How to find a good, reliable used car

It's a truism that people often buy their first car for its 'cool' factor; never mind that the car in question is renowned within the industry for a powertrain that progressively disintegrates over a period of weeks or months after the factory warranty has expired.

Frequently too, vehicles like that may find new and unexpected ways to frustrate the second or third buyer – as often as not with dodgy electronics, leaky oil seals, premature rust or any number of other possible problems.

And that's all fine and dandy if you accept that there's an element of risk in owning a car that's 'cool' but capricious. If you have the money to fix it, if you have the patience to take public transport while it's in the workshop or you have the skillset and aptitude to repair it yourself, you can probably live with a car like that for years.

You may even sell it in a more reliable state than when you bought it. More power to you, if that's the case.

But all too often buyers who have no interest in cars beyond 'Points A to B' motoring will purchase a car based on how it makes them feel and how they will identify with the car rather than the trait that is most important to them – reliability.

In the transition from first to second car – based on experience – pragmatism often overtakes prestige.

It's actually easy to find a car that will be as reliable as the sun rising the next day. Look for a Japanese badge. If you want something a little different, look for a car up to about 15 years old with a Korean badge.

At a pinch, buy a recent model Aussie car. Even if the locally-built Holden or Ford (and Toyota Camry/Aurion) does break down, the parts will be cheaper and the car will spend less time off the road because the parts don't have to come from somewhere in eastern Europe or Canada.

And that's something to bear in mind too: Reliability and cost of ownership go hand in hand. Cost can be the price of new parts as well as the length of time your car is off the road and you're forced to take taxis or public transport.

The more reliable a car, the less it will cost you to own.

Although some brands have a name for bullet-proof reliability, any car can suffer the occasional glitch or a manufacturing flaw from the factory.

What you want to avoid is the sort of car that will cause endless heartbreak. Some research in advance can reduce the likelihood of being saddled with such a lemon.

Consumer research bodies such as JD Power may not provide an entirely accurate picture of how well a vehicle performs in service, but such sites can be a launch pad for additional research. From there, take a peek at choice.com.au for further information.

There are different schools of thought when it comes to judging a vehicle by the number of recalls in its history. The information is freely available through the ACCC (Australian Competition and Consumer Commission) ,but bear in mind that many sound motor cars are subject to the occasional recall for safety issues. That doesn't make them a poor choice necessarily.

However, it might be worthwhile steering clear of a vehicle that has been recalled on numerous occasions – more than perhaps two or three recalls over a five-year period. If the manufacturer is beta-testing the vehicle on the consumer, any sort of problem could arise without the manufacturer anticipating it – and it may cost you and cause some anguish.

At a glance

Anticipating the worst, warranty coverage and roadside assistance provisions for recent models are listed at redbook.com.au. This information can also be obtained from the car companies' own public websites.

It may save you paying out for repairs if the vehicle is still covered by factory warranty. And in the event that your car has failed catastrophically and you don't have factory or extended warranty coverage, Australian Consumer Law may apply and the manufacturer may be compelled to fix the fault at little or no cost to you.

If you're buying a used car out of factory warranty, check with an aftermarket repairer or mechanic whether a car you plan to buy will be expensive or affordable to maintain. Don't forget to ask about the price of genuine parts and check whether there are reputable aftermarket parts available as well.

Handy tip: Obviously there's a rule of thumb applicable when it comes to reliability: Lower-powered cars are usually manufactured by mainstream brands (not prestige brands, in other words) and if they're also simpler – with fewer systems to go wrong – they're also less likely to cost a fortune to maintain.