Hi,

 

I'm totally paranoid about buying a new car, I'm not sure from some photos if it's had repair on the front offside, nothing is showing on car check sites (paid) and second hand dealer says not that they know of, but the colour looks slightly off in pictures, and there looks to be over sprayed marks on the front offside flap Infront of the wheel under bumper (MK3 Octavia).

 

Would there be any way of telling from visible part numbers under the bonnet or else where if anything had been replaced?

If you are not going to be able to identify repairs, poorly executed repairs or even well executed repairs you need to have someone that can check the car. 

 

A Car Check site is not going to tell you that a car damaged and not reported to an insurer or claimed on was damaged. 

Yea I know, are there independent services like aa car checks that are worth using.

A lot of cars out there have had previous bumps, hidden stories, then been repaired, not recorded. Go with your gut instinct. Some colours are harder to match than others, especially red within my experience. Then you have to consider the age of the car you are buying, price, too. Make sure all the panels align up. Then obviously have an hpi check done. I'd also check the bottom of the wheel well, make sure it's dry and is not sticky. As my previous Octavia MK3 hatch had an ongoing intermittent water leak into the boot, which I think I sorted prior to selling it on. Wasn't screen washer related, either.

Not forgetting it's an used car, won't be perfect, but at least it should look tidy. 

My current MK3 wagon is as dry as a bone within that department. 

re: the "make sure it's dry and is not sticky. As my previous Octavia MK3 hatch had an ongoing intermittent water leak into the boot"

Did you manage to work out where it was coming from?