passion for all things automotive. Feel free to share this article, submit a comment and continue absorbing our Car Torque posts. From the team here at Compare.Parts; thanks for reading and enjoy your motoring one and all

The difference between the Nissan R35 GT-R models​

In 2008 the R35 Nissan GT-R exploded onto the supercar scene and very quickly started re-writing the rule book. I’m very lucky writing this as I happen to own a modified R35 GT-R myself, it’s a 2009 car back when they were good value. My R35 cost new £54,200 it’s a premium edition so has the black half leather seats , Bose sound system and rear parking sensors. The price sounds like a lot but with 485bhp 0-60 in 3.5 seconds and a top speed of over 190mph this was a force to be reckoned with.

Previously I’ve owned B7 RS4’s and when they were specced well new the price was easily comparative to the GT-R except with nowhere near the performance to match! What you had was a “budget” supercar that honestly battered everything on the market. Chris Harris the current Top Gear Host filmed a piece where an early R35 didn’t just demolish the E92 M3,(another £50,000 sports car) it decimated the Porsche 997 GT3 and you know how you revered they are now. Anyway there’s a background let me get back on track...

CBA (2007-2011)

The early GT-R’s ranged from 2007 (2009 in the UK) these cars are known as the CBA model designation of the R35 and made around 485bhp at the crank. (Handmade engines always vary slightly) these are the models that helped to shape modern supercars as we know today. The first generation cars were 'cheap' considering the monstrous performance available, however their interior quality let them down. With interior trim specs limited to half-leather seats with black or red piping (spec dependant) and BOSE speakers at best.

The CBA cars ran until 2011 before they were “face lifted” and improved performance wise. Early cars were known to destroy their gearboxes when repeatedly launched, they're also very jerky when cold. Mine was replaced in 2011 (I'm assuming the original went bang) I've also got a Litchfield clutch upgrade.

 The R35 was ahead of it's time, due to this Nissan were very cautious with the running and maintenance schedules. The CBA variants required servicing every 6 months/6k miles, making them an expensive ownership proposition. If your CBA R35 is in stock form however you're now able to move to a 12 month/10k mile service structure.

DBA (2011 - 2016)​

2011/12 the DBA cars came face-lifted with some nice new Daytime Running Lights (DRL’s) some gorgeous new concave multi-spoke wheels (lighter and stronger than the CBA variants) and some vents here and there. The interior received a light refresh with full leather seats (some with Recaro branding) and SatNav now available. But it was under the bonnet where the real changes were made. A tweaked remap revised valve timing, turbo inlets and exhaust tweaks meant the new cars were now producing 550bhp.

The DBA cars front brakes were increased from 380mm to 390mm to aid with stopping the extra power.  0-60 was slashed from 3.5 seconds to 2.8 or so thanks to the lighter wheels and new Dunlop tyres. Some chassis tweaks such as carbon front strut braces were also included but you’d struggle to fell the difference. However revised gearbox software softened the harshness of low-speed gear-shifts and made the car a little better to live with day to day, if not losing a little character. The DBA models are by far the most popular variant they're around £10k more than their CBA counter-parts, but with annual 12 month/10k mile servicing intervals which make them easier to live with. However if your vehicle is tuned you're encouraged to stick to 6 month intervals for oil due to increased temperatures and wear.

2014 Cars gained a few cosmetic revisions too, most notably the “Z’ pattern front headlights, low mounted day-time running lights, rear LED ring-lights and a tweaked carbon-fibre rear under-tray. Which was finished in Matte carbon-fibre rather than gloss like the CBA models.

 

 

EBA (2017 - Present)

The “MY17” EBA GT-R is what is said to be the final revision of the R35 platform. The interior was always the flaw of the GT-R especially the latest models. They were very fast but lacked interior quality, the touch screen centre console was very nice. But the leather quality was poor and there were many cheap plastics allover the cabin, especially when compared to its German rivals.

The EBA finally started to make headway into rectifying this. A full leather interior with a more modern and better cockpit layout improved things nicely. The seats looked more appropriate as does the new centre console. However they’ve now borderline priced themselves out of the market. Yes you get an 8” touchscreen unit and Apple car play plus full leather trim. Sub 3 second 0-60 still but the EBA starting price was £79,995! The R35 used to be so popular as it cost half as much as the best supercars or less and was faster, hiking the price up means people are less forgiving of its failings. Spec your EBA well and you're only £20K off a Porsche 991 GT3!

I love the R35 platform I happen to own one but the EBA is literally a CBA with revised suspension some engine and gearbox software tweaks from the DBA and some more aggressive looking bodywork. You get 562bhp in the latest addition and the Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH) has been massively improved.

The CBA and DBA cars were ridiculed for their harsh ride quality, the “soft” setting in the latest EBA model is a revaluation and you could certainly live with it everyday. There is obviously the Nismo special but that’s literally a slightly lighter (less heavy) and much more expensive EBA with some tweaked aero 600hp and ceramic brakes on the “My20” cars. These however are £130,000 which at the moment is McLaren 720S money! Have we missed something?