Buying a used car can be a great thing if you find a vehicle that somebody drove for 20.000 km and the price is half of the original value. However, if you’re like any other person looking to buy a car, you’ll probably come across one that has many miles on it.
Even though it has many miles on it, it doesn’t mean that the car is in terrible condition. But, you should check the exterior and interior, the car’s history, the engine, and the tyres before you decide to buy. As an alternative, you have pink slips inspections.
Analyze the Exterior and Interior of a Car
Whenever we look at something we want to buy, we usually analyze its exterior, but it’s equally important to look at the interior. When you’re checking out used cars, remember to check for any visible damage.
Exterior damage
Having exterior damage on a used car can often be very harmless, but sometimes it can be a sign of neglect and you might need to do many repairs when you buy the car. Inspect the exterior and search for:
● Rust: If you notice rust on the exterior, this probably means that below the surface there’s a lot more going on. Oxidation happens on different parts, inside panels, and then it reaches the surface, so if you see this, reconsider your choice.
● Dents: When there are small dents on the car, and they’re barely noticeable, you don’t need to worry. Large dents are a sign of mild changes. Depending on the position of the dent, there might be damage to the internal parts.
● Scratches: Sometimes the car’s owner fixes the dent caused by a traffic incident, but the scratch remains. If the scratch is very noticeable, e.g. you can see the metal below the paint, then this probably means that there was an accident. It can show that you need to check for other damage.
Interior damage
Fortunately, you can notice signs of interior damage as soon as you enter the vehicle. It’s easier to notice these, because you can sit in the driver’s seat and look around while giving the car a test drive. These are the things you should pay attention to:
● Smell: When you enter the car, it should smell refreshing or it shouldn’t have a pungent smell at all. If it smells musty, it means that there’s mold or mildew in the car. This means that the vent system wasn’t regularly maintained, or the carpets weren’t cleaned, etc.
● Mats, floors: Check the mats and floors to see if they’re damaged. If there are holes in the floor under the mats and carpet, then it’s a sign for you to move on to another vehicle.
● Seat tears: You can easily fix tears by putting seat covers on the car’s seats, but the fact is that these cost, and replacing the seats costs as well. So, this shouldn’t make you change your mind about the car, but you can definitely use it when negotiating.
Check the Car’s History
Once you check the whole exterior and interior of the car, you’ll be able to see the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). Check the history of your car, it’s quite important for you to know whether the car was reported stolen or it’s a salvaged vehicle.
It’s also important to know if the car is carrying debt, and of course with vehicle history, you’ll be able to identify if there’s something wrong with the mileage. This should be on any used car checklist.
Check the Mileage
Once you check the car’s history, look at the mileage. If the numbers in the car’s history report and on the dashboard match, then you have nothing to worry about. This means that your car is all good, and that you’re getting the mileage you expected.
If you can’t check the car’s history, and you would still like to know if the mileage is correct. Correct means that nobody tampered with it. Then you can always go to your mechanic and ask them to run diagnostics.
Check the Engine
The car runs on an engine so it’s only logical that you need to look for any visible damage on the engine. Look for corrosion, leaks, broken belts, and holes in the hoses. You’ll also notice that there’s something wrong with the engine if you turn on the vehicle and hear a lot of noise.
However, if you hear a lot of noise, there’s a possibility that something’s wrong with the exhaust pipe. It might have cracks in it. Another sign of a faulty engine is white smoke coming out of the exhaust once you start the vehicle.
Checking for oil leaks is easy. Just place a piece of cardboard under the car where the hood is, and wait an hour to see if there are any oil stains on the cardboard. If it’s a serious leak, you’ll notice it within 15 minutes.
Check the Tyres
Again, the condition of the tyres is not that important because you can always get new ones with a warranty period, and this is a warm suggestion when buying a used vehicle. However, check to see if they’re used up.
If the tread depth on the tyres is below 2 mm, almost barely visible, then you should ask for a lower price.
While you’re checking the tyres, check the rims as well. Look for dents and scratches in the rims. If there are any, then you need to replace the rims as well. New rims can be quite expensive depending on the car model.
Check the Car’s Electronics
Almost everybody enjoys listening to the radio while driving. That’s why you should check to see if the radio works fine, and if the speakers aren’t damaged. Inspect other buttons on the dashboard and steering wheel.
Make sure that everything does what it’s supposed to do, because if you get a car and the electronics aren’t working properly, then you need to fix all that. Unfortunately, there’s no way to check if all the sensors are working properly.
You might need to go to your mechanic to run diagnostics on whether all sensors work properly.
Have a Mechanic Inspect the Car
Some states require pink slips before you can register your car, especially if it’s over 5 years old. If you wish to skip all the steps to check before buying a used car, you can always do a pink slip. It’s very important to inspect a used car, and a pink slip is a great way to do it.
Most pink slips involve a tyre inspection, a vehicle body condition inspection, inspecting the electrics like headlights, dashboard lights, interior lights, and blinkers, and inspecting the suspension, driveline, exhaust, and engine.