Advice: Used Car Buyer's Checklist

What should I check under the bonnet?

Look at both the front corners and down the sides for signs of welding or botched repair to the inner wings (also a chance to note down the VIN on the engine). Look at the oil dipstick - is the oil golden-brown and clear, or black and lumpy? If it's very lumpy or has white mayonnaise-like froth in it, then the engine may have been seriously neglected or the head gasket has gone. Look at all the fluid containers - is there enough coolant in the radiator expansion tank? Is the brake fluid or gearbox oil low? And what about the power-steering fluid? This indicates whether the car has been well cared for.