Sometimes when buying a used car it’s easy to be taken in by a seller who seems honest – or to glance at the shiny paint along with the immaculate interior and assume that the rest of the car must be just as good.

But failing to take a test drive before buying a used car could prove to be a very costly mistake. It’s only by putting a car through its paces that you can listen for strange noises, make sure there’s no play in the steering or check that the engine doesn’t overheat.

Some used car buyers assume that because they’re not mechanically minded they won’t get anything out of a test drive. But you don’t need to be a master mechanic to know that if the engine sounds like a bag of spanners in a spin drier, something isn’t right.

So whether you’re buying a used car from a private seller or a trader, don’t consider handing over any money – not even a deposit – until you’ve driven the car at least a short distance to confirm that it’s not a liability on wheels.

Make sure that you’re insured

Before you drive any car you need to make sure that you’re insured, or you won’t be legal. If buying from a dealer you should be covered on their insurance – you’ll probably need to show your driving licence and you might need to share your licence information.

If you’re buying privately you’ll need to make sure that you’re covered on your own policy. If you’ve got fully comprehensive cover on your own car you’ll probably be covered to drive any other car on a third-party basis, as long as it’s covered by their owner and you’ve got their consent.

You’ve also got the option to insure any car just for the day. This could work out to be rather costly if you’ve got several cars to try out, as you’ll need to get a policy for each car that you drive – but it will keep you legal, and being caught driving without insurance (or being involved in a crash when you’re not covered) will ultimately cost you a lot more. Just search online for ‘temporary car insurance’.

The test drive

We’ve put together an entire guide to buying a used car, which you should read before making any decisions. Once you’ve done this, launch into the test drive to make sure that used car is as good as it seems.

The first thing you need to do is to make sure you can get comfy. This may sound mad, but if you don’t give the car a decent run before you buy it, you could end up with transport that gives you aches and pains after just a brief drive.

Also, if you’re buying a family car, make sure you can fit the family in. If that means all of the paraphernalia that goes with young children, make sure you can fit in (and get to) the child seats in the back and check that the boot can accommodate that pushchair you have to carry everywhere.

Fire it up

Having made sure that the car‘s cabin and boot are up to the job of transporting whatever it needs to, start the car from cold and make sure it ticks over happily. Let the engine warm up and ensure the cooling fan cuts in before taking it for a decent run that will allow you to try out all the gears as well as the major controls, brakes, steering and suspension.

It’s worth taking a helper along when you’re doing your test drive, for a second opinion and also to help you with some basic checks. When you start the engine does it belch out smoke from the exhaust? It’ll be easier to spot this if someone is standing at the back of the car as you turn the key.

Also get your helper to check all of the lights for you, in turn, including the brake lights, indicators and headlights. It can be a right pain replacing these in a modern car – to the point where you frequently have to incur the expense of going to a dealer to get the job done.

As you allow the engine to idle check that all of the instruments work, make sure all of the warning lights go out on the dashboard, and that they come on in the first place when you first switch on the ignition.

On the move

It’s essential that you give the car a decent test drive, taking in as many types of road as you can. Expect to drive for at least 20 minutes and get up to motorway speeds so you can see if any problems are likely to crop up in everyday use. While you’re driving make the following checks:

• Listen for any odd sounds from the engine and transmission (such as whining, rumbling, clattering).
• Does the exhaust sound quiet or is it blowing because it’s got a hole in it?
• If it’s an automatic, does it change gear smoothly and quickly?
• If it’s a manual, is the gear change horribly notchy or does it jump out of gear?
• As you accelerate through the gears does the clutch slip?
• Does the steering feel smooth and precise, or is there lots of play in it?
• When you brake does the car pull to one side, or are there any nasty noises that suggest the brakes haven’t been maintained properly?
• Does the suspension feel taut or does the car feel very wallowy, as though the shock absorbers have worn out?
• Does all of the equipment work properly, such as the air conditioning, electric windows, heated rear window, sunroof, heated seats, etc?

Once you’ve driven the car and established that it’s as good as you’d hoped, haggle to make sure you get it for the best possible price. Before you seal the deal, make sure you refer to the relevant page in our used car guide .

Richard Dredge

March 2016