The paint is gleaming and the seller has already mentioned how well she drives. Before you picture it in your driveway, look at the less glamorous bits.
Start around the edges
Open the doors, boot and bonnet. Look along seams, drain holes, wheel arches and the battery area for bubbling paint or reddish staining. Surface corrosion on a replaceable fastener is not the same as corrosion in the body structure, but either one is worth asking about.
Look underneath without pretending to be a mechanic
You are checking for obvious trouble: fresh leaks, damaged panels, mismatched coatings and heavy corrosion. Brand-new underseal on an older car deserves a polite question. It may be harmless protection, or it may be hiding something. A proper inspection can settle the matter.
Let the paperwork tell its story
Compare the odometer with service invoices and the service record. Check that the vehicle identification details match the documents and the car. Gaps do not automatically mean disaster, but the explanation should make sense.
Pay for an independent inspection
A qualified inspector can spot accident repairs, worn components and work that may be due soon. Arrange it independently instead of relying only on a report supplied by the seller. The fee is easier to swallow than discovering a serious fault after the transfer is done.
Insurance products and circumstances differ. Check current policy wording and get appropriately authorised help when you need a recommendation for your situation.
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