subject: Things To Look For When Buying A Second Hand Car [print this page] When buying a secondhand car you want to know its history and any underlying problems with the car, unfortunately sellers don't always tell the truth and you have to check over the car yourself to make sure what you're buying is what you expect.
When checking over the car you need to look for certain things on the inside, out and under the bonnet. However there are things you may not be able to see but you may be able to tell when driving it.
Firstly you need to check the exterior of the car. Make sure you view the car during daylight hours and check for:
* Different shades in the paint work as this may indicate that the car has been in an accident and has had to be re-sprayed.
* Bumps and scratches on a car is never a good sign and it does devalue it, make sure you take a good look around the car before buying it.
* Some cars are prone to rust although it's not always massively evident. Inspect the car thoroughly and make sure that there's no metal that looks like it could start to rust. Bubbling pain is usually indicates places where it may start to rust, it's most commonly found around the wheel arch, bumpers and the fuel cap.
* Check to see if the tyres have equal wear on each side, if they don't this could indicate that the tracking or suspension needs adjusting.
After checking the exterior thoroughly I would then move on to checking underneath the bonnet. Certain things you should be looking for are:
* The engine fluid levels including the oil dip stick. A lack of oil in the engine could indicate that the car has been neglected and an engine without oil is never a good sign.
* To check for any damage to the head gasket take the engine oil cap off and check for a white mayonnaise like gunk around the cap. This mean that the engine's head gasket doesn't have much life left and this could result in you having to buy a new engine.
Moving on to the inside of the car for signs of any damage or wear:
* Check the mileage matches the advert and is consistent with the car's documents. The mileage can be tampered with on a car so make sure that all the mileage adds up and look for any unusual jumps or inconsistences.
* Get into the drivers seat and check that the steering column and ignition have no signs of damage. This could indicate that someone has attempted to steal the car at one point or they could have been damaged in an accident.
* Check that all the controls are working on the car from the levers that push seats back and forward to the bonnet release catch. In addition to this check all the electrical equipment works such as windows, sun roofs, radios and air conditioning units.
Checking a car over thoroughly for any signs of damage or wear is important when buying a secondhand car. You should always take the car out for a test drive if you're insured as some things you can't tell just by looking at the car. All driving instructors Leeds would recommend that you follow the above steps as it's vital to know what you're buying when purchasing a secondhand car.
by: just-driving
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