General things to look for when buying a car?

[Jamesmaier]

So basically I'm in search of a new car but not the best at knowing what to look for. Any help would be great so I don't get stuck buying a bomb.

The cosmetics of the car isn't much important. Mainly mechanical findings which I might not be aware of.

Cheers

[neet_wagon]

What sort of car?
Make/Model/Year/Drive-type?

Any of that will help with suggestions as to what you should look out for.

Example:

Mk.1 BA Falcon:

Rear-end bushes have aids and break 10times as often as they should.
The 5spd manual (T5), and the 4spd auto (BTR) are made of glass, as are the driveshafts and con-rods.

[Jamesmaier]

looking at a vs s pack. 95 model.

[neet_wagon]

Been a while since I've been around the commodores - but there's not an aweful lot that goes wrong with them.
Check for excessive wear on the inner and outer extremes of the tyres.
Stick your head under it and look for oil leaks/stains.
Walk away from something that looks "too-clean"

How much is it? Auto or manual? How many k's?