Before the appointment
Send the seller the exact listing or vehicle reference. Confirm the car will be physically available and ask which documents you can review. Write down your essential requirements: passenger space, parking access, preferred equipment and intended driving. Ask whether a test drive can be arranged and what the showroom requires, rather than assuming one is automatically included.
Match the car to the description
Check the identity and advertised specification with the seller. Compare the exterior colour, interior, wheels, seats and visible equipment with the listing photographs. Ask about changes since those photographs were taken. Look around the car in good light and note anything you want a specialist to examine; a showroom viewing is not a replacement for a technical inspection.
Review the records in order
Read service documents as a sequence of dates and mileage readings. Ask for explanations of missing periods, repairs or modifications. Establish who provides any advertised warranty and request the terms. Keep warranty, maintenance plans and manufacturer certification separate in your notes: one does not automatically imply the others.
Use an independent inspection well
Choose a specialist familiar with the model and agree the scope before the inspection. Ask for a written report identifying what was inspected, what could not be checked and what needs further investigation. Photographs and a clear explanation are more useful than an unexplained “pass”. Discuss unresolved findings before treating the transaction as agreed.
Leave with a clear next step
Ask for a written offer identifying the car, price, included items, promised work and any conditions. Confirm current availability again if time passes between the viewing and a decision. Keep your notes and compare examples on the same basis. Start with the current collection, read our mileage guide, or plan a Premium Motors showroom visit.
General buying guidance, not a vehicle inspection or guarantee of condition. Confirm the individual car’s details before deciding.