Used car checklist: compare cars in five minutes
A car can look perfect on the lot and still be the wrong pick for you. Check these, weigh what matters to you, and let the numbers settle it.
Quick checklist
- Service history. Regular records matter more than low mileage alone.
- Mileage for its age. Compare against a typical year of driving (about 12,000–15,000 km).
- Rust and accident signs. Uneven panel gaps, paint that doesn't quite match, damp carpets, new bolts on the front end.
- Real total cost. Price plus insurance, tax, fuel, registration and any repairs due soon (tires, brakes, timing belt).
- How it drives. Cold start, brakes, steering pull, strange noises over bumps, every warning light off.
- Paperwork matches. The VIN on the car matches the documents, and there's no finance still owed on it.
Why 'no accident damage' is a must-have here
This template marks accident damage as a must-have: an option scoring below 6 is out, however cheap it is. You can turn that off, but a badly repaired car is the classic false bargain. Score 10 for a clean history report, lower for any repair you can't verify.
Get a second opinion
If the result is close, a pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic is the best money you can spend. Update the condition score with what they find and weigh again.