Drivers who have a secondhand car warned to listen for two 'unusual' noises

Drivers should inspect two vital features when buying a used car, it has been warned. Motorists must be sure to inspect the bodywork and also start the engine before driving off with a secondhand or used motor, according to one expert.

Dan Meeghan from the vehicle scanning device manufacturer Carly suggested several checks that used car buyers should make, starting with the bodywork. He advised: "Take time to carefully inspect the car’s bodywork.

"Look for inconsistencies in paint, rust, and misaligned panels, which could indicate past accidents or poor maintenance." He added: "Start the engine and listen for any unusual noises, especially knocking or excessive vibrations.

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"Ensure gear changes are smooth, the clutch is responsive, and there’s no pulling to one side when driving." He explained: "Modern cars can be tricky to assess, but tools like the Carly OBD scanner give you an insight into the car’s health.

"Plug it into the vehicle’s diagnostic port to uncover any hidden issues before you buy." UK-based, direct to consumer car diagnostics company, Carly, has recently launched its Car Check service, free of charge to customers.

The check enables car buyers, as well as current owners, to access vehicle history reports using just the vehicle registration number. The Car Check enables users to determine critical information about a vehicle, including whether it has been written off, stolen, damaged, or tampered with in terms of mileage.

Meeghan said: "You simply put in the registration number. It will take all the data from MOT histories, so you can pull up what the mileage of the car has been over the years. You can see if there’s been any discrepancies in the vehicle’s mileage over the years of its ownership."

You can see all the previous MOT failures, etc and you can see if the car’s taxed.