If you don't know a lot about cars, you may be unsure about what to look at when checking out a car. While mechanical issues may be above the heads of everyone who isn't actually qualified to be a mechanic, there are somethings that everyone can check for when buying a used car to make sure that you are happy with your purchase.
Previous Damage
Most of the time any previous damage is going to be fixed and there won't be any issues with the used vehicle. However, some types of previous damage can matter to people. For example, if the car ever caught fire, it may smell a little bit like smoke. Most people wouldn't even notice, but if you have asthma, you might notice it and while not dangerous, it may be irritating, which would be a pain to deal with. This could be similar with smoking fumes or water damage that can leave behind almost indiscernible smells.
Working Parts
A lot of people only want an engine and seat with wheels, but if you are looking for a little bit more than that you can make sure that all of the extra features of the car work. This can refer to all of the knobs on the radio, if the A/C runs at full power, (depending on where you live it might not matter) as well as if the car can use windshield wiper fluid. These are definitely not essentials on a vehicle, but if they are important features to you, be sure to check for them.
Color and Comfort
The last thing is to check out how the car looks and maybe take a seat inside of it. It may not seem important now, but if you are spending a lot of time with a car, you will start to care whether it is comfortable. There are a lot of cars, so finding one that matches your taste shouldn't be too hard.