CarsUAE

Inspecting a used car before you buy: a complete step-by-step checklist

21 October 2026 · 6 min read

Buying a used car can be the best deal you ever make, or the biggest mistake. The difference is often half an hour of checking before you pay. Here is a practical checklist to follow step by step, whether you're buying from a private seller or a showroom.

Before you go to see the car

  • Ask the seller for the VIN (chassis number) and a photo of the registration card, and ask: is there a bank loan or any fines on the car?
  • Compare the price with similar cars (roughly the same model, year and mileage). A price far below the market deserves a question.
  • Check the VIN to find the country of manufacture, model year and factory specs, and make sure they match the ad.
  • Ask for the service history: dealer or garage invoices, or ask the dealer using the VIN.

Have the VIN? Check it for free before you go. VIN check

Body and frame

  • Look at the car in daylight, not at night or under a shade. A slight colour difference between panels usually means repainting.
  • Check the gaps between the doors, bonnet and bumper. If the gap isn't even on both sides, the panel may have been removed or the car may have been in an accident.
  • Look for paint marks on the rubber seals or the glass, a sign of repainting after an accident.
  • Look under the car: heavy rust, welding marks, or oil or water leaks.
  • Glass: all the original windows usually carry the same marking. A different one may mean it was replaced after an accident.

Tyres

  • The side of the tyre has a 4-digit code showing when it was made: the first two digits are the week, the last two the year. For example, 3522 means week 35 of 2022.
  • Old tyres fail the technical inspection even if they look fine, which means you'll pay for them after buying.
  • Uneven wear (more on the inside or outside) points to an alignment or suspension problem.

Inside the car

  • Turn the air conditioning to its coldest setting. In the UAE this is the most important check: it must cool quickly and strongly, and a compressor repair is expensive.
  • Compare the mileage with the wear on the steering wheel, pedals and seats. Low mileage with a worn steering wheel suggests the odometer may have been changed.
  • When you start the car, the dashboard warning lights should come on and then go off. If the engine, airbag or brake light stays on, there's a problem.
  • Try everything: windows, mirrors, screen, camera, sensors and electric seats.
  • A damp smell or water marks under the carpets can be a sign the car has been flooded.

Engine

  • Ask for the engine to be cold when you arrive. Some problems disappear once the engine is warm.
  • Blue smoke means the engine is burning oil. Thick, constant white smoke can mean coolant is getting into the engine.
  • Open the oil cap: a milky white substance there is a serious warning sign.
  • Listen to the engine: ticking or a strange metallic noise needs checking.

Test drive

  • The gearbox should shift smoothly without jolts or delay, at both low and high speeds.
  • At a moderate speed, loosen your grip on the wheel: the car should go straight and not pull to one side.
  • Brake hard in a safe place: the car shouldn't pull to one side and the steering wheel shouldn't shake.
  • Listen for any knocking from the suspension when you go over a speed bump.

Inspection at an approved centre

Even if everything looks fine, take the car for a pre-purchase inspection at an approved inspection centre or a garage you trust. A full inspection finds things you can't see: repainting and accidents, the condition of the gearbox and engine, and the suspension. It usually costs between AED 250 and AED 1,000 depending on the place and the type of inspection, which is little compared with a gearbox or engine repair.

If the seller refuses to let you inspect the car at a centre, take that as a clear sign. A seller whose car is sound isn't afraid of an inspection.

Papers and ownership transfer

  • Make sure the name on the registration is the person selling to you, or that they hold an official power of attorney.
  • Make sure there's no bank mortgage on the car. If there's a loan, it must be paid off and the mortgage released before the transfer.
  • The transfer requires the car to pass a technical inspection, and the inspection certificate is only valid for a limited time.
  • Don't pay a deposit before seeing the car yourself. Ideally pay the full amount by bank transfer at the time of the ownership transfer.

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