Vehicle buying and selling · VB-06

Test Drive Checklist

A free printable test drive checklist — cold start, steering, brakes, gears, noises and electrics, written as things to try and observe rather than marks to award.

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2 pages. Choose your paper size — both versions are laid out identically, so neither one gets shrunk to fit.

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A4 58 kB US Letter 58 kB

Fill it in type and save

A4 78 kB US Letter 78 kB

The fillable versions have real form fields — open them in any PDF reader, type into them and save. Printing help.

What this sheet is for

Come back from a test drive with notes on what you heard and where, instead of a general feeling that it seemed fine.

Who it is for

Anyone test driving a used car or van, whether privately or at a dealer.

How to use it

Agree the route before you set off, and include rough surfaces and a slope.
Start it from cold if you can, and watch the warning lights at ignition.
Work down the groups as you drive, with the radio and fan off for part of it.
Write where each noise came from and what you were doing at the time.
Take anything that worries you to a mechanic before you commit.

What is on the sheet

2 pages, in this order:

Page 1

Printed under the title: Things to try and things to listen for on a test drive — cold start, steering, brakes, gears, noises and electrics — written as observations you record, not as marks a vehicle passes.

Observations, not marks. Nothing here is a pass or fail. Write what you noticed and where you noticed it; a noise at low speed on full lock and a noise under braking are different problems, and only you were there. Anything that worries you is a question for a mechanic, not for this sheet.

Write-on lines: Vehicle · Date of drive · Route and conditions

Before you move

Note whether the engine is already warm when you arrive
Watch the warning lights come on and go out at ignition
Start it from cold if you can, and listen to the first few seconds
Look behind the vehicle at start-up for smoke or steam
Check the mirrors, seat and steering column all adjust
Check the seat belts pull out and retract cleanly

Steering and suspension

Note any play or vibration through the wheel at low speed
Listen on full lock in both directions
Note whether it pulls to one side on a flat, straight stretch
Listen over a rough surface and over a speed bump
Note how it settles after a dip rather than bouncing on
Note whether the wheel self-centres coming out of a bend

Page 2

Brakes

Try a gentle stop, then a firmer one where it is safe
Note any pulling, judder through the pedal or grinding
Note how far the pedal travels and whether it feels consistent
Try the parking brake on a slope

Gearbox and drive

Take it through every gear, up and down
Note any crunch, whine or hesitation changing gear
On an automatic, note how it shifts under light and heavy throttle
Note any vibration that changes with road speed
Note any clutch slip when accelerating in a high gear

Noises and smells

Drive part of the route with the radio and fan off
Note where each noise comes from and what you were doing
Note any smell of burning, fuel, coolant or damp
Open a window and listen alongside a wall or hedge

Electrics and cabin

Try every window, mirror, lock and light
Try the heater and the air conditioning on both settings
Try the wipers, washers, horn and screen heaters
Check the infotainment, reversing camera and sensors work
Check the warning lights again once the drive is finished

Ruled lines: Notes — what you noticed, where, and what to ask about

Questions

Why are there no pass marks or scores?

Because what is acceptable depends on the model, the age and what you are paying, and nobody can set that from a page. This sheet records what you observed so somebody qualified can judge it.

Do I need this if I have already had an inspection done?

They cover different things. An inspection is a static examination; this is the half-hour of driving that finds a gearbox, a clutch or a suspension noise a stationary check will not.