3 August 2026 · 8 min read
Buying a used car privately: the checklist we wish every buyer used
Mileage lies, paperwork doesn't. What to inspect, what to ask, and which three documents decide whether a private car sale is safe.
A used car is the largest purchase most people make on a classifieds site, and it is the one where the gap between a good deal and an expensive mistake is widest. Almost every bad outcome we hear about traces back to one of three things: unverified paperwork, an inspection done in the dark, or money paid before the car moved.
Start with the documents, not the car
Ask the seller to photograph the registration document, the roadworthiness certificate and their own ID before you travel. The name on the registration should match the ID. If it does not, you are buying from someone who does not legally own the car, and no amount of explanation makes that safe.
Import-heavy markets add a wrinkle: ask for the customs clearance paperwork too. A car that entered the country informally can be seized long after you have paid for it.
Inspect in daylight, engine cold
- Cold start. A seller who warms the engine before you arrive may be hiding a rough start or smoke.
- Panel gaps and paint texture. Mismatched gaps usually mean accident repair.
- Under the carpets and in the spare-wheel well — rust and water lines show flood damage.
- Tyre wear across the tread. Uneven wear points at suspension or alignment problems.
- Every electrical switch, one by one. Windows, lights, indicators, air conditioning, wipers.
- Oil cap underside. A thick beige sludge suggests a head-gasket problem.
Mileage is the least reliable number on the car
Odometer tampering is cheap and common. Judge age by the pedal rubbers, the steering-wheel shine, the driver's seat bolster and the service stickers, then compare that impression to the displayed figure. If the car looks like 200,000 km and reads 80,000, walk away regardless of the explanation.
Pay the way you can prove
Meet at a bank or a busy public place in daylight. Pay by traceable transfer, never in a car park at night, and never before the registration transfer is signed. Write a simple sale agreement with both names, ID numbers, the chassis number, the price and the date, and both sign two copies.
If a seller pressures you to skip any of this because 'another buyer is coming', that pressure is the warning, not the other buyer.