1. Find the right car that fits all of your requirements

Find out as much as you can about the car that you want. Do not just be tempted by colour or looks as there is a lot more to a car than this. Think about insurance bracket, and how much that is, the road tax annual fee, any common faults with the particular car you are looking at. Most google searches with the word “review” after will find you some good information. For example type in “2015 Ford Fiesta Review”. Most websites will then enable you to click in and find the exact model you want.

2. Check the price

What sort of price are you expected to pay for the car you are looking at? There are a few different options here. The best way is to look on Done Deal and Cars Ireland and get a feel for what year & mileage you can get for your budget. There will be quite a spread depending on documentation, condition and who is selling it (trader vs private). Either way you can get a good idea within €1000. When you buy from a dealer, you will be paying more for the car than from a private seller. However you do benefit from having legal protection should there be a problem with the car once purchased. By law, they have to give at least 3 months warranty and sometimes you can claim off them up to 6 months after purchase.

Private seller: If you call a “private seller” ask “Is your car still for sale?”. If they say “which one?” then you know you are dealing with a dealer/trader that is trying to impersonate a private seller, thus avoiding legal obligation to provide warranty etc. However, if they are a genuine private seller, make sure you go to their home to view the car and ensure the VRC log book is registered at the same address as where you are.

4. Look over the car

Make sure you go in the daylight and not when it has been raining. Rain covers up most scratches and dents. Check all electrics, air conditioning, media unit etc. Check the oil under the bonnet both on the dip stick – to see if there is a sufficient quantity – and where the oil goes in (oil logo on black cap). Unscrew this and check to see if there is a creamy sludge around the rim of the cap – this can be a sign of the head gasket going. If the car has stood for a long time this can occur also due to condensation. If you’re at all unsure then take someone who is mechanically minded with you.

5. Test drive

Make sure you are insured on the vehicle and can prove this to the seller. Most people with fully comprehensive cover are covered 3rd party on another insured vehicle. If it is declared off the road then you are not insured until the vehicle is insured. Turn the radio and any heaters/fans off so you can listen carefully for any noises. In particular listen out for knocking noises, whirring noises, ticking noises and feel for vibration on the steering wheel. Anything that “doesn’t sound right” usually is not!

6. Check the mileage

The easiest way to check the mileage is to go on the Government Website.

All you need to do is enter the registration, and last NCT test number and this will bring up all the old NCT’S, what was done and the mileage at each test. Also, check that the service history correlates with the NCT mileages. Remember, you only have an NCT once the car is 3 years old. If buying a car within the 3 year period, check the service history.

7. Check the paperwork

Check the VRC log book. This will show the make and model of the car, who the current registered keeper is and how many former keepers the car has. Also, it will have a chassis/vin number. Make sure you check this number against the number in the bottom of the passenger side windscreen. They HAVE TO both match, if not it could be stolen or a clone.

8. Check the service history

All cars should have a record of service history. This usually tells you if the car has been looked after or not. Also, there should be a service book with garage stamps indicating when it was serviced and the mileage. Main dealer (the manufacturer who made the car) stamps are the best. Cars with this service history will be worth a little more. If there isn’t a service book but they have invoices of work carried out, this is just as good. Make sure you have a good look through the documentation for major work carried out and that things such as filters and timing belts have been changed when they should of been.

9. History Check

History checks are extremely important. This check will tell you if the car has anything untoward that you need to know. For example, it will flag if the car has finance recorded against it, whether it is stolen or if it has been in a major accident in the past. The checks cost up to €15 and are available instantly – this could be the best €15 you ever spent. Only do this check when you are happy with everything else first and want to buy the car.

And lastly…

10. Be a good buyer

Turn up for your appointment on time and do your homework & checks before you agree to see the car. This will enable you to make swift decisions and offering to take the car away there and then puts you in a better negotiating position. If you need a loan or finance, make sure you have this in place before you view the car. If everything adds up and your happy – offer the seller a cash deposit, and make sure you get a receipt for this. Then the easiest, most secure way of making a payment is via direct internet transfer (with the cash deposit deducted).