While it is not always possible, a good road test will help determine if a car you’re wanting to buy meets your personal needs and might point out obvious issues with the vehicle.

Test driving a car gives you the opportunity to assess its general performance, interior comfort and driveability, as well as highlight any areas of concern from engine noises through to interior rattles. You don’t need to be a technical expert to determine if something just doesn’t seem right.

Follow these tips to help you get the most out of your road test:

From the driver’s perspective

Position your seat, steering wheel and mirrors to suit your driving position. When you turn the ignition key or press the start button, check that the warning lights illuminate for a short time and then go out, that the car starts quickly and maintains a steady idle. If it’s an older car, briefly rev the engine, turn your head around in your seat or have a helper look for smoke coming from the exhaust. Blue smoke signifies oil being burnt and sweet-smelling white smoke could be from coolant leaking inside the engine. This issue could indicate a costly internal fault such as a head gasket issue.

Before you take the car out on the road, familiarise yourself with all the ancillaries. It’s also worth testing out as many of the car’s features to ensure they’re in working order. Common items that tend to be missed include; the air conditioning, radio and rear windows. While most drivers check to see if the front windows work, the ones in the rear are often forgotten.

Finally, check to make sure the car’s Warrant of Fitness (WoF) and Registration (Rego) are up to date, before going out on the road. 

The road test

Make sure before you test drive the car, you confirm with the seller that the car (and you) are insured to do so. It’s always helpful to take someone with you as a passenger, as they’ll be able to keep an eye and ear out in case you miss something. General rattling noises, vibrations and whining sounds are just some of the things that a passenger should be looking out for. Also keep an eye on the gauges and instrument panel for any flashing or illuminated warning lights. If the oil pressure, water temperature or safety warning lights are on, be aware that these could lead to serious repairs.

Test the brake performance by applying the brakes during low and high speeds. Check for any shudders, grinding or rumbling noises. Also continue to check for smoke during acceleration. To get the most out of your road test make sure you drive at a variety of speeds and road surfaces where possible (motorway vs urban). This might bring to light any issues unique to those situations.

Find a good spot to test the car’s manoeuvrability; empty car parks are usually the perfect place for this. If you’re test driving a front or 4-wheel drive, turn the steering to full lock in both directions and listen out for any clicking noises, as this could potentially be worn constant velocity (CV) joints. It is important that you open the bonnet and step out of the car to check for any fluid leaks. Remember that once the vehicle reaches its operating temperature, any large leaks should become visible. This is the perfect time to check for any overheating issues as well. Keep an eye on the temperature gauge and wait for the cooling fans to come on. Most fans in a car will start up after a few minutes and stop when the engine has been sufficiently cooled - this also happens when the air conditioning is switched on.

Knowledge is power

Armed with this knowledge, you will hopefully feel more confident, in carrying out a road test and evaluating the car before you proceed with any professional checks.

These checks should include purchasing a history check for the car is already registered on the road in New Zealand. Also, make sure to have an expert carry out a pre-purchase inspection, as not all issues are easily detected. These steps will all culminate to give you the reassurance you’re making a good car purchasing decision.

How the AA can help

• AA Preferred Dealer - aa.co.nz/preferred
• AA Pre Purchase Inspections - aa.co.nz/inspections
• AA Valuations - aa.co.nz/valuations
  
• AA History Report - aa.co.nz/vehiclehistory
  
• AA Money - aa.co.nz/money
  
• AA Insurance - aa.co.nz/insurance 
  
• AA Car Reviews - aa.co.nz/car-reviews
  

Vehicle experts you can trust