A car is an indicator of wealth and status of the owner, but at the same time it remains a necessary means of transportation for many. When deciding to purchase a used vehicle, be prepared for the inevitable costs of repairing it. To reduce the likelihood of buying a too worn-out car, you will have to carefully consider the choice.
First of all, it is necessary to ask about the "history of life" of the machine: how it was operated, in what conditions it was kept and what are the reasons for its sale. Perhaps you will not hear the truth in return, but in any case, you will understand whether it is worth trusting the seller.
Car body condition
Keep in mind that if the car has been in an accident, the body becomes skewed after straightening, which will definitely spoil its aerodynamic properties and affect the convenience of transport control. When you see signs of emergency repairs, feel free to demand a reduction in cost.
When inspecting the car, pay attention to the gaps: between the doors and the interior, the hood, trunk and body covers, move the bumpers. Large gaps in these places indicate that, most likely, the integrity of the car body is violated due to an accident. Then inspect the lanterns and headlights, if you see differences in the shades of the glow, it means that the car was hit, and the lighting fixtures were changed.
It is also possible to open and close doors as part of the check. After replacing and editing, when opening, they seem to "fall", that is, they go down a few millimeters. It happens that all doors are ideal in this sense, except for the driver's. In this case, there was no damage, and the cause of the malfunction is that the driver's side is used more often, which means it wears out more.
The vehicle must be inspected clean. It is desirable in sunny weather or at least during daylight hours, in order to see the shades of the paint color of the car body. Separately painted parts after repair, such as a fender or a door, often differ from the rest of the body, unless, of course, the car is completely repainted. In the latter case, you will see small smudges of varnish that has not been polished after painting.
If the car has moldings (these are plastic inserts along the sides of the car body), check for rust at their attachment points. Examine wheel arch liners, sills, and the entire body for corrosion or swollen paint. All these imperfections indicate the deterioration of the car.
Assessment of the condition of the engine, chassis and interior
Having opened the hood lid, pay attention to the engine, if it is washed to a shine, there is not even dust, there is a possibility that the seller is trying to hide something in this way, for example, oil leaks or other evidence of a leakage of parts. When the owner is honest with you, he will tell you what problems exist, and by looking at the engine, you can estimate the scale of possible repairs.
The unit must be started, listen to how it idles. The engine should run smoothly, without knocking or changing the tone of the hum. Pay attention to the exhaust pipe: ask the owner to increase the revs by pressing the accelerator pedal, and observe the condition of the exhaust yourself. When the engine is in good working order, you will not see smoke and flying out drops of oil or gasoline.
For a deeper inspection of the engine, you should drive to the service station, where the compression in the cylinders will be measured, and if an ECU (electronic control unit) is installed in the car, popularly called a "computer", let them also check it for errors. The condition of the undercarriage can be checked by arranging a small test drive, if there are any knocks, vibrations, it means that some parts have become unusable and need to be replaced.
While in the salon, inspect it. Scratches and dirt should excite you just as much as you are intolerant of them, but check the belts carefully: whether they are intact, whether they are easily pulled out, whether they are blocked during sudden movements - your safety depends on this. Lower and raise the glass to determine if the mechanism is working properly. After such an inspection, you can start discussing the price, taking into account the imperfections found.
