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  • Your 10-point used-car viewing checklist

    Your 10-point used-car viewing checklist

    A good viewing is less about spotting every possible mechanical fault and more about taking a consistent, unhurried look at the vehicle. Arrange to see it in daylight, allow enough time and take somebody with you if possible. If the seller rushes you or will not answer reasonable questions, be prepared to walk away.

    Before the viewing

    1. Read the advert carefully. Save a copy and note the stated mileage, trim, service history, condition and included equipment. Ask the seller to clarify anything vague before you travel.
    2. Check the vehicle record. Use the registration to review available MOT information and confirm that the make, model, fuel type and colour match the advert. Start with MotorHarbour’s Check your car page.
    3. Confirm who is selling. Ask whether the person is the registered keeper and why the vehicle is being sold. A private sale should normally take place at the address shown on the V5C.

    Inspect the vehicle

    1. Walk around the bodywork. Look along each panel from several angles for dents, uneven gaps, paint differences, rust and poorly matched repairs. Check the windscreen, lamps and mirrors too.
    2. Check every tyre and wheel. Look for damage, cracking and uneven wear. Tyres worn more heavily on one edge can point to an alignment or suspension issue that deserves closer investigation.
    3. Look underneath and under the bonnet. Check for fresh leaks, damaged components and very low fluid levels. If possible, ask for the engine to be cold when you arrive so you can see how it starts from rest.
    4. Try the cabin and equipment. Check seatbelts, windows, locks, lights, ventilation, infotainment and warning lamps. Make sure the displayed mileage matches the advert and paperwork.

    Drive, documents and decision

    1. Take a meaningful test drive. Confirm that you are insured, then try normal town speeds and a faster road where safe. Listen for unusual noises and pay attention to steering, brakes, clutch, gearbox and warning lights.
    2. Match the paperwork to the car. Check the registration and VIN against the V5C and service records. Review invoices, MOT history, spare keys and handbook, and independently investigate any finance or provenance concerns.
    3. Pause before paying. Add up any immediate tyres, servicing or repairs and compare the vehicle with similar adverts. Do not let a deposit or artificial deadline replace the checks you intended to make.

    This checklist cannot replace a professional inspection. If the vehicle is high value, unfamiliar or shows warning signs, consider asking a qualified independent professional to inspect it before purchase.

  • How to photograph your car for a better advert

    How to photograph your car for a better advert

    Clear photographs help a buyer decide whether your vehicle suits them before they get in touch. You do not need professional equipment: a clean car, a modern phone and a little care with light and framing can produce an honest, useful set of advert images.

    Prepare the car and location

    Wash the exterior, clean the glass and wheels, vacuum the cabin and remove personal belongings. Choose a safe, legal place with an uncluttered background and enough room to stand well back. Avoid photographing outside a recognisable home if that would reveal more personal information than you are comfortable sharing.

    Bright overcast weather is ideal because it creates soft, even light. On a sunny day, early morning or later afternoon usually works better than harsh midday sun. Keep the sun behind you or slightly to one side and avoid deep shadow across half of the vehicle.

    Use a complete shot list

    • Front three-quarter and rear three-quarter views showing the whole vehicle.
    • Both sides, the front and the rear, photographed straight and level.
    • Each wheel and tyre, particularly if their condition is a selling point.
    • Dashboard, mileage display, front and rear seats, boot and load area.
    • Engine bay, both keys, service book and useful accessories without revealing personal data.
    • Close, well-lit photographs of scratches, dents or other damage already mentioned in the description.

    Frame each photograph carefully

    Turn the phone horizontally for the main exterior photographs, keep it around waist or chest height and leave a small, even margin around the car. Step back instead of using an ultra-wide setting that bends the vehicle’s shape. Tap the car on the screen so focus and exposure are set correctly, then check the result before moving on.

    For the interior, open the doors, move distracting cables and bags, and photograph from several positions. Switch the ignition on for a dashboard image only when it is safe to do so. Make sure warning lamps are not accidentally hidden by glare or the steering wheel.

    Keep the images honest

    Avoid filters, heavy editing or old photographs that no longer represent the car. Basic cropping and brightness correction are fine, but marks and damage should remain visible. Before uploading, zoom in to make sure addresses, document reference numbers, faces and other private details cannot be read.

    Put the strongest exterior view first, arrange the remaining images in a logical walk-around order and support them with an accurate description. When your photographs are ready, create your MotorHarbour advert.

  • Safe test drives: a practical guide for buyers and sellers

    Safe test drives: a practical guide for buyers and sellers

    A test drive is useful to a genuine buyer, but it should never begin with an unknown person simply being handed the keys. Both buyer and seller can make the meeting safer by agreeing expectations in advance and refusing pressure to skip sensible checks.

    Agree the plan before meeting

    Choose daylight and a familiar meeting place. Share the time, location and the other person’s contact details with somebody you trust. Sellers should plan a route that includes ordinary roads and a safe place to change drivers; buyers should explain what they reasonably need to check.

    Do not pack important documents, cash or unrelated valuables in the vehicle. Keep your phone charged and avoid moving the meeting to an isolated location at short notice.

    Checks for the seller

    • Ask to see the buyer’s driving licence and check that the photograph and name match the person present.
    • Confirm that the buyer is insured to drive the vehicle. Do not assume that another policy automatically provides suitable cover.
    • Keep the keys while inspecting documents and changing seats. Do not leave the engine running with the vehicle unattended.
    • Accompany the test drive and, where practical, have another adult present at the viewing.

    Checks for the buyer

    • Confirm that the vehicle, seller and address are consistent with the advert and available paperwork.
    • Before moving off, adjust the seat and mirrors and ask how unfamiliar controls work.
    • Drive legally and respectfully. A test drive is not permission to test the limits of the vehicle.
    • If the vehicle feels unsafe, shows a warning light or the seller’s behaviour concerns you, stop in a safe public place and end the viewing.

    During and after the drive

    Use a route long enough to assess starting, steering, braking, gears, visibility and normal road-speed behaviour without taking unnecessary risks. Keep conversation limited while the buyer is concentrating. Any change of driver should happen only when parked safely with the handbrake applied.

    Afterwards, switch off the engine and return the keys before discussing price or payment. A successful test drive does not remove the need to check the vehicle’s identity, history and documents. Never rely on urgency, a screenshot or an unexpected payment arrangement.

    For more practical precautions, visit the MotorHarbour Safety Centre.