10 Tips To Inspect A Used Car

Always! Always inspect a car before buying it. Since an inspection costs money, you want to eliminate possible purchase candidates by going through a preliminary check yourself. Remember, if you still like the car after you checked it, still you need to take it to your technician for a professional and thorough evaluation.
Note: YOUR technician! So prepare to get dirty as you go through this 10 step guide to check out a used car. 1 - Body The purpose of this check is to see if the car has had any visible accident.
Take a good look at the car in the daytime, when there is plenty of light. Look for accident omens like scratches, uneven gaps between the doors and panel, crooked trims and uneven moldings. Check the car for welding signs, look for any part or trim that looks suspiciously new (compared to the car). Look for over spray on the doors and wheel wells.
2 - Under the car Look for any leaks coming from the motor, gear or shock absorbers.
Take a good look under the car for any signs of rust, especially in the exhaust and muffler, where you should also check for holes.
3 - Tires It sure costs to have tires replaced, so you want to buy a car with tires in good condition.
Also if tires have uneven wear this may indicate a problem in the alignment or suspension of the car. Check tires for cracks and cuts. Get the seller to commit to changing tires if they are in really bad shape. (That is, if you like everything else about the car and it goes through a pro’s inspection).
4 - Inside the car See if the inside matched the general outside impression. Is the car kept well and clean? Check the seats and carpets for wear. Check maintenance records.
Was the car well taken care of? Check the mileage meter in relation to the wear of the brake and accelerator pads, oil replacement stickers and maintenance records.
5 - Under the hood Open the hood and take a good look at the engine.
Check for signs of leaks around engine joints and hose connectors. If the car is an automatic pull out the transmission dipstick and look at the liquid inside. It should be pinkish and smell sweet. If it is brown and burned then the transmission in the car has a problem.
6 - Drive Drive the car in the city and on the highway.
Are you comfortable in it? Is this the car for you? Can you bear to think of sitting in traffic in this car? Also listen for wind leaks, rattles and squeaks. Check if the car is pulling to one side - this should not happen. The breaks should not squeak when applied. The transmission should run smoothly and the wheel should turn back to the straight position after you turn a corner. If the car has power steering it should run silently.
7 - Idle listening Listen to the vehicle idle.
It should not rumble or pop. Accelerate and listen if is backfires. Listen to the cooling ventilators do they start and stop automatically? Check that engine temperature remains around 80-90 degrees Celsius when car is idle or when you are driving it.
8 - Maintenance Review the cars maintenance records.
Oil changes should be regular, about every 7000 miles or 10000 KM’s (If car has a manual you can check the maintenance program recommended in it and see if it was adhered to). Other preventive maintenance points to check is fluid changes, brakes and tuning. Some garages have a history report of the cars that are treated in their facility - ask the seller to provide these records, see that they are wiling to do so.
9 - VIN.
Check the vehicle identification number (VIN) of the car on the dashboard, engine and other important parts of the car. They should be the same. If not then this car has gone through some "major surgery" and parts have been changed.
10 - Professional evaluation.
Get the car to be evaluated by a technician of YOUR choice. See that Shassy has not been damaged and that the car is secure to drive in and well maintained for its age.