'I'm an expert - every driver should do one check before buying any used car'

A leading car mechanic has warned drivers that they must follow one crucial tip when buying any second-hand used car.Scotty Kilmer insisted road users should never finalise a deal until a mechanic has thoroughly inspected the vehicle.

Although some issues are clear to see, much of the internal and underbody damage could go unnoticed to an unsuspecting buyer. There's a chance that some second-hand petrol and diesel vehicles on the market could be in a dangerous condition and should not be passed on to new owners. To protect an investment, securing a second opinion from an expert in the field would be a sensible option to consider.

, Scotty said: "I'm going to tell you why you shouldn't buy a used car without getting a mechanic to check it out first.

"You might have seen the news the other day when a lady bought a used car and went on the highway and a wheel fell off."

Pointing to a vehicle with a dented bonnet, Scotty added: "Now, anybody can see this car's got problems. It's an obvious thing to see. But there can be all kinds of hidden things that only a mechanic's going to be able to tell you about.

"By all means, don't buy a used car, jump in it and immediately drive cross country. At least give it a week or two of driving to see what shape it's in before you go on a long trip."

Motorists praised Scotty's idea, but pointed out that it could be difficult to secure the services of a mechanic for the check.

@rickyparrish8310 said: "Good idea but it's hard to find a good mechanic that has the time to check it out, even if you buy it off of the lot."

But, @dannabass remarked: "Not even every mechanic [recognises] problems or will tell you about them. And I always get a pre-purchase mechanic inspection."

Another viewer added: "We provided this service free of charge for our customers for years. Saved some of them a lot of money before they bought a money pit, or helped them negotiate a better deal."