Used car advice

[snemrose]

Dd has just passed her driving test and wants to buy a car. Her budget is £2-2,5k that she has worked very hard to save. What sort of questions should she be asking the seller?
So far all I’ve got is
service history
mot
cam belt

What else should she be questioning? I know it’s not a great budget but it’s all she can afford.

A person can look up all the mot history of any car online.
You will need the car registration
Use the DVLA website to view

Does the car come with a warranty?

Petrol, diesel or hybrid

How much is insurance?

I would recommend buying break down service like AA or RAC

1. Do a HPI check,
2. if she has a particular make model in mind have a look at the owner's forums, and ask "when buying a ABC 123, with XXX miles on it, what should I look out for" Some cars have common issues, and the owner's forums often know about them.
3. Ask the owner for proof of ownership, not just the V5. (they may not have it)
4. Spare Keys, spare tyre if fitted.
5. Ask the question "has it been involved in a prang", obs they may lie or not know..
6. Look for any signs of repair, crash damage. (i.e. new bolts, or disturbed paintwork)
7. Look for resprayed panels, often the "orange peel" texture is different.
8. Don't buy a convertible on a sunny day.
9. Don't buy a car when it's raining or dirty.

Good luck and safe motoring!

Thanks all. We are looking on Autotrader and a HPI check will be done. She’s got her eye on Corsa, 13 plate and 70,000miles on clock. She’s checked insurance and knows it will be high as a new driver but has budgeted for that - she will go fully comp and have breakdown cover. Undecided about black box (or similar) my older ds didn’t have one and opinions seem to be mixed.
warranty is a good shout, as is spare tyre.
@Dbank great list - thank you. How do you prove ownership?

I bought a car a year ago that was on autotrader from a dealership miles away so didn’t get to see it in person - is that imperative as it really limits her options

thanks all

Always view the vehicle in person
There are loads of scammers on the Internet
Buy local if possible

>How do you prove ownership?

Ideally by them having proof of purchase, but this is often lost, so it's more of a " nice to have" than a deal breaker.

As the mileage is relatively high, I would check the engine is cold, and look for any signs of smoke when it's started, and check again after a test drive.

I believe a 2013 Corsa uses a dry timing belt, which should be replaced at 10 years or 60K miles, I would check it's been done, and that there's a receipt.

It would also be nice if the clutch has been done, or at least be aware what the cost to replace it is, as at 70K it's not unlikely to be needed.

Dry timing belt and clutch - thank you @Dbank
Even if dd doesn’t go for this car it helps when looking for a different car. Really appreciate it.

Why fully comp? The vehicle is low value. She’s better off buying a steering wheel lock, driving defensively and saving cash for repairs and next vehicle

No rust

Cost of road tax

Some big, old cars are cheap to buy, but expensive to tax

Bizarrely it's often cheaper than TPF&T. Maybe because it's more 'standard'?

Because fully comp is normally the cheapest.

The corsa she is looking at is approx £160 tax a year - also looking at slightly newer which are £25 a year.
Fully comp doesn’t come out as much more than third party, fire and theft.
She is very sensible bless her and has been saving so hard and really wants her own car (so do I so I don’t have to take her to work at 530 in the morning!) She is just worried about getting it wrong.
I have told her to look nearer £2k mark so the other £500 she had in her budget she can keep aside for anything going wrong - is that the right suggestion? She will be paying insurance monthly. She has decent saving and is a grafter but works agency so shifts could be cut anytime