By Charlie Brown
Buying a used car carries a unique set of risks. You don’t know how well the user maintained and used the vehicle before selling, so you have to rely on basic parameters and pointers that could indicate proper maintenance or signs of abuse.
Used Car Lot
You may already know some of the things to check for before buying a car, but we’re going to give you an exhaustive list of use for your preliminary inspection. Used car inspection is however a tricky process that should be verified by a qualified professional. As a buyer who has only rudimentary knowledge about cars, you may miss out a few key details that would impact your buying decision.
- Lighting
You should inspect the light in good natural light, and preferably a bright sunny day. Poor lighting conditions may conceal many key imperfections. However, do it in the shade to avoid the glare that could also hide some imperfections. Carefully inspect the car body for unevenness and blurring which could indicate that the vehicle underwent bodywork.
- Water damage
If you think the car could have been damaged by heavy rains or flooding, you need to take a closer look as dealers may try to conceal this from you. Look out for water-level markings in the upholstery, ceiling and car doors. Also look for moisture and wetness in the floor carpeting as well as moldy and mildew in the trunk space or the cabins. See if there is rusting or residual water in the spare tire storage place.
- Use your hands
The eyes can be deceptive. Faulty door handles or auto window controls can look quite normal. Test every control and touch every button on the doors and dashboard try to do everything, and don’t forget the back doors and other controls elsewhere in the car. Minor defects may not be sufficient to stop negotiating, but they could give you ammo to bargain the price further down. Don’t forget the AC, belt buckles and radio controls.
- Get down and dirty
Be ready to kneel and even lie on the underside of the car to inspect what lies below. Use a strong flashlight to inspect the inside of the wheel wells and underside for rust and corrosion damage. Check for dripping fluids, unusual holes and dangling metals, and don’t forget to inspect the muffler and exhaust systems.
- Inspect the paperwork
Ensure you have read the care title carefully. You could find a lot of details, such as how many owners have previously had it. You can also find details about the vehicle’s history, such as if it was salvaged, submerged or rebuilt or in an accident. Fire and hail damage may also be available.
- Check the glove compartment
Car service records are typically stored in the glove compartment. If not, ask for them from the dealer. These include major repair receipts and oil change logs. Check the odometer readings recorded on them and ensure that they correspond with the current odometer reading on the car, bearing the date in mind. On average, motorists drive about 12,000 miles annually.
- Go on a test drive
Finally, take the car out if you’re satisfied with the rest of the inspection. Don’t have the radio playing to hear any strange noises. Put the windows in varying positions to detect sounds that are reliant on window position. Drive at various speeds and gears. Turn the lights on and off and make turns to test the steering wheel.
If you’re satisfied, you can buy the vehicle after getting the advice of a professional inspector, who may see things that your untrained eye won’t see.
Image: https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/12/Lono_Avenue_Value_Center_Used_Car_Lot.JPG
Charlie Brown
Author Bio : Charlie Brown is a freelance content writer. He has written many articles on technology, fashion, beauty, lifestyle, career, travel, health, etc. He has great experience in the field of writing. In his free time, he loves to spend more time in sharing his knowledge with his friends.
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