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Rust, paint and tyres

• Can you see rust?

  Rust gets worse very quickly so look for blistered paint and spots around the wheel arches, door bottoms and boot. Use your torch to check underneath the car too.

• Does the paint match?

  Look for scratches, paint ripples, dents and rust spots as well as gaps in between panels. The colour and finish should be the same everywhere and if it isn't it might have been re-sprayed. Also, cracked or ripped rubbers surrounding windows and doors will lead to water leaks, drafts and wind noise.

• Are the tyres worn?

  Wear should be even across all tyres and there should be plenty of tread. Look for scuffs, cracks or bulges and make sure there are no dents or cracks on the wheel rims. Also check wheel bearings and suspension joints by grabbing the top of each tyre and tugging it back and forth. You shouldn't hear anything.

Brakes, glass and bounce

• How do the brake discs look?

  Use your torch to look through the front wheels and check for a smooth surface. Don't worry about traces of surface rust on the discs, but any deep grooves show the car has been used with low brake pads.

• Are there any windscreen chips?

  It's expensive to replace a windscreen and some cracks and chips within the wiper area could fail the MOT. Remember, small cracks can grow very quickly.

• Is there too much bounce?

  Push down on each corner of the car and if it keeps bouncing more than once or twice, it might need new shock absorbers. Use your torch to look up the length of the shocks and whether there are any leaks.

Lights, doors and taxh

• Do all the lights work?

  As well as whether they work or not lights should be checked for cracks, chips or moisture. Use your friend to help see all lights around the car.

• Are the doors loose or noisy to open?

  Lots of opening and closing can cause doors to become worn but if they are very creaky it could be a sign of damage from an accident.

• Is the tax disc correct?

  The disc should match the make, model and number plate.