h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I'll be buying a car (probably a Ford Falcon) in Western Australia within the next couple of months but I am completely mechanically inept and I don't want to end up with something that falls apart 10 minutes after I hand over the cash.

What I'm after is a check list of some sort that I can go through when looking at a potential car to avoid overlooking an obvious fault.

Are there any websites that anyone knows of that would provide such a list? Or would any of you folks be able to help me with your knowledge of cars?

I'd be looking at, primarily, Fords and Holdens not more than 20 years old and preferably under AU$4000 if that helps at all.

Much obliged.

Do you have the equivalent of the AA? Apparently they have this sort of thing on their site in the UK. They idea is that you print off your make and model, and you know what difficult questions to ask the sellers.

When you've got to the point of wanting to buy a specific car, get the AA mechanical check done. It'll cost around $60 and will cover stuff you won't think of or know yourself.

If you're going to be travelling get AA breakdown cover - it is really good value, especially for stupid things like running out of petrol miles from anywhere.

Can't remember what AA is called in Oz.



Things to look out for - dodgy rust repairs esp. ones that have been bogged rather than welded and will fail the next WOF.

Be extra careful of Japanese imports. There has been lots of trouble in NZ with these - esp. the odometers being wound back (not sure what's happened in Oz).

I have a list somewhere of checks a layperson can do, I'll see if I can find it tomorrow. If I don't post back, bump up the thread and remind me

kea.

Count the number of wheels. 4=good, anything less=bad.

RF