• Check the service history 

Find out what maintenance has been done and check the car's mileage by asking to see a full service history. 
 

• Take a test drive 

Give the car a test drive and look over to spot anything unusual and make sure it's what you're expecting. 
 

• Ask an engineer 

You can pay for a professional to inspect the car before you buy. It's especially important to check repairs if the car has been written off in the past. 
 

• What's the right price? 

Use online car valuation checks or simply do a little market research to make sure you're paying a fair price for the make and age of the car. 
 

• Know the finance history 

You can pay finance companies to check the car doesn't have an outstanding credit agreement against it. If you buy from a dealer they're expected to do this for you. 
 

• Make sure the car's not stolen 

Go to gov.uk to check the V5C registration document matches DVLA records. You'll need the registration number and make to do this. 
 

• Understand write offs 

Written off cars get a Vehicle Identity Check (VIC) marker. If they can be allowed back on the road, they'll need a DVLA VIC test. Find out more at gov.uk. 

• Has the car been recalled? 

At gov.uk you can check for free if the car has been recalled by the manufacturer for safety reasons. 

• What about your old car? 

If you're upgrading your old car, shop around to see how much you could get for trade in, or whether you'll make more selling it privately.