Used cars usually account for a large share of the automotive market. There are a great many such cars on the market, both in price categories and in model ranges. Usually the price of a used car always corresponds to the quality, but there are also sellers who make money selling slightly repaired broken cars. Therefore, when buying a used car, it is important to know if it has been involved in an accident in the past.
Color check
In order to find out if the car was involved in accidents, you can use a special device - a paintwork thickness gauge. This machine detects the thickness of the ink that is applied to a part. Lean the device against the desired part of the car body, after which the display will show the thickness of the paint on the part to be checked. As a rule, the thickness of the applied paint at the car manufacturer's factory varies from 80 to 150 microns. If the part was repainted with painters, the paint thickness will be much greater - about 200 microns. There are also great values in those cases when putty was used during the repair process. Also, the device can show and, conversely, a very small value. This means that after painting, the abrasive polishing procedure was carried out several times, or the painting technology was incorrect, without using a primer. The thickness gauge is not the cheapest device, but at the moment there are quite a few companies and individuals offering to rent this device.
Checking headlights and glasses
If, in the event of an accident, the collision occurs only on one side, the headlights must be different, so be sure to check them when choosing a car. Perhaps the headlights will be outwardly identical, but the serial numbers of different headlights cannot coincide, therefore one of the headlights with different numbers is not a factory one, which may indicate the possible participation of this car in an accident. Do not forget to also check the markings on your car windows The car factory stamped the same marking on all glass of the car, therefore, its inconsistency on a certain glass means that it has been replaced.
Rapid corrosion of a wrecked car
If the car is covered with a thick layer of dirt, this is the first sign of various defects, which the seller is simply trying to hide in this way. Usually a broken car rots pretty quickly. When purchasing, check problem areas such as wheel arches, sills and underbody for corrosion. For this procedure, you will need a viewing hole or overpass.
Clearance check
Another sign of a car's involvement in an accident is the difference in the gap dimensions. For example, there are gaps of a certain size between the hood and the fender, and if the dimensions of these gaps on both sides do not match, the car has undergone a poor-quality repair, possibly after an accident. To check the gaps in the car doors, you need to open them and swing them up and down to determine the backlash in the hinges.
