Pre-purchase inspections?

[a311]

As much as I like to tell myself differently I don't know as much about cars as I'd like to think I do. I'd say the vast majority if not all my mates fall into this category too.

I'm currently weighing up buy a 2nd hand car privately, with relatively complex gubbins that I'll know nothing about could be a potential moneypit if I can't highlight anything that's isn't blatantly obvious myself or brought up by the seller. Wouldn't be economical to have one of these carried out on every car you view privately but having done as much checking beofre viewing the car would like the exta reassurance and wondered if anyone else had invested in something similar to this?

http://www.rac.co.uk/products-services/vehicle-ins...

[Synchromesh]

Or buy a car that's almost as quick but without any of the complicated gubbins...