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Buying a second-hand car is an important investment, as you will be relying on the vehicle to get you from A to B without any nasty problems. We will explore some of the most important things that you will need to bring along to inspect the vehicle, and give you a step-by-step guide on how to inspect your used vehicle yourself.
While inspecting a vehicle yourself won't take the place of a professional inspection, it will save you money while weeding out the good choices, from the ones that may not be suitable. After you have found a car you think is right for you, then you can get a professional inspection done.
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Handy Things To Bring Along
A cassette tape, or Cd
Pen and paper
Paper towels
A Plastic bag
Camera or video recorder
Flashlight
Tire tread gauge
Battery acid tester
Anti-freeze tester
Mirror
A Magnet
A pricing guide
A friend, or family member to assist you
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The First Things To Inspect
Start off by having the car in a well-lit area where you can view its condition from the outside first, make note of the condition of the paintjob, and the body. Open all of the doors to make sure they open and close easily. Make note of anything that may be missing from the car.
Make sure that everything removable in the car is included in the sale of the car, and note these things for future reference. Look for oil change stickers, and service logs, make note of the last time the car had an oil change, and was serviced. If you can't find these things, ask the owner about the service history of the car, and note their answer. Make sure to write down the VIN number of the car. This will come in handy later if you want to get the history report on the vehicle, or view its details.
Tips For Inspecting The Outside Of A Used Car
The most important safety aspect of the outside is its tires, use your tire tread gauge to make sure that the car has roadworthy tires, while there, make note of the hubcaps to see if they all match. Inspect all of the panels of the outside of the car to make sure that they match, and are in good condition, too. Note any dents, scratches, drips, runs, and over-spray on the body. A magnet can be used to find parts of the panels that are not made of metal, hence a repair may have been done there. You may also want to check for parts that are attached to the exterior such as guards, and trims. Often, these can be expensive to replace if they are damaged or missing.
Tips For Checking The Inside Of A Used Car
Since safety comes first, the very first things that you should inspect on the inside of the car are the air bags, push on them to make sure that they are still inside, and look for tampering, or gluing around where the airbags should be. Check the seatbelts for wear and tear, and make sure that they are working properly. Remove any seat covers in the car to check the condition of the seats, make sure to sit in each of them to test them for comfort.
Make sure that any power features are working, and are in good condition, including power windows, locks, mirrors, sunroofs and stereo components, this is where your CD, or cassette tape will come in handy. If a smoker's car is a problem for you, check the ashtray, and the end of the lighter for use.
Tips Of Inspecting The Engine
The engine is one of the most important parts of the car, and if there are any major defects with engine parts, it could end up costing you a lot of extra money. Start off by checking the engine for leaks, damage or fluids that may be leaking, do this by inspecting the top, as well as under the car, this is where your flash light will be handy. Check all of the fluids in the engine.
Have your assistant start the vehicle up, and look for smoke, or fluids coming from the engine compartment, and then walk to the back of the car to check for heavy smoke coming from the exhaust of the car. While the engine is running, listen out for any odd noises, or rattles coming from the engine.
Test Driving Tips
Warm the car up first, and make note of the odometer reading. While the car is warming up, check to make sure that all of the instruments such as turn signals, and brake lights work properly before taking off, and take note of where they are located in the car.
Pull off, and make note of the cars acceleration speed, and smoothness, test the brakes to make sure that they work properly, and don’t squeak, or make noises when applied. Drive the car far enough to get the temperature up, check that the odometer is working at this point, and drive at a reasonable speed, listening for any noises coming from the engine.
Take the car to usual places you may frequent, such as shopping centers and test for ease of use, and whether it is easy for you to control. Do you feel comfortable in the car? Test all of the gears, including overdrive if you have it, and make sure that the gears change smoothly, and the clutch lets out properly without jerking.
Tips For Checking Wheel Alignment
After you have test driven the car, make sure to check the wheel alignment. This can be done by getting behind the car, and looking underneath it. Get your assistant to slowly drive the car away from you in a straight line. The wheels should all be in line, if not, the car may need some work done to it, or it may have been damaged in an earlier incident.
After you have done all of the above, take some photos, or video footage of the car. Check your comments in your note pad before leaving, and ask the owner any questions that you feel are important. That way, you will have a future reference of the car.
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