Free: 10 Quick Checks Before You Buy a Used Car
This one-page checklist sets out ten basic checks to make before and during a viewing, from the MOT history and V5C log book to the tyres, warning lights and test drive. It is free to download, print and share unaltered. No email address is required.
Download the free checklist (PDF)
One page, PDF. General guidance only, not a substitute for a professional inspection.
Ten checks are a start. The full guide is the rest.
The full guide covers far more
Ten checks are a sensible start, but they are only a sample. Buy It Right: The UK Used Car Buyer's Checklist (2027 Edition) is a 24-page printable PDF covering petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric cars, for both private and dealer sales. Written by the trade, for the customer.
- Red flags and scam warnings, before you leave the house
- Phone questions to ask the seller
- Paperwork, under the bonnet, inside the car and bodywork checks, in order
- A damage map with Driver's Side and Passenger Side outlines
- Test drive, negotiating and paying safely
- Comparison page, sale receipt template and a popular models guide
20% off with code LAUNCH20 at checkout, until 31 December 2026.
Free buying guides
For more detail on individual checks, read our free used car buying guides.