Write yourself a checklist from this and don’t be afraid to go through it with the seller. Remember, once you drive away from a private vendor you have very few rights, so you need to get it as right as you can.

The paperwork, is it correct?

Carefully examine all the legal documents and the car's service history, which should include receipts for work carried out during life of the vehicle. The registration certificate, also known as the V5C, records the registration number, name and address of the current and previous keeper, chassis and engine numbers, colour, year make, model and generic colour.

The V5C will also state the number of keepers the vehicle has had and this can be important as a lot of keepers in a short space of time can be an indication of a troublesome vehicle, also if the present keeper has only had the car for a short period, why?

An MoT certificate, which must be carried out on all cars over three years old, shows that the car was roadworthy on the day of the test. Check old MOT certificates on cars of 4 years and older to see if the mileage shown is consistent. Generally the more paperwork available the better, as a picture of the cars history.

Check for service history by service sheets from reputable garages backed up by a stamped manufacturers service book, but be aware that it is not unknown for service books to be faked, so check that the stamps don't all look same and could have been entered on the same day.

The car

Does the model badge match the description given in the registration document?

Check under the bonnet and in the boot for signs of body repair

Are the gaps between one body panel and the next close and even? Is there any evidence of repaired accident damage?

Check the front end. Too many stone chips in the paint should arouse suspicion unless the mileage is very high.

Check for rust bubbles, particularly on the sills, wheel arches, seams, door bottoms and suspension mountings.

Does the colour and texture of the paintwork match all over?

Mechanics You don't need to be a mechanic to make basic checks. It is essential to have a good check around.

Check for oil leaks from the engine.
Look under the car for OIL or WATER or POWER STEERING FLUID drips.

Use a torch to look under the bonnet at the back of the engine Look out for damaged hoses and frayed drive belts. These can be replaced and may not be expensive to fix but their condition may tell you something about how the car has been cared for.

When the engine is cold BEFORE you start it up, look at the coolant in the radiator. A green tinge of anti-freeze is fine, but oily traces, gunk that looks like mayonnaise or a low fluid level suggest leaks or, a failing cylinder head gasket. This is usually very expensive to repair, and on some models can cost more than the car is worth.

Check the oil when the car is parked on the level and its engine is warmed. Is the oil smooth and clean, or does it contain bits? A foamy look or coloured scum could signal major trouble. The body Check all tyres for tread depth and damage.

Do all of the tyres, including the spare, have the legal minimum?

Check underneath to see if the exhaust is rusted or shows holes.

IMPORTANT. EXHAUSTS GET VERY HOT, UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES TOUCH ANY EXHAUST PART.

Make sure that all the locks are working and that all rubber seals for the doors and windows are intact Make sure the seat belts aren't damaged. Badly worn seats, carpets and pedal rubbers can indicate that the car has covered a big mileage.

Do the windows work?
Window mechanisms can be expensive to repair.

When looking at the mileometer, look for evidence of tampering. If it's digital, it will be difficult to find clues . But if it's an old-style mechanical one, check that the numbers line up neatly. If they don't, it may have been altered.

Check lights, dashboard warning lights and other electrical kit If there is a stereo fitted, make sure it works and is included in the sale If any of the above are not in order then negotiate for a discount to cover repairs.

If you aren't happy, walk away.
Finally, 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, think twice before you buy.

Car history checks Stolen cars Half a million cars are stolen every year, and one in every three apparently disappears. Many are 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 and whatever you paid for it.

Half these cars could be subject to 'ringing'. This is when a car is stolen and its identity is switched with a wrecked but 'honest' car of the same model. These are tricky to spot. It's even possible that the seller has run the car for some time, never realising its crooked past.

To avoid buying one, turn detective.
Watch for these danger signs.
Do all the vehicle identification numbers (VINs) stamped into the car's chassis tally with what's on the V5C? If they do, is the maker's plate (usually under the bonnet, on the panel near the catch) newer than the rest of the car?

Does the model of car you're looking at tally with its description on the V5C? If it has a 1.4-litre engine, but the V5C says it's a 1.6, you should smell a rat. Is the registration age correct for that model? If it is, say, a 55-reg but you've never seen another like it younger than 53-reg, you're right to be suspicious.

Clocking It is estimated that one in five used cars is .clocked, has its mileage reading wound back to boost its second-hand value.

This means buyers over-pay for used car to the tune of £2 million a week.
No surprise when you think that a typical car's value increases by £30 for every 1000 miles knocked off. If the car has a digital speedo, only an expert can tell if it has been altered.

Write yourself a checklist from this and don’t be afraid to go through it with the seller.
Remember, once you drive away from a private vendor you have very few rights, so you need to get it as right as you can.

The paperwork, is it correct Carefully examine all the legal documents and the car's service history, which should include receipts for work carried out during life of the vehicle.

The registration certificate, also known as the V5C, records the registration number, name and address of the current and previous keeper, chassis and engine numbers, colour, year make, model and generic colour.

The V5C will also state the number of keepers the vehicle has had and this can be important as a lot of keepers in a short space of time can be an indication of a troublesome vehicle, also if the present keeper has only had the car for a short period, why?

An MoT certificate, which must be carried out on all cars over three years old, shows that the car was roadworthy on the day of the test. Check old MOT certificates on cars of 4 years and older to see if the mileage shown is consistent.

Generally the more paperwork available the better, as a picture of the cars history. Check for service history by service sheets from reputable garages backed up by a stamped manufacturers service book, but be aware that it is not unknown for service books to be faked, so check that the stamps don't all look same and could have been entered on the same day.