South Meath Driving School

Eyeing up a used car that is trustworthy is as difficult as selecting the right heifer at a mart or the better filly at Tattersalls. There’s the great fear of purchasing someone else’s problem. While the adage ‘Caveat emptor’ may have been overtaken by legislation that favours the buyer, the buyer still must beware.

Many moons ago a farmer bought a cow at a fair in Mohill and after he had handed over his cash he figured that the cow was blind in one eye. Believing that the problem was all his, he asked the seller if the cow was a quiet one or would she kick the bucket when being milked. The seller assured him she was as quiet as a lamb. To prove it, the purchaser asked him to hand him the money he had paid him underneath the cows elder (or udder.) Not suspecting anything, he handed back the money bragging about how tame this cow was. “That’s fine,” said the buyer, ‘’now you keep your blind cow and I’ll keep my money!” Such encounters were par for the course then and there were big demands on the shrewdness of an individual.

The AA advises not to buy a car at a ‘side of the road’ sale, rather to go to a recognised dealer. Should one buy privately, bring a mechanic along to inspect the car. Mechanics know where to look and what to seek out. Should a seller object to such scrutiny, then it’s time to move on.

Ask the seller if the car has been involved in a crash of any kind. If in doubt, demand a response in writing. Check the car in daylight. As a car purchase may be the biggest or second biggest financial investment many people will make in their lives, it is important to get it right. For every new car purchased in Ireland, there’s 2.5 second-hands sold. For ultimate reassurance, a buyer may have the AA do an autocheck which is a scheme in which dealers undertake to perform a detailed inspection where the second-hand car is examined thoroughly under multiple headings. The AA monitors those dealers with regular spot checks to ensure standards are maintained.

Suggested tips for your inspection –

• Check the body lines for consistency
• Check for evidence of repainting, such as overspray on window rubbers or any inconsistency in the paintwork
• Check for uneven tyre wear
• Watch for different makes of headlights
• Look for inconsistencies in stone chips at the front of the bonnet as against the wings
• Examine the wear of the pedal rubbers, the gear stick and the steering wheel
• Closely check the odometer for any interference with the mileage
• Ensure the keys provided operate in all the locks and that there’s a spare set
• Try all the keys provided in the ignition and start the engine as sometimes a cut key is not a ‘transponder’ key or micro-chipped to work in the ignition.

Check that there is no Hire Purchase owed on the vehicle. This can be done with the Hire Purchase Information Centre at 01-2600905. They will check that no HP or leasing finance is outstanding on the vehicle. Such check will cost you 15 euro. There are also websites that can give you a report on the history of the car, number of owners, mileage, if it was written off, used as a taxi and outstanding finance. Prices vary depending on how much information you want and how old the car is.

Young people need plenty of advice from parents before engaging in this worldly task. It’s an exciting and wonderous purchase that can bring great joy – or tragedy. Ensure the choice is right.