Guide · Inspecting a used car
How to inspect a used car in Melbourne: the checklist (2026)
To inspect a used car in Melbourne, check the paperwork first (PPSR certificate, roadworthy certificate, matching VIN, service history), then work through the body, tyres and brakes, engine bay, underbody, interior and electrics, and finish with a 15-minute test drive that starts from cold. Done properly it takes 30 to 40 minutes and needs nothing more than a torch, your phone and a bit of patience. For any car costing more than a few thousand dollars, or anything you cannot judge yourself, book an independent pre-purchase inspection (typically a few hundred dollars in Melbourne) before money changes hands. This is the same seven-part structure OneCall uses for its 100-point check.
Before you go: three things to do at home
- 01
Run the PPSR check
On the VIN the seller gives you ($2 at ppsr.gov.au), then run it again on the day you pay. Step-by-step PPSR guide →
- 02
Do the free VicRoads registration check
And, for more detail, buy the VicRoads Vehicle Report, which lists registration history and odometer readings recorded at roadworthy tests.
- 03
Look up known faults
For that exact model and year (search the model plus "common problems Australia"), and check vehiclerecalls.gov.au for open recalls by VIN.
Bring: a torch, a rag or paper towel, your phone (camera and a tyre-tread photo for reference), the PPSR certificate, and a printed copy of this checklist.
1. Paperwork and history
- Roadworthy certificate (RWC) supplied by the seller, dated within the last 30 days, issued by a licensed tester. In a private sale of a registered car in Victoria the seller provides it.
- PPSR certificate clear: no security interest (money owing), not stolen, not written off.
- VIN matches on the compliance/build plate, the base of the windscreen, the driver's door frame, the registration papers and the PPSR certificate. Read it off the car, not off a photo.
- Registration current and in the seller's name. The name on the papers must match the person selling.
- Service history / logbook present and consistent with the odometer; invoices from real workshops beat stamps alone.
- Two working keys or remotes. A single key on a modern car can cost hundreds to replace.
- No outstanding recalls (vehiclerecalls.gov.au).
Walk away if the seller will not show the papers, the VIN does not match, or the roadworthy is "coming later".
2. Body and exterior
- Panels straight, gaps even along bonnet, doors and boot; no signs of accident repair.
- Paint colour consistent across panels; no overspray on rubber seals or in door jambs; no mismatched shine.
- No rust or bubbling under the paint: sills, wheel arches, boot floor under the carpet, around the windscreen.
- Windscreen and glass free of cracks and chips (a chip in the driver's line of sight can fail a roadworthy).
- All lights and indicators work; lenses clear, not fogged.
- Mirrors intact and adjusting; wipers and washers clear the screen.
3. Tyres, wheels and brakes
- All four tyres the same size, with at least 3 mm of tread (the legal minimum is 1.5 mm; you want margin) and even wear. Wear on one edge points to alignment or suspension problems.
- Tyre date codes not older than about six years.
- Spare wheel or repair kit present and usable.
- Wheels undamaged; no buckles, cracks or heavy kerb rash.
- Brake pads and discs with life left; no deep scoring on the discs.
- On the drive: brakes firm, car pulls up straight, no pulsing through the pedal; handbrake holds on a slope.
4. Engine bay (engine cold)
- No oil, coolant or transmission fluid leaks; check under the car after it has sat.
- Oil level and condition normal: not milky (coolant contamination), not black sludge.
- Coolant level correct and clean, not rusty or oily.
- Belts and hoses free of cracks; no squeal on start.
- Battery terminals clean; car starts first time.
- Cold start smooth: no blue or white smoke, no knocks, no misfire. A car that has been warmed up before you arrive is hiding something; ask the seller not to start it before you come.
- Idle steady with no unusual noise.
5. Underbody and suspension
- Exhaust secure with no holes; no blue (oil) or black (fuel) smoke.
- Bounce test on each corner: the car should settle in one bounce; knocks or sag mean worn shocks.
- Steering tight with no play or clunks when turning lock to lock at a standstill.
- No fresh fluid under the car after the test drive.
6. Interior and electrics
- No warning lights on the dash after start (engine, ABS, airbag, oil, battery). A dash where a light never comes on at all may have had the bulb removed.
- Air-conditioning blows cold within a minute; heater works.
- Windows, locks and central locking all work.
- Seats, belts and adjusters work; belts retract and are not frayed.
- Radio, screen, reverse camera and Bluetooth work.
- No damp, smoke or mould smell. Damp under the carpets can mean flood damage or a leaking seal.
- Interior wear matches the odometer (pedals, steering wheel, driver's seat bolster); a shiny worn wheel on a "60,000 km" car is a red flag.
7. The test drive (at least 15 minutes, mixed roads)
- Gearbox shifts smoothly; no slipping, flaring or clunks. On an automatic, check reverse engages promptly.
- Clutch engages cleanly on a manual; no shudder on take-off on an automatic.
- Drives straight with hands lightly on the wheel; no pulling, no vibration at 80–100 km/h.
- No wheel-bearing hum, CV-joint clicks on full lock, or driveline noise.
- Temperature gauge sits in the normal range for the whole drive.
- Cruise control and speedo behave; try a stretch of freeway if you can.
- After the drive, check under the car and in the engine bay again for leaks.
When to walk away
Any of these on its own ends the inspection: PPSR shows money owing, stolen or written off; VIN mismatch; seller is not the registered owner; milky oil or white smoke; a warning light that stays on; visible accident repair the seller did not disclose; a deposit demanded before you have seen the car.
Self-check versus professional inspection
Everything above is what a careful buyer can do. A professional pre-purchase inspection adds what you cannot: the car on a hoist, a diagnostic scan for stored fault codes, compression or leak-down tests, and a written report you can negotiate with. In Melbourne it typically costs a few hundred dollars from motoring clubs and independent inspectors. On a $10,000 car, that report is cheap insurance and often pays for itself in the negotiation.
Melbourne specifics
- Interstate cars need a Victorian roadworthy and a VicRoads identity check before registration; factor the cost in.
- Written-off vehicles (repairable write-offs) appear on the PPSR and need a VIV inspection before VicRoads will register them; treat them as specialist buys.
- Hail and flood damage turn up after every big storm season; look for dimpled roofs and damp carpets.
- Roadworthy is not a health check. The RWC covers safety items on the day of the test, not the engine, gearbox or how long the tyres will last.
The printable checklist
| Area | Pass / fail items |
|---|---|
| Paperwork | RWC ≤30 days · PPSR clear · VIN ×4 match · rego in seller's name · logbook matches odometer · 2 keys · no recalls |
| Body | panels & gaps · paint match · rust (sills, arches, boot) · glass · lights · mirrors & wipers |
| Tyres & brakes | tread ≥3 mm, even, same size · spare · wheels · pads/discs · brake feel · handbrake |
| Engine | leaks · oil · coolant · belts/hoses · battery/start · cold start · idle |
| Underbody | exhaust · suspension bounce · steering play · leaks after drive |
| Interior | warning lights · A/C & heater · windows/locks · seats & belts · infotainment · smells · wear vs km |
| Test drive | gearbox · clutch/shudder · tracking · noises · temperature · cruise/speedo |
Would you rather we did it?
OneCall Melbourne runs this check, plus the PPSR and history search and a market-price comparison, on every car we help a student buy, and on every car listed on our site. We are independent — we do not sell the car — and the first chat is free. Send us the listing before you pay a deposit.
See also: cars we have already checked · where to buy a used car in Melbourne · paying with finance? Read the student-visa guide