When it is time to change cars, motorists face a difficult task, because it is necessary to find the car you want in good condition. Unfortunately, often fraudsters take advantage of many inexperienced drivers and sell them cars in terrible condition, although at first glance they might look just like brand new. Certainly it is difficult at once to determine the true condition of the car, not only its exterior but also the interior and engine as well. In such challenging situations a friend with much experience in driving and buying cars might help, but what if we say that you can do it on your own, by knowing certain tricks. Details matter, you should pay attention to them during the inspection of the used car. That is why we want to tell you in our article below and give you a small guide on how to inspect a used car.
Nowadays, the choice of automobiles is huge, and you can easily find a car for every taste and purse on the market. Certainly, the most reliable option for buying used cars is specialized services that sell automobiles. Thanks to modern technologies now you can not waste time visiting auto markets, and simply choose the desired model online, then contact the seller, ask all the questions about a car and make an appointment to inspect it on your own. For example, if you want to find the best used Audi to buy, all you have to do is just write this in the search bar and you instantly see hundreds of options. This makes it very convenient and easy to buy a used car and, and most importantly, there is the least chance of bumping into scammers.
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Verifying the vehicle’s documents
The first thing to do even before the car inspection is to contact the seller and carefully examine the documents of the automobile. Do not be afraid to ask many questions, particularly about the car registration certificate and its passport. Be careful, because in case the provided data is hard to read or does not match, it may be a sign of fraud. The passport’s data must necessarily comply with the registration documents. Only after you make sure that all the documents are correct, you should proceed to the inspection of the body of the car.
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Car body inspections
It often happens that an inexperienced buyer immediately looks for noticeable damage to the body such as cracks, scratches or dents. However, much more dangerous are the painted parts on the inner arches of the wheels of the car. If you do not notice this kind of damage, in a few months you may face an expensive repair of the whole body or replacement of its main parts. It is better to follow the example of experienced car drivers and immediately inspect the gaps between the body parts, since very often there may be rust. In addition, large gaps between the body parts may indicate that the car was damaged in an accident and some components were replaced.
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Interior review
When inspecting the interior you need to check the state of the upholstery, this is especially critical if the interior of the car is made of leather. Make sure to check how the seats unfold and whether the seat belts are adjustable. If the car is old enough, don’t forget to turn on the car stereo and check the quality of the sound of the speakers. Also an obligatory option for checking is an air conditioner, try to switch it on both in cold and warm mode.
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Engine inspection and a test drive
Obviously a visual inspection of the engine is not very helpful, as it can only be tested while driving, but you can ask the owner to turn the car on in order to listen to the sound of the engine itself. The only things you can check visually are the oil level in the vehicle, pay attention to its color, structure, and uniformity. The presence of sufficient coolant is also a good sign. Once you have checked all the components of the engine from the inside it is worth moving on to the test drive.
Try not to turn on the music while driving, so that you can hear the engine more clearly. Experiment with driving on different routes, both paved and off-road. Pay attention to how smoothly or on the contrary sharply the braking system works. While driving, also look at the tachometer, the arrow should not drop very quickly.
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Experts’ opinion
After the basic inspection is complete and there are no defects at this stage, you should go to the car service, where experts can examine the car in a more detailed way. They usually check the headlights, clutch and other parts of the car. In case the seller refuses to check the car at the service station, you should think twice. Well, if after inspection at the technical service no problems were identified, then you can be confident and make a purchase.
We do hope our guide was useful for you and will help you the next time you decide to buy a used car. We wish you good luck and safe driving!
