Checking the paperwork

Examine all the legal documents, plus any available details of the car's service history. The log book is the official document that records the name and address of the current and previous owners, registration, chassis and engine number, make, year, model and colour.

• Check for any inconsistencies on the registration document
• Look for a full service history, complete with dated rubber stamps, in the service book (but see the warning, below)
• If the services were carried out at a main dealership, all the better
• If the engine is reconditioned, ask for evidence, such as a bill or, preferably, a warranty

The National Car Test certificate, which must be carried out on all cars every two years, is the evidence of the car's basic condition on the day of the test. Also check and old NCT certificates available to see if there is a consistent story on the mileage. The general rule of thumb is: the more paperwork the better. A stamped service book is good, but actual receipts for servicing are better. It is not unknown for service books to be faked, so check that the stamps don't all look like they were created on the same day. It is far harder to forge receipts for everything from brake pads to a new alternator.

The car

• Does the model badge match the specification on the registration document?
• Are the body panels consistent?
• Is there any evidence of repaired accident damage?
• Do the colour and texture of the paintwork match all over?
• Check under the bonnet and in the boot for signs of haphazard welding, untidy seams or other evidence of a bodged accident repair or, even worse, a cut-and-shut (two stolen or crashed cars being welded together to form a single, extremely dangerous, example)
• Check the front end for excessive stone chips in the paintwork
• Check for rust and paint bubbles, particularly on the sills, wheel arches, seams, door bottoms and suspension mountings

The mechanics

Even the non-technically minded can test the overall condition of the mechanical parts of the car. Don't be embarrassed to poke around.

• Check for oil leaks around the main engine block
• Look for damaged hoses and frayed drive belts. They may not be expensive to fix, but the condition of the engine can reveal the degree of care and attention the car has had
• Before the car is warmed up, look at the colour of the water in the radiator. The greeny tinge of anti-freeze is fine, but oily traces or a low water level could signal leaks or, even worse, a blown cylinder head gasket.
• Check the amount of oil on the dipstick on a level surface when the engine is warmed up. Is the oil smooth and clean, or has it got bits in it? A foamy look or coloured scum could signal trouble

The body

• Check all tyres for tread depth and damage. Do all of the tyres, including the spare, have 1.6mm of tread, the legal minimum?
• Look underneath to see if the exhaust is rusted or contains holes
• Check that all the locks are working and that all rubber seals are intact
• Make sure the seat belts show no sign of damage or wear. Badly worn seats, carpets and pedals can suggest high mileages more accurately than a milometer, especially if there is no service history
• Do the windows work?
• Wipers, milometer and heater can all be easily assessed, so give them a good testing. When looking at the milometer, look for evidence of tampering: does the speedometer look like it has been removed and replaced and do all the numbers line up correctly?
• Check lights, dashboard warning lights and other electrical equipment, as electric window and central locking repairs can be expensive
• If there is a stereo fitted, make sure it works and is included in the sale

There's a lot to remember - so why not take a checklist with you? If any of the above are not in order then you have grounds to query the car, consider other options or negotiate for a discount to put things right. These are all bargaining points that could save you money.

Finally, and totally unscientifically, remember the "Dog and its Owner" rule. Just as bad dogs and bad owners tend to go together, so do bad sellers and bad cars. If you don't trust the seller, don't buy the car.

Car history checks

Stolen cars

Tens of thousands of cars are stolen every year in Ireland, and 33 per cent of them are never recovered. This means that they are probably back out on the road, being bought and sold. Inadvertently buying a car that is then found to have been stolen is likely to result in you losing all rights to ownership, as well as the money you originally paid.

Half these cars could be subject to 'ringing'. This is when a car is stolen and its identity is switched with a wrecked car of the same model. Cut-and-shuts are made up from two different cars welded together. It sounds ridiculous, but could you spot it? Even a minor accident in a cut-and-shut can be fatal.

To avoid stolen cars, you need to be suspicious and to make sure that the seller genuinely owns the vehicle. However, even that may not be enough. Sellers may not be aware that a car was stolen before they acquired it.

Clocking

It is estimated that one in five used cars is clocked, costing buyers millions of euros a week in false mileages. No surprise when you learn that a car's value increases on average by €42 for every 1,000 miles knocked off.

Clocking usually involves removing the whole assembly from the dash and changing the milometer. Check that the digits align and examine the screws.

It is always worth getting a history check on the car from someone like RAC before you hand over the money. That will tell you whether the car has been reported as stolen, whether there is outstanding finance on it (in which case it does not belong to the seller in the first place) and it may be able to confirm the mileage.