How do I know if I have picked a quality vehicle?

Our guidance to you is the same as we offer all our customers – dealers etc, or take indeed ourselves, pay close attention to the vehicle history. This can be viewed under ‘Equipment’ which sometimes includes the service history eg 3 srv – 3 main dlr – means the car has 3 services all at a main dealer. Service information can be found in the Manheim Condition report where the service history is listed. Carefully review the Condition reports to ensure you have observed all the documented wear and tear. The condition report can be extensive, make sure to read and observe each item, many are unremarkable in the context of viewing the car as a whole. Others are a matter of record and invisible, however, some can be very important, for example while chips on a windscreen are typical, a cracked windscreen should be included in the cost of an overall calculation. Having said that you have to be reasonable, you can’t expect a used car to be blemish free, stone chips on the bonnet, small scratches and dents are to be expected. Pay most attention to the mechanical report – the BCA Mechanical report is completed in conjunction with the AA or through the Manheim Assured check list. Indications of problems with the engine, gearbox or clutch can be expensive, similarly turbo noise will mean a new turbo, all such issues will be part of any mechanical report. My advice is to expect all boxes to be ticked except for the service indicator light , or the presence of a tyre inflation kit, one means the car needs a service and a tyre inflation kit can be bought cheaply on ebay. Next check the thread depth on the tyres, anything above 1mm is legal though you should look for 3mm at least. One tyre below that is not too bad but its a matter of cost, will 2 new tyres be a deal breaker? At these prices I would say not. Since October 2015 the UK government has made the MOT of all UK registered cars available on line. This new level of transparency means the history of the car is available to you to check mileage and test findings, you can complete a search on any of the vehicles on our site for free. By combining the MOT read out, Condition report, Mechanical report with a history check you can rest assured you know everything there is to know