5 Red Flags to Spot in Any Used Car Listing

Buying a used car starts long before that first test drive, often you can spot revealing information in the online listing itself. A surprising number of issues can be spotted before you even go to view the car - here's my top 5 red flags that should make you pause and revaluate before wasting the trip.

1. Limited Photos.

A seller who only uploads a few photos may be hiding damage and poor condition. You want to see everything from the interior for sneaky cigarette burns in the seats, to the wheels for curb scuffs and fraying tyres.

2. Vague or 'copy and paste' descriptions.

It's important to remember there's no used car factory. Every car is different for a multitude of reasons and should have the description to back that up. If the seller repeats generic lines like “drives great” or “well serviced” without actually detailing service history, recent maintenance, or condition, take caution. Lack of detail usually means lack of care.

3. Mileage jumps.

'Clocking' is a term used for when the mileage on a car is tampered with - normally lowered to make it seem like the mileage is lower than it actually is. An easy hack for checking this is by viewing the MOT history for free online. Anything that seems suspicious usually is and it's a vital thing to check when viewing used cars.

4. Too cheap!

Its very rarely 'too good to be true'. It often means hidden faults, accident history, or a seller looking to offload problems quickly. Many used car sites will give a rating on the price for you, or check out my 'Used Car Check & Report' service for help.

5. Inconsistencies in service history.

Missing invoices or unclear maintenance records can signal poor upkeep, which often leads to expensive issues later. Some sellers will insist they've serviced it themselves and while we can all trust ourselves to carry out work sufficiently, can we trust strangers online? No.