What they are worth and what to look for.

(From Canberra Times)

Rust isn't common, as factory protection is excellent and backed up by a very long warranty. If you do come across rust, it's likely to be the result of poor quality crash repairs so it is wise to have the car inspected professionally.

Look for scrapes on the bottom edges of the front mudflaps, they will often drag on the ground if the car has been cornered hard. Brand new mudflaps could be a suspicious sign. So, also, is severe or uneven tyre wear.

Make sure a manual gearbox doesn't crunch on fast downchanges, automatic transmissions are positive in their shifts and don't take too long to go into drive or reverse from park or neutral.

Interiors generally stand up well, but some older cars from the northern areas of Australia that have been kept in the open ...