A car expert has warned Aussies to never shy away from getting a pre-purchase inspection as it's a "highly important" part of the car-buying experience. It might seem like an unnecessary extra step, especially if a seller provides a detailed service history, but the small price can save you major headaches down the track.

Peter Willis, director of buying at Carma, said a service history gives you a good understanding of how well your potential next car has been looked after, but it won't paint the full story. He told Yahoo Finance that getting a professional to properly look over the car can give you peace of mind that you're not buying a lemon.

"If you are buying a car and you feel like you've got a really good deal, getting an inspection is absolutely paramount," he said.

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"We spend a bulk of our time trying to find great cars and a high-quality car is hard to find, they're always in high demand.

"It's almost never that you see a high-quality car at a cheap price."

Getting an inspection is especially important if you're buying a car from sites like Facebook Marketplace or Gumtree as you're not going through a registered dealer. A mechanic will be able to take the car for a proper road test, as well as check the engine, the exterior and interior for any damage or issues.

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Pre-purchase inspections can cost a few hundred dollars depending on who you go to and the type of car you're looking to buy.

But Willis said it's worth every cent if you're forking out tens of thousands of dollars for a car that might have a serious mechanical issue that only an expert will be able to spot.

The Carma expert added that a Personal Property Securities Register (PPSR) search is also a must when looking to get a car because that helps customers know if there is any finance left to pay from the previous owner, which could become your responsibility if you go through with the sale.

The PPSR check can also help you establish if the car has been stolen, written off, or used to secure a loan or debt.

A quick search saved one Aussie a nightmare of a car

Jeff Zarif was stopped from shelling out $45,000 on a Tesla that he found on Facebook Marketplace.

He told Yahoo Finance he was about to pull the trigger on the secondhand electric vehicle after getting the seller to knock $11,000 off the price tag. The seller agreed to the new price but told Zarif he needed to make a move ASAP.