What should I check when buying a used Honda City?

On a City, check takata airbag; VIN check first.; cVT fluid history (GM6 models).; aC function test., on top of the checks for any used car: the body, tyres and engine, a test drive, and the paperwork for money owing, a write-off and the odometer.

How much is a used Honda City?

Most 2014 City are advertised at $6,500 to $13,000, with 55,000 to 180,000 km on the odometer. Prices depend on the year, the kilometres, the badge and the condition.

How many used Honda City have money owing or a write-off?

Of about 100 used Honda City checked on Carify since November 2023, 2% had money owing and 28% were recorded as written off. Across every car checked it was 9% and 13%.

Used Honda City Buying Checklist: What to Check

Before you go

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What a 2014 City is advertised for

Asking price: $6.5k to $13k
Odometer: 55k to 180k km

Asking prices, not sale prices: the middle 60% of the 74 advertised in the last 12 months, one listing per car.

Get the rego or VIN From the ad or the seller. Enter it at the top of this page: the make, model and year should match the ad.
Compare the price With what similar cars are advertised for.
Ask the seller How long they have owned it, why they are selling, any accidents and any money owing.
Ask for the service book And for the engine to be cold when you arrive.
Meet in daylight In dry weather. For a private sale, at the seller's home: the address should match the registration papers.

Inspection

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Panels and paint Uneven gaps, paint that does not quite match and overspray on rubber seals point to accident repairs.
Rust Under the doors, around the wheel arches and under the boot floor.
Tyres At least 1.5 mm of tread, even wear across each tyre, and a spare.
Glass and lights No chips or cracks in the windscreen, and every light works.
Oil and coolant Check them cold. Milky oil under the filler cap, or oil in the coolant, can mean a head gasket fault.
Cold start Watch the exhaust and listen for rattles in the first few seconds.
Wear inside The pedals, steering wheel and driver's seat should fit the odometer reading.
Warning lights and controls Lights come on with the ignition and go out once the engine runs. Try the air conditioning, windows, locks and screen.
Flood signs A damp smell, water marks or silt under the carpets.

What to check on a City

Takata airbag; VIN check first. Run the VIN through honda.com.au/recall before inspecting the car. If the recall is outstanding, treat it as a deal-breaker until fixed by the seller. MY2009 to 2012 cars are the primary concern.
CVT fluid history (GM6 models). Ask for service records. If there is no evidence of a fluid change past 80,000km on a car with 120,000km+, budget for an immediate service and factor it into your offer.
AC function test. Run the air conditioning for at least 10 minutes on a warm day. Weak cooling, warm air, or a noisy compressor warrants inspection before purchase.
All four windows. Test each power window up and down. Any hesitation or failure to raise should be investigated.
Bonnet and lower panels. Look for stone chips, paint fading, or early delamination on the bonnet leading edge. Check door drain holes and lower door edges for rust.
Test drive the transmission. The CVT should pull away smoothly without shuddering. The older five-speed auto should shift cleanly at moderate throttle. Judder, slip, or hunting warrants a pre-purchase mechanical check.
History check. A PPSR check confirms whether the car carries finance, has been written off, or flagged stolen; essential for any used-car purchase in Australia.

The City's known problems, in full

Test drive

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20 minutes or more On slow streets and at highway speed.
Steering and brakes It runs straight with your hands light on the wheel, and stops straight without shudder or squeal.
Gear changes Smooth, with no slipping or flaring revs. In a manual, a clutch that bites near the top of the pedal may be worn.
Noises Knocks over bumps, and whines or hums that rise with speed.
Temperature and leaks The gauge settles and stays put. After the drive, look under the car for fresh drips.

Paperwork

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Money owing A car with finance owing on it can be repossessed after you have paid for it. A PPSR check shows it.
Write-off A statutory write-off can never be registered again, and a repairable write-off needs an inspection first.
Odometer Compare the reading with earlier records of the car: service book stamps, earlier listings and other records.
VIN match The VIN on the car matches the registration papers and the PPSR certificate.
Seller's licence The name and address match the registration papers.
Safety certificate In Queensland the seller needs a current safety certificate, and in Victoria a roadworthy certificate is needed to transfer the registration.
Receipt The date, the price, the VIN and rego, and both names and signatures.

Money owing and write-offs on the City

2% had money owing

28% were recorded as written off

Of about 100 used Honda City checked on Carify since November 2023. Every car checked: 9% had money owing and 13% were written off.

These are cars people chose to check before buying, so they are not a share of every City on the road. Money owing is what was registered against the car on the day it was checked.

Where to find the VIN on a Honda

Line drawing of a Civic sedan (FC), numbered where the VIN is — Civic sedan (FC) · where to find the VIN

1. Centre door pillar. Open the front door to see the label.
2. Floor, under a cover. Driver's side, by the door sill. Lift the cover to see the stamp.
3. Base of the windscreen. Where fitted. Read it through the glass from outside.

Drawn on one Honda model: others may differ, and the owner's manual lists the places. Reading a Honda VIN

Older cars also carry a compliance plate, usually under the bonnet or on a door pillar. A car supplied new since mid 2021 may have none: it is entered on the Register of Approved Vehicles instead.

After you buy

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Transfer the rego Into your name before the deadline, usually 14 days.
Stamp duty Worked out on the price you paid or the market value, whichever is higher.
Insurance Before you drive the car away.
Recalls Check that no recall work is outstanding.
Next service Book it on time.
Keep the papers The receipt and the PPSR certificate, with the car's papers.

What it costs on top of the price

It opens on $9,750, the middle of what a 2014 City is advertised for. Put in the price you're offered for the stamp duty, the transfer fee and a year's rego.

State Price of the car What you pay, GST included

Is the car worth more than the price?

Duty is on the market value when that is higher than the price

Stamp duty (motor vehicle duty): $294
Transfer fee: $42
Rego, 12 months (estimate): $375
On top of the price: $711

Duty at Revenue NSW rates as at 27 October 2026 (revenue.nsw.gov.au).

How stamp duty works in NSW

Used Honda City Buying Checklist

The City checklist

Before you go

Inspection

What to check on a City

Test drive

Paperwork

Money owing and write-offs on the City

Where to find the VIN on a Honda

After you buy

What it costs on top of the price

Questions

What should I check when buying a used Honda City?

How much is a used Honda City?

How many used Honda City have money owing or a write-off?

Used Honda City Buying Checklist

The City checklist

1Before you go

2Inspection

What to check on a City

3Test drive

4Paperwork

Money owing and write-offs on the City

Where to find the VIN on a Honda

5After you buy

What it costs on top of the price

Questions

What should I check when buying a used Honda City?

How much is a used Honda City?

How many used Honda City have money owing or a write-off?

Before you go

Inspection

Test drive

Paperwork

After you buy