Used car buying kit
The cheap tools worth bringing to a viewing, the bits that stop easy NCT fails, and a few things worth keeping in any car.
Bring to a viewing Before the NCT Upgrades for an older car Worth having in any car
Bring to a viewing
Five cheap tools that catch most of what a seller won't mention.
OBD2 Bluetooth scanner
Plugs in under the dash and reads the engine's fault codes on your phone. If the "readiness" checks aren't complete, the codes were probably cleared just before you arrived.
Paint thickness gauge
Shows panels that have been resprayed or filled: a sign of accident repairs. Compare each panel against the roof.
Tyre tread depth gauge
The legal minimum is 1.6 mm. Four tyres under 3 mm means a few hundred euro soon, a fair thing to knock off the price.
LED inspection torch
For under the car (rust, oil leaks) and the engine bay, even in daylight.
12V battery tester
A healthy battery reads about 12.5 to 12.7 volts with the engine off; under 12.2 means it's on the way out.
Before the NCT
Lights, tyres and wipers are among the most common NCT fails, and the cheapest to fix yourself.
Spare bulb kit
A blown bulb is an easy fail. Check every light (including the number plate light) the week before.
Wiper blades
Split or smearing blades can fail the test: a five-minute fix.
Tyre pressure gauge
Right pressures help the brake and suspension tests, and your fuel bill.
Upgrades for an older car
The add-ons people fit most: phone, music and maps on a proper screen, and help parking.
CarPlay screen
Adds Apple CarPlay (and usually Android Auto) to a car that doesn't have it: it sits on the dash and plugs into the 12V socket.
Wireless CarPlay adapter
For cars that already have CarPlay with a cable: the phone connects by itself when you get in.
Reversing camera kit
Makes parking easier. Some CarPlay screens come with a camera.
Worth having in any car
Things you'll be glad of the first time something goes wrong.
Jump starter pack
Starts a flat battery without another car, and charges your phone.
12V tyre inflator
Plugs into the car to top up a soft tyre at the roadside.
Warning triangle and hi-vis vest
For breakdowns on the road, especially at night.
What to check with them
Use the kit with the used car viewing checklist, and check the price against the price checker before you go.
Example photos, not the exact product (Wikimedia Commons): Arp, Public domain; Toto 601, Public domain; Simon Speed, CC0; Giessauf A, CC BY-SA 4.0; oomlout, CC BY-SA 2.0; Mib18, CC BY-SA 3.0; Wesha, Public domain; (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Frank Snider), Public domain; Butterhimmel, CC BY-SA 4.0; Sunnyboy122, CC0; https://www.flickr.com/photos/banoootah_qtr/, CC BY 2.0; Shixart1985, CC BY 2.0; Tony Webster from Minneapolis, Minnesota, United States, CC BY 2.0; Michael Sheehan, CC BY 2.0; Ellin Beltz, CC BY-SA 3.0; Santeri Viinamäki, CC BY-SA 4.0.
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