How do I know that any accident repairs on a used car that I’m keen on buying have been properly done?

This is a bit of a dark art. There are a number of tell-tale signs of inferior repairs, but these are not always glaringly obvious.

Accident repairs vary according to the severity of the crash. It can range from fixing a single body panel to replacing the chassis subframe and the associated body parts.

The best way to assess the quality of post-accident repairs is to send the car for an inspection by a workshop specialising in collision repairs. A full inspection requires raising the car on a hoist to inspect the undercarriage.

If you cannot have the car assessed professionally, then you must look out for the typical blemishes and red flags resulting from shoddy repairs.

The most obvious tell-tale sign of poor workmanship is mismatched paintwork.

Compare adjacent body panels to spot any difference in the paintwork . This should be done in normal daylight. Any variation in shade or colour will suggest an inferior paint job.

Look carefully at door panels from one end of the car to spot waviness along the flanks, which is another obvious sign that finishing work was poorly executed.