Inspecting a used car in thirty minutes
You do not need a lift or special tools to rule out most bad cars. You need daylight, a cold engine and a little patience.
Before the engine starts
Ask the seller not to warm the car up. Look along the body panels for uneven gaps and mismatched paint, check tyre wear on the inner edges and look under the oil filler cap.
Cold start
Listen for rattles in the first seconds and watch the exhaust. A short puff of vapour is normal; persistent blue or white smoke is not.
Paperwork
Service records are worth more when they show regular intervals and match the mileage. A thick folder of random invoices tells you less than a short, consistent history.