Whether you buy a second hand 4WD, rent a vehicle or you're setting out on an outback trip with your own vehicle, there are some basic checks you should perform. A well prepared, reliable vehicle is your most important life insurance when travelling in the outback.

Some of the checks below are easy to do yourself, e.g. before buying a car. But you need to visit a 4WD specialist to get it properly checked, prepared and repaired before you set out for the outback.
   If you get yourself mixed up with a rental company and there is some kind of warranty on the vehicle, have it checked by a professional and get a written statement of what is wrong with the car before the warranty expires.

TYRES
The newer the tyres are, the better. You should always carry two spare tyres (three on longer, remoter trips).

TRANSMISSION
Crawl under the car and look for leaks of oil or grease from the front and rear diffs. Have a look around the hubs and wheel caps if oil or grease is leaking out. Sometimes, this problem does not show up until you have been using the 4WD-transmission for a couple of hours. Check the breather hoses so that they are (a) attached with the proper nipples (b) aren't stuffed with dirt and grease. Check the housings on the diffs for cracks and leaks that might have to be welded.
   Some of these repairs, especially a severely leaking diff, can be very costly to repair. If the hubs are leaking, the problem might be worn out seals. In the long run, the bearings might go. This goes under the headline "No Fun" if it happens far out in the scrub.

OIL LEAKS
Look around the gear box and the dump for oil leaks. Check the oil level everyday and bring engine oil to top up the oil level now and then. Every 5.000 km, the oil needs to be changed. Every 10.000 km, the oil filter (and possibly the fuel filter) needs to be changed.

SHOCK ABSORBERS AND SPRINGS
Have a look at the "shockies" if they look worn out and twisted. Drive the car over a speed trap at a parking place or similar too fast and see what happens. If the car feels very jumpy and soft, then the shockies might be worn out or gone. You can drive without shock absorbers, but it's no fun on dirt roads. Steering is very hard if the front shockies are blown.

STEERING
Drive the car and try to feel if the steering is working properly. It should be firm, but not too heavy to steer. The steering dampers might be worn out and gone.

AIR FILTER
Open the air filter and have a look at it if it's old and dirty or damaged. A new and clean air filter does wonders for fuel economy.

RADIATOR
Have a look for cracks or leaks in the radiator. A leaking radiator is no fun. The water level in the radiator needs to be checked every day. Top up with water now and then.

BELTS
Check fan belts and other belts to see that the rubber is not too old and worn out. Always carry spare belts.

ENGINE MOUNTS
Watch out for cracks in the engine mounts. You don't want the engine to fall out when you hit a big pot hole.

EXHAUST
Should not be old, rusty and on it's way to fall off. Look out for leakage in the engine room.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Check the electrical system by turning on all lights, test the blinkers, vipers etc. The car should be equipped with a dual battery system. The second battery can be used as a spare, for running appliances like a fridge etc. The car should be equipped with a system that can charge both batteries.   Automatic ones seem to not work. If they charge the main battery but not the second battery, that is to prefer compared with the reverse situation. A flat main battery is no fun.

BRAKES AND CLUTCH
Check the brake and clutch fluid level. Drive the car and test the brakes. The car should stop and the brakes should not feel soft.

EXTRA EQUIPMENT
A sturdy bullbar is more or less essential when driving in the outback. Station vehicles are equipped with bars that run around all sides of the front of the car.
   A snorkel is handy if you are going to cross rivers with deep water.
   A long range tank is very handy if you're going to travel very long and remote tracks like the Canning Stock Route. If you can fill up most of you fuel in towns where diesel is cheaper, then you will save a lot of money.