The contents are grouped in the following order :-

Body work, doors, paint.

Look at the general appearance for signs of crash damage and / or re-spraying.

• Look down the lines of the vehicle against the light. This shows up any deformities.
• Look from a distance to see if all the paint matches (the gloss, metallic etc.).
• Check the "door shuts" for miss match paint work.
• Check under the rubber door seal and windscreen seal for miss match paint work.
• Check around the badges etc for signs of the vehicle having been re-painted, as these are sometimes not removed but just masked over.
• If you suspect an area as being not what it seems then use a light weight magnet (rubber coated so as not to damage the paint work). If there is fibre glass padding or filler used then you will be able to feel a difference in the strength of pull of the magnet in that area.
• Check under the bonnet also for miss match paint work. Pay particular attention to the inner wings as they are often not replaced, but straightened, after a front end bump.
• Look under the vehicle to see if there is any excess use of under-sealing agent. The stuff is sometimes used to hide welding or badly rusted areas. Look for rust.
• Whilst under the vehicle, visually check the brake drums / disks to see if there is any sign of a brake fluid leak.
• Make sure the doors, bonnet and boot lid all close well with equal gaps all round.
• Ensure the door handles are OK and the keys work well. Watch out for a vehicle that uses different keys for the ignition and doors, boot etc, as it may have been stolen and locks replaced for the ignition and drivers door.
• Exhaust system, look for rust, holes and how well is it suspended (are all the anchor points utilised?)

Tyres and wheels

• Check to see if the tyre pressures are OK. Someone who neglects the tyre pressures may well have neglected the rest of the vehicle. Don't forget to check the condition of the spare wheel.
• Check the tread pattern for even wear on all of the tyres.
• Look for bald spots around the tyre. Look for bulges. Look for splits.
• Look for signs of wear on the inner or outer edges of the tyres. This is an indicator of the tracking either towing in or out (i.e. the wheels are not running parallel to one another whilst in motion and thus rub themselves away). You can also see tyre wear on the edges if the vehicle has been in an accident and is twisted, thus traveling down the road in a "crab" like manner. We've all followed behind such a vehicle at some time no doubt.
• Look to see if the wheel rims are dented. A sure sign of kerb mounting which will lead to the tracking being amiss and thus prematurely worn tyres.
• Grab hold of the front wheels and rock them left and right and see if you can feel any free play in the steering joint (track rod end or steering rack). (There should be no free play).
• Grab hold of the front wheels and rock them top to bottom and see if you can feel any free play in the "top" and "bottom" suspension joint. (There should be no free play).
• If you feel free play whilst rocking the wheels as above, ascertain that it is not coming from the wheel bearings. (There should be no free play).
• Carry out the above procedure on the rear wheels and once again feel for free play in the wheel bearings. (There should be no free play).

Suspension

• Shock absorbers. Bounce the car (one corner at a time) If the shock absorbers are good then the bounce stops quickly. Listen for noises at the same time, (there should be none).
• Check on the condition of the rubber mountings, rubber boots (covering drive shafts as well as steering rod ends). Look for splits and tears.
• Worn bushes will usually let you know by making noises as you bounce on the vehicle.

Lighting

• Headlamp beams (are they both pointing straight out on full beam?).
• Sidelights, Turn indicators (usually if a bulb is blown then the flash rate will increase in speed)
• Brake lights, Hazard flashers, Number plate light.
• Obviously look for functioning lights but also check for cracked or discoloured lenses.
• Check the horn.

Engine bay inspection

• Fuel and brake lines, (is there any corrosion?).
• Check the brake fluid level. Is the fluid clean. (Brake fluid absorbs water which in turn corrodes the master and slave cylinders). Check the power steering fluid level (if fitted).
• Check the condition of the battery. Is the tie-down intact?. There should be no corrosion around the terminals and the acid liquid level should be full (on batteries with removable vents).
• Look for perished, hard or cracked hoses (is there a tell tale sign of a previous water leak, the sign of a new hose coupled with the stains of anti freeze all over the engine could possibly have meant a blown hose and a "cooked" engine, which would require cylinder head gasket, head re-facing, oil change etc. In other words, costly).
• Oil leaks and also the condition of the oil on the dip stick (look under -- MECHANICAL TIPS - for colour or contamination etc).
• Some dealer have the disgusting habit of steam cleaning the engine bay before putting the vehicle on show. They are menaces as all of the protective oils and paint is also removed in the process, so within a few months you will have problems with cables sticking, rust, electrical faults etc.
• Automatic transmission, if the vehicle is fitted with one then check the dipstick, the fluid should not smell burnt (check the fluid level after starting the car, later in the process).
• Water, anti freeze/boil present. If there is only rusty water there and no inhibitors then you will probably have water pump problems in the near future due to seal failure. Check the coolant level in the overflow bottle: CAUTION: DO NOT REMOVE THE PRESSURE CAP ON THE RADIATOR OR OVERFLOW BOTTLE IF THE ENGINE IS HOT!!!
• Check the condition of the belt (fan, alternator, power steering, Air Conditioning). Are the belt too tight? (no slack will mean bearing trouble later). Too loose?. Slipping belts usually make a lot of noise, so if this is the case then wonder about the lack of attention the vehicle has had.
• Filters, plugs (gasoline only) are they new looking?.
• Wiring, is it frayed, spliced, botched?. Bad sign if someone has been tampering with the electrics.
• How are the inner wings, is there signs of denting that might have been previous accident damage?.
• Check the condition of the suspension mounts. They should be clean and not covered in oil or swollen, split, perished.

Interior

• Does it smell clean and dry. Musty smells might be from a water leak.
• Upholstery and carpeting clean and whole, no burns, tears, rips, popped seams, loose sections.
• Look under the floor mats and the seats to see if there is any signs of the car having been in a flood situation.
• Look at the steering wheel and dashboard. Any signs of wear, tears, sun damage, etc?
• Look for loose, frayed, or spliced/repaired wiring under the dashboard.
• Seats, seat belts (any fraying), buckles/fastenings (no sticking), seat runners/mountings.
• Steering. Move the steering wheel side to side and feel for "free play". There should be none.
• Check the windscreen for cracks (on laminated) and chips out of the glass. Check the wipers and washers at this time also.
• Depress the brake pedal, it should be solid and not "spongy"
• Look at the pedal pads on the accelerator, brake, and clutch pedals, does the wear correspond with the mileage shown.

Whilst on the subject of mileage:-

Mileage

The actual mileage of a vehicle is not, in my mind, really very relevant. It is better to have a high mileage vehicle that has been owned by a sales representative who has spent all of the time up and down motorways, then it is to have a low mileage vehicle that has only been used to do the weekly shopping a mile away from the house. The reasoning behind this is that the most engine wear takes place when a cold engine is started. With all of the engine oil drained in to the sump there is usually a brief period before it is circulated around the bearings. If the vehicle is then shut down after a short journey before reaching working temperature then all of the built up condensations have not been dispersed but just sit in the engine corroding this and that. You will usually find that a low mileage vehicle used for "shopping" has a corroded (or replaced ) exhaust after only a short life.

This part of the inspection is conducted with the engine on and includes the road test.

• OK, before starting the engine just turn the key and check that all the warning lights function.
• Hopefully you will have a cold engine to start up (so it's a good idea to arrive early in the morning for example). Whilst starting the engine, listen for and rumbling noises coming from the engine and see how much of a delay there is before the oil light goes out. If there is a rumbling noise from the engine that ceases once the oil light goes out then it is most likely the Main Bearings of the crankshaft. Go find another vehicle!!!!!!!
• How quick was the engine to come to life?
• Check the exhaust immediately and look for blue smoke on start up (possible sign of worn piston rings and or worn valve guides).
• As you depress the accelerator and increase the engine revs (revolutions per minute). then there should be no vibrations felt throughout it's entire range.
• Depress the clutch pedal and listen for noises. You should not hear the engine slowing down in Revs. (a sign of the crankshaft moving onto worn thrust faces). Nor should you hear the engine make a whirring noise (possible cause is the clutch thrust bearing).
• If an automatic then with your foot on the brake pedal, select R (Reverse) then D (drive) and listen for undue clunking noises. If there are loud noises then try and determine whether it is coming from the universal joints along the drive shaft or from the gearbox itself. There should be no loud clanking noises.
• Does the engine "tick" over smoothly or is it erratic? Even a cold engine should run smoothly. A cold engine will probably run at slightly higher revs. due to the "carburetor choke" being in operation but the revs should decrease as the engine attains working temperature.
• Get out of the car and listen to the engine from under the bonnet. You should not hear any loud tapping, rumbling or squealing. If it is an automatic then check the gearbox oil level.
• Have a close look at the exhaust pipe now. Steam is normal with a cold engine but should disappear when the engine is at working temperature (unless of course the weather is below zero). This early condensation is not a problem (except on short journeys) but when the engine is at working temperature then water vapour from the tail pipe is a possible sign of cooling water going through the engine (most likely through a damaged cylinder head gasket).
• Place the sole of your shoe over the tail pipe for a seconds. This will build up internal pressures and thus reveal any leaks in the exhaust system. Don't close off the exhaust for too long as it could result in damage to otherwise good exhaust pipe seals.

CLUTCH and GEARBOX CHECK

(AUTOMATIC)

• If it is an automatic then an un-orthodox trick to test if the brake bands within the gearbox are OK is to depress the brake pedal fully with your left foot (hand brake fully on and nothing in front of the vehicle). Select Drive (D) and then put your right foot down on the accelerator. Don't hold this power for more than a couple of seconds but the engine revs should only go up so far and hold steady. If the engine revs. carry on rising then it means that the brake bands within the gearbox need adjusting or are worn. The brakes should also stop the vehicle from creeping forward also. (N.B. that's the only time you should be using your left foot on the brake. Don't use both feet when driving an automatic vehicle!!!)
• When you drive off are the gear changes smooth? --They should be
• Does the high gear kick in below 30 MPH with low throttle openings? It should do.
• Once cruising, if you depress the throttle hard, does the "kick down" take over quickly changing down the gears?. It should. There shouldn't be a long delay.
• Do the "low holds" operate properly? (e.g. D1, D2). In selecting D1, for instance, the gearbox should not change up to the next gear.
• Is the gearbox silent in operation? --It should be.

• Is the operation of the clutch smooth not jerky?. Clutch judder is usually a sign of oil on the clutch plate which has probably come through the rear engine seal.
• Do the gears whine loudly? (first and reverse especially). (There should be no noises).
• Is the gear stick positive in selection? It shouldn't have a vague feel to it.
• To see if a clutch is slipping then try and find a hill on the test drive and press hard on the accelerator in a high gear. This added strain should show up a worn clutch together with engine knocking. If you hear a light rattling noise during this procedure then it is most likely "pinking" (pre ignition), which is caused by the incorrect ignition timing or the wrong grade fuel, or the wrong heat range of spark plug.

STEERING CHECK

• Does the vehicle pull to one side?. It should track straight and the steering wheel should return to it's centre position when driving straight ahead.
• Is the steering free or stiff? There should be no "hard spots" when going from lock to lock.
• There should not be any free play in the steering or the vehicle will wander around with a mind of it's own.
• If power steering is fitted then listen for noises in the hard lock position. (There should be no loud noises).

BRAKE CHECK

• Do the brakes work well?.
• There should be no pulling to either side. The vehicle should stop in a straight line. Try this also by using just the hand brake.
• There should be no judder on applying the brakes?. (Possibly cause if there is -- warped disks or oval drums).
• There should be no noise (squealing) upon applying the brakes.

MISCELLANEOUS

• With a front wheel drive, pull away on hard steering lock (first left then right). If there is any knocking noise then it is most likely coming from the CV (constant velocity) joints. (There should be no noise).
• While cruising, check for signs of smoke coming from the exhaust. (Basically, Blue is oil, Black is fuel and white is water). No smoke should be present.
• The vehicle should not hesitate under acceleration.
• Drive over rough road surfaces; watch out for unusual vibrations or noises.
• While cruising, check that the instruments are all working and are in there normal range band. (i.e. water temperature gauge should not be reading too hot or too cold.
• Once the road test is finished then check under the bonnet for leaks once again. Also look under the vehicle at this time for traces of leaks. All should be clean and dry.
• With four wheel drive vehicles, you must check all the gears (both high and low ratio) for functioning.

Even after checking out the vehicle thoroughly to your satisfaction, you still need to investigate the V.I.N. numbering (chassis and engine block) to see if there has been any tampering and that they all match the log book details.