Buying a car in Australia - here are some suggestions by Dr. Ishaq M.

The information provided here is a guide only – recommended professional advice when purchasing a car.

• Use your head rather than your heart! We can all get swept away by our emotions but this could be detrimental when buying a second hand car
• Stick to your budget
• If you are considering buying an unregistered or interstate vehicle you need to check with your states motor authority as you may need to have an inspection prior to registration
• Test drive to make sure the car suits you – try arriving in the morning earlier than booked so that you can see how the car starts on a cold engine.
• Check all paperwork – make sure that rego numbers, VIN (you’ll find under the bonnet or at the base of the windscreen) and Engine numbers match
• Do a Rego check to make sure the vehicle is not stolen
• If you are buying a second hand car via private sale you need to check if there is any money owing on it – otherwise you could end up purchasing a car that could be repossessed. If this happens – you won’t get your money back – it’s the law. To avoid this happening to you do a REVS check. To find out more click here.
• Listen for rattles and knocks when driving
• Test all accessories – radio, CD, electric windows, windscreen wipers, blinkers and air conditioning. Most important s to test the brakes – both the foot pedal and handbrake. Make sure that you try stopping suddenly – making sure that the car stops fast and straight while feeling for the response on the brake pedal. Do a hill stop to make sure the handbrake holds the car
• When you come back from test drive check the oil filter. Take the cap off the oil filter and check for leaking grime. If you find gunk the cylinder head gasket’s failed and there’s water in the oil
• Check the oil level and the level of water in the radiator or expansion tank, and ensure the brake fluids up to the max mark. If the car’s got power steering, don’t forget to check that level too
• When test driving the car listen to the engine. If it sounds like it is revving higher than your speed the clutch could be on the way out – so you may need to factor having this replaced so try and get the price reduced
• Check for rust especially in the frame around the windscreen and roof edges. Take along a magnet and test on the frame. Check for rust under seats and under the car frame
• Check the tyres for wear and tear. You don’t want the added expense of having to purchase new tyres straight away. Don’t forget to check the spare tyre if the vehicle has one. To find out how old the tyres are look for the last 4 digits printed on the tyre surface. If the digits are 0903 - it means that the tyres were produced in the ninth week of 2003. It is not advisable to drive with tyres that are more than 6 years old due to loss of flexibility and moisture
• Check the vehicle kilometres. If possible see if the owner has any old Pink Slips and check the kilometres recorded. Tampering with the Odometer reading is not uncommon. Another thing to check is that all the odometer numbers align – if they don’t line up there is the chance of tampering
• Find out from the seller the parts that have been replaced and if there was anything noted for future inspection on the past rego inspection
• Compare the value of the car to similar age, condition and mileage models
• If you have children that are still in safety seats check that these will fit the model of car
• Check that the car comes with a jack and all the tools for changing a tyre
• Make sure you note down any faults or concerns you have with the car – and use this to negotiate on the price if you are still considering buying the car
• If you don’t have the skills to make a good judgement – spend some money and take the vehicle to a mechanic for an inspection. It might be money well spent and save you from buying a lemon

You can visit following sites for help -
http://www.nrmacarwise.com.au/faq/free-checklist.aspx
http://cars.com.au/

Happy travelling!!