Why a current WoF isn't enough
A fresh WoF sticker tells you the car passed a safety inspection on one day. Consumer Protection is clear that a valid warrant of fitness does not mean the car is in good mechanical condition.
The WoF list covers things like tyres, brakes, lights, rust and seat belts. It doesn't tell you whether the gearbox is slipping, the engine is burning oil, or the cambelt is overdue. Those are the things that turn a good buy into an expensive one.
Which check tells you what?
| Pre-purchase inspection | WoF | Online register checks | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Who does it | A mechanic or inspection service you choose | A vehicle inspector at an inspecting organisation | You, online |
| What it looks at | Engine, gearbox, suspension, body, leaks, fault codes and a road test | Safety items on the day of inspection | Money owing on the Personal Property Securities Register, and the Police stolen vehicles list |
| What it can't tell you | Hidden wear inside an engine or gearbox | How healthy the car is mechanically | Anything about its condition |
Buying from a dealer or privately?
It changes your rights. Consumer Protection says people selling privately don't have to comply with the Consumer Guarantees Act or the Fair Trading Act, while car dealers do, and a dealer can't use 'as is, where is' to get out of them.
A dealer also has to attach a Consumer Information Notice to a used car, give you a copy and ask you to sign it. It has to say whether money is owing on the car and whether it was imported as a damaged vehicle. Some dealers will arrange an inspection with their own preferred mechanic; you can still get your own, independent one.
How to set one up
Ask the seller first
Agree where the car will be and when, and ask that it isn't driven beforehand so the mechanic hears a cold start. A seller with nothing to hide usually says yes.
Run the register checks
Search the Personal Property Securities Register for money owing and check the Police stolen vehicles list. Consumer Protection notes these aren't a substitute for an inspection.
Send us the job
Give the make, the model and the postcode where the car is. Say whether it's at a private home or a yard, and how soon you need the report.
Read the report before you pay
Ask the mechanic what's urgent, what can wait and what's just age. Then decide: buy, negotiate, or walk away.
What a good inspection report covers
- A cold start, then the engine under load: noises, smoke and leaks.
- Gearbox or clutch behaviour on the road test.
- Brakes, and tyre tread against the legal minimum of 1.5 mm.
- Steering, suspension and the underside, on a hoist where possible.
- Rust and signs of earlier crash repairs.
- Warning lights and a scan for stored fault codes.
- Service history, and whether the wear matches the kilometres shown.
Questions to ask the seller
- Is there a service book or receipts, and when was the cambelt last done?
- Has the car ever had water damage or a crash repair?
- Was it imported, and if so, when?
- Is there any money owing on it?
- Why are you selling it?
What you can check yourself, and what to leave
You can
- Put a hand on the bonnet before you start. Consumer Protection says it should feel cool.
- Compare the wear on the pedals and the driver's seat with the kilometres. Badly worn pedals on a low-kilometre car are a warning sign.
- On the test drive, check the brake pedal feels firm and the car tracks straight.
- Take your time. Don't let anyone hurry you into deciding on the spot.
Leave to the mechanic
- Looking underneath on a hoist, and scanning for fault codes.
- Judging engine, gearbox and suspension wear.
- Putting it in a written report you can take back to the seller.
If it were our money
We'd run the register checks the night before, then have a mechanic who knows that make look at the car before any deposit changes hands. For a private sale we wouldn't skip it, because the law gives you far less to fall back on. A seller who won't allow an inspection has answered your question for you.