Set a realistic budget including running costs
Always set a realistic budget to buy used car privately, build on the cost of insurance and servicing. While working out how much you can afford to spend, always remember that it is cheap to buy used car but expensive to run and repair. So compare prices of equivalent models from different sources - dealers, ads, websites and get some cheap Quotation's.

View the car in daylight, at the seller's address
Arrange a daytime visit at seller's home so that you can confirm that their address is the same as been mentioned in the vehicle's registration document. At daytime all the negative facts are visible, so visit at daytime, at night the light is dim and you can't survey properly. You should be suspicious when:

• The seller's advertisement only gives a mobile number or specifies a time to call a landline, as it may be a public phone box.
• The same phone number appears in several different ads.
• The seller's insist on meeting away from their house.

Look for signs of clocking
Always check for the signs of clocking because lowering the mileage by turning back, or "clocking" the odometer is a common trick used to increase the value of used car. Excessive wears on the steering wheel, gearshift, seats, and foot pedals are all clues to a car that has been driven for a long time. However, remember that the only first owner has the highest mileage.

Check that all the documents match up
Make sure that you had validated the details regarding all the documents. Check that the services, insurance records, and match up the receipts. Use the registration documents to contact previous owner to confirm the car's history while buying used car privately. If the car turns out to be stolen or is being used as security for any financial agreement, it will not belong to you - even though you bring it in good faith. And you may have to go to court to prove that you had no idea about any anything going wrong.

Take a test drive on a variety of roads
Make sure you are properly insured and then test drive the car for at least 10-15 miles on different types of road. First thing you have to do is watch for smoke when you start the engine and then listen carefully to ensure that the engine does not create sounds. Also, pay special attention to the steering, then check the brakes, gears and importantly go for the fuel meter checkup whether its working or not.

Get a mechanical inspection
Always go for mechanical inspection for correct opinion about the mechanical parts of the used car, confirm that all the parts are good and in working condition. The result will reassure you that the used car is a good one to buy or not, tell you to walk away, or give you greater bargaining power while you buy used car privately.