Used Car Buying Guide

What to check before buying a used car in Ireland, plus a few practical EV ownership topics that come up soon after. None of this replaces a proper inspection — it's a starting checklist to bring with you, adapted for Irish-specific risks like write-off import gaps and NCT-recorded mileage.

Run a history check before you view it

Run a paid history check (e.g. Cartell, MotorCheck, MyVehicle.ie — see Resources) by registration number before arranging a viewing. It flags outstanding finance, previous write-off status, and mileage discrepancies.
Irish-only history checks currently show Category A and B write-offs. Category C, D, S, and N write-offs have no official Irish record — a UK import history check will show all UK categories, so run one on any UK-imported car in addition to the Irish check.
Check the NCT status and test history directly at ncts.ie by registration number. An expired NCT means the car can't legally be driven, and past fail sheets can reveal a recurring mechanical fault.

Watch for odometer fraud ("clocking")

Since July 2014, every NCT certificate records the odometer reading. Ask to see all previous NCT certs and confirm the mileage increases consistently between them — a gap or a lower reading than a prior cert is a red flag.
Look for "stair-stepping": suspiciously uneven mileage gaps between service or NCT records, which can indicate a reading was rolled back at some point.
Check that the car's physical condition matches its claimed mileage — worn pedal rubber, a shiny/smooth steering wheel, or worn seat bolsters on a car claiming low mileage are inconsistent and worth questioning.

Be alert to flood and write-off damage

Ireland has taken in a large number of ex-UK insurance write-offs over the years, some poorly repaired. A car that's been in a flood can look and even drive fine, and can still pass an NCT, while corrosion building up inside wiring looms or control units causes problems later.
Check for a musty/damp smell, water staining under carpets or in the boot spare-wheel well, and corrosion on seat rail bolts or under interior trim — all are harder to disguise than a respray.
A history check (above) is the main defence here, but it isn't complete for every write-off category, so a careful physical inspection still matters even after a clean report.

Demand the paperwork

Vehicle Registration Certificate (VRC/logbook), current NCT certificate, and a full service history — a private seller who can't produce these promptly is a reason for caution.
For a UK import, confirm VRT was paid and the car was registered in Ireland within 30 days of import (see Revenue's VRT guidance in Resources) — an unregistered import isn't legal to drive here.

Get a professional pre-purchase inspection

For anything beyond a token amount of money, a pre-purchase inspection (PPI) by an independent mechanic or a service like the AA's is worth the cost — it puts the car on a lift, checks the underside for corrosion, and runs a diagnostic scan that a driveway viewing can't.
Expect to pay roughly the price of a couple of hours' labour for an independent mechanic's inspection; dedicated PPI services typically cost more but produce a written report. Prices vary and change, so get a current quote rather than relying on an old figure.

For an EV specifically, get the battery checked

A pre-purchase inspection on a petrol/diesel car doesn't tell you anything about an EV's most expensive component. Two EVs with the same mileage can have meaningfully different battery health underneath — get an independent state-of-health (SoH) test on the actual car, not just the number on a spec sheet.
Our EV Buyer Check bundles a battery health test with a history check and a fair-price benchmark into one report, from €100.

Check efficiency, not just range

Two EVs with the same battery size can have meaningfully different real-world range, because they use energy at different rates — this is efficiency, measured in kWh used per 100km (lower is better), the EV equivalent of L/100km.
Efficiency disclosure isn't mandatory across the EU, so it's rarely shown on Irish listings or even brand spec sheets. See EV Database (Resources page) for real-world-tested kWh/100km figures across almost every EV sold in Europe, not just optimistic lab (WLTP) numbers.
Efficiency also affects running cost directly: a car using 20 kWh/100km costs roughly a third more to charge over the same distance than one using 15 kWh/100km — worth factoring in alongside price and battery size, especially for a high-mileage buyer.
Real-world efficiency worsens in cold weather, at motorway speeds, and with a roof box/heavy load — so a quoted figure (WLTP or real-world average) is a comparison tool between models, not a guarantee of what you'll see day to day.

When it's time for new tyres

Match the load index and speed rating printed on your current tyres' sidewall, not the price or marketing on a box — EVs are heavier and put down instant torque, so the correct load index matters more than whether a tyre is labelled "EV-specific." A reputable tyre shop will already stock or be able to order the right rating.
Tyre choice measurably affects range — low-rolling-resistance tyres can be worth several percent, reportedly up to around 10-12% in some comparisons — so it's a genuine efficiency lever, not just a safety/comfort one.
Buying online (see TyreComp or TyreLeader on the Resources page) and having tyres delivered to a local fitter is often noticeably cheaper than booking directly with a tyre shop — Irish EV owners have reported saving €300+ on a set of four this way.
If your EV's battery pack sits under the floor (most do), ask when booking whether the shop uses the correct jack/lift points — some owners bring their own rubber "jack pucks" to protect the battery casing during a lift, since not every shop stocks them.

See the Resources page for vehicle history check services, VRT guidance, and NCT booking, or Financing for how PCP works and what to check before signing.