VOLKSWAGEN CRAFTER

Whatever you decide about this car, these apply to every used-car purchase. Don't skip them.

• View the car in daylight and dry weather. Rain hides paint defects and panel gaps. Dim light hides rust, filler repairs and worn interiors. Never agree to a viewing in conditions that work in the seller's favour.
• Start the car from cold yourself. Ask the seller not to warm it up before you arrive. A cold start reveals smoke, rattles and hard starting that a warm engine hides. If the bonnet is already warm when you get there, ask why, and be prepared to come back another day to start it cold.
• Ask to see the V5C logbook before you hand over money. The seller's name and address on the V5C must match their ID and the address you're viewing the car at. A V5C in someone else's name, or a refusal to show it, is the single biggest red flag in private sales.
• Ask for receipts and documents for any work the seller claims was done. If they say the timing belt, clutch or any major part was replaced, ask to see the invoice. A genuine repair leaves a paper trail with a garage name, date and mileage on it. Check the mileage on old invoices climbs in the right order too; receipts that go backwards are a sign of a tampered odometer.
• Check the VIN matches in three places. The VIN on the V5C, the VIN stamped on the chassis (usually under the bonnet or on the door pillar), and the VIN in the advert must all match exactly. Mismatches indicate cloning or ringing.
• Never pay a deposit to hold a car you haven't seen, and walk away if the seller refuses an independent inspection. Deposit requests for a car you've only seen in photos, especially by bank transfer or gift card, are one of the most common used-car scams. A genuine seller has nothing to fear from an AA, RAC or independent mechanic inspection. Refusal, or pressure to complete before you can arrange one, means there is something they don't want found.