Buying a used car? Don’t let shoddy build quality catch you out

A few years ago my parents decided to lease a Renault Zoe. They chose it over other small electric cars partly because they spotted an unbelievably low price on a top-spec version, plus it offered more range and boot space than other contenders.

They did a full test drive, of course, as we always recommend people do when searching for a new car, and were initially happy with their choice. However, the Zoe quickly earned the nickname ‘Tinny’ because of the clang the doors made when you closed them, and that was just one of several quality-related gripes we had with the car. Nobody was sad to see it go after three years when the lease was up.

Why am I telling you this though? Well, it’s not to give the defenceless Zoe another kicking after it’s dead. It’s because it reinforced, for me, that interior and build quality are two of the most important things you should pay attention to when looking for a new car, and overlooking either can lead to disappointment and even regrets once you start to live with it.

Admittedly, unless you’re buying a Rolls-Royce or a Bentley, not every button will be made from billeted titanium and the seats will not be lined with sumptuous Sicilian leather. Instead, buyers may choose to prioritise price, looks or interior space over outright quality. 

I know that everyone has different priorities, but buyers still need to properly probe the cabin of whatever car they’re considering; prod the dashboard, feel all the materials and, yes, listen to the sound of the doors closing. And if you find a little weak spot (or maybe even a bigger one), you ought to think about how much that’s going to annoy you after six months, a year or maybe even more. 

Obviously, it can be hard to tell how a brand-new car’s interior will hold up over a longer period. A short test drive isn’t always sufficient, particularly when you’re focusing on about a hundred other things and will probably have an overly eager salesperson yapping in your ear. Nor can you easily predict if the centre console is going to start rattling two weeks after taking delivery of your new car.

But that’s exactly why we have a fleet of long-term test vehicles – to see how the latest models stand up to what we throw at them. And we get feedback from real owners through our annual Driver Power satisfaction survey.

Tell us which new car you’re interested in and get the very best offers from our network of over 5,500 UK dealers to compare. Let’s go…