What to check when buying a car

Buying a used car is always a lottery, because each of the offered “iron horses” may not be what it seems during the initial inspection. It is profitable for the seller to sell his “lot” at a higher price, while hiding significant problems and defects. Even the body, which is always in sight, can be successfully disguised as a new one. How not to be mistaken? What should you first check when buying a used car ? Let’s try to figure it out.What can happen if you do not check the condition of the car when buying ? The purchased “ideal” car soon begins to present surprises, and unpleasant ones. Parts fail, their wear or malfunctions become apparent, rust appears on the body. Problems appear one after another. You can avoid such consequences if you know exactly what is important to check when buying a used car and do not forget about the nuances.

What to check when buying a car : read the ad carefully

Where does the search for a dream car begin? With thousands of ads for sale. Each of them carries some information about the offer. Your task is to find out as much information about the car as possible.Any seller seeks to tell about the advantages of a car and present its disadvantages in the best light (or hide them altogether). For example, an ad may say that the engine is new or in excellent condition, but not indicate that it is a cheap unit of dubious production.An important rule is not to believe everything that is written in the ad. If you are interested in a car, make a detailed list of what you need to check when buying a car, and contact the seller for details. Ask questions that will help you find out the exact information about the machine. Ask about the mileage, technical condition, last repair, time of replacement of fluids and components, find out the history of the accident. Only after you make sure that the information from the owner corresponds to that presented in the ad, you can agree on a time and place of meeting for a detailed inspection of the car.

What you need to know about the body when buying a car

Body repair is expensive and time-consuming. Therefore, the answer to the question of what should be checked first when buying a used car is obvious – carefully examine the appearance of the car, take a closer look at the little things and hidden parts of the body.What should you check when buying a car ? Pay attention to the thickness of the paintwork. You can use a special tool – a thickness gauge, but you can do without it. Examine the paint over the entire surface of the car, carefully study the gaps and installation locations of the attachment components and linings. Look for increased gaps, corrosion, signs of poor quality artisanal paint, non-factory shagreen.Of course, you should not expect the ideal condition of the paintwork. A car that has already covered many kilometers on the road will have scratches, scuffs, minor damage to body parts. In such a situation, on the contrary, the ideal condition of the body should raise suspicions – under a layer of brand new paint, traces of an accident may be hidden.Compare the condition of the vehicle with the owner’s responses to questions asked about individual items. Sometimes a practically new type of body is just a reflection of a very attentive and caring vehicle care.

Other things to check when buying a used car: steering wheel and levers, seat and pedals

The deterioration of the car is clearly indicated by the steering wheel and the gear lever. It is these elements that most often come into contact with the driver’s hands, during which their surface loses its gloss and novelty. A mileage with a mark of over 200 thousand km is quite a reasonable justification for the fact that the steering wheel has become smooth, polished with palms, it may have scuffs and cracks. The gear lever looks similar. If these parts have a great new look – ask the seller why the replacement was made.With a high mileage, the pedal pads also acquire a fairly strong wear. With strong wear and tear of these components and the declared low mileage, you should have doubts about the veracity of the seller.What else to check during inspection for buying a car ? Pay attention to the driver’s seat. With a mileage of over 200 thousand km, wear will be obvious:

• there are scuffs and cracks;
• holes, gaps, and depressions may appear.

Of course, the seat is easy to replace. Compare the driver’s seat and others in the cabin – if they differ, check with the seller for what reason the replacement was made. With an evasive answer, you should have doubts about the honesty of the information about the mileage.

Is high mileage really bad?

The wear of components indicates a high mileage. Why should you pay special attention to this value?In fact, today high mileage is not an obstacle to buying a used car. The fact is that many cars are subject to mileage twisting and it is almost impossible to find out the real numbers.Cars that are brought in for sale from European countries are even more surprising. If for a Ukrainian car a mileage of 200 thousand km is considered almost the limit, then in Germany, France, Italy and other European countries cars pass twice as much per year than those that travel on the roads of Ukraine. As a result, cars sold “from there” have a mileage of up to 400 thousand km and are in excellent technical condition.

What to check under the hood when buying a car

With the hood lid open, explore the heart of the car. Listen to how the engine works, if there are any knocks and vibrations, if smoke appears during engine operation. You don’t need to be an expert to do this – just lift the dipstick or unscrew the cap from the oil filler neck and start the car. If you hear knocks, vibrations, or smoke during operation, the motor will require serious and expensive repairs.Look for noticeable fluid leaks. The engine is not washed before sale – if the unit is clean and clearly washed, the seller could hide drips and traces of splashes, indicating a leaking element.

Be sure to visit the lift

What to check when buying a used car urgently ? A mandatory step in inspecting a vehicle is to study its condition from below. Drive the machine onto a lift and carefully inspect:

• engine (it is much more difficult to hide leaks from below);
• suspension;
• exhaust system;
• chassis.

Checking from a pit or on a lift requires professional knowledge and skills. If you do not have them, it makes sense to invite a specialist to assess the condition of the car. If the seller is against such a consultation – think about it.

Check the condition of consumables

Consumables are the easiest to replace with new ones. A caring owner will not sell a car with worn out brake discs and pads, damaged tires, bad shock absorbers, worn suspension components, or an exhaust system. All these details are clearly visible when viewed from below.

How to know if a car is broken

Selling vehicles that have been in an accident as unbeaten is a common practice. How can you make sure that the seller does not hide such important nuances? Sometimes the “almost new” car sold is generally a hybrid, assembled from several cars. There are several simple ways and options for checking:

• check the gaps between different components of the body – they should be identical, from the door arches to the edges of the bumper;
• look for paint marks on sills, wheel arches, B-pillars.

A car that has been in an accident can present unpleasant surprises. If the seller hides the real history of the car, then refuse to buy.

Rust and Corrosion: Where to Look

Corrosion appears in those places that have suffered as a result of an impact or handicraft repair. Of course, the age of the car may also be the reason. Where to look for rust first? On thresholds, fenders, lower parts of doors. Even small areas of corrosion will increase over time and lead to destruction of the body. If the car is old and inexpensive, repairs are not practical.You can also find rust under the car. Corrosion eats up the floor, the spar, the attachment points of the suspension parts,

What to do when buying a used car

Check all electronics carefully. Even something as small as a non-opening window can be a sign of a breakdown in the controller, which is responsible for the functioning of many components. There are no unimportant components in modern car models.What to do when buying a used car if you are not a professional? Carefully check the information provided by the seller, inspect the transport from all sides, check it in motion. It is most advantageous to contact auto-selection specialists for the selection of a car – for a small fee you will receive a guarantee that the new vehicle will not cause high repair costs in the near future.