Inspecting a used SUV before you buy

SUVs are the default family car in the UAE, and they earn their keep: school runs, motorway miles, the occasional dune trip, and years of summer heat. That workload means a used SUV deserves a more careful look than a city hatchback. A focused inspection finds the expensive problems early.

Start underneath and around the body. Look for uneven panel gaps or mismatched paint that hint at past repairs, and check the underbody and sills for corrosion or impact damage, especially on anything that may have seen sand or off-road use. Worn or unevenly worn tyres point to alignment or suspension issues.

The drivetrain is where SUVs get expensive. On four-wheel-drive models, drive on a clear road and feel for vibration, clunks when turning at low speed, or warning lights. Check that any low-range or drive-mode selector engages cleanly. A transfer case or differential repair is not a small bill.

Cooling and air conditioning deserve real attention in this climate. With the engine warm and idling, the AC should blow cold quickly and stay cold in traffic. Watch the temperature gauge, look for coolant stains, and listen for a labouring radiator fan. A heavy SUV that runs hot in summer is a problem you will feel every day.

Inside, test every seat, the boot release, the tailgate, and all the electronics, because SUVs have a lot of them. Then confirm the service history matches the mileage and that the major services were done on time. If the car checks out on paper but you are unsure, a pre-purchase inspection from an independent garage is money well spent.