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One of the main obstacles that buyers come across while looking to buy a used car is the inspection process, as these cars have been through so many states and conditions; traffic accidents and ill-use, or some tuning and maintenance procedures, either way, the buyer must be well-informed about the right way of car inspection before proceeding with any legal action.
What to Look for When Inspecting Used Cars?
To avoid any scams from some sellers and find the best-fitted car for you, Motory team has gathered all the information you need about car inspection.
Car Inspection Checklist
This process is divided into three stages as follows:
Car Exterior
- Make sure that all doors open and close smoothly, just to make sure that the joints and rubber seals are in a good condition
- Look for rust and corrosion near the door sills, not only that but such traces can be found on the engine, which may indicate a fluid leak
- Scan the exterior paint for any scratches. You can also purchase a special device that enables you to determine the condition of the paint, whether it's original or not
- Feel the surfaces in able to find traces of prominent welding and bumps, which means that the body was modified in some way
- Look for cracks in the front and rear windshields along with the windows
The Cabin
- Check for rips in the seats’ upholstery
- Look for cracks on the surfaces including the doors and the dashboard
- Make sure that the electronic features connected to the battery work efficiently, such as: air conditioning and heating, interior and exterior lighting, rain wipers, modern technologies (entertainment screen, instrument display .. etc.). You can also ask for an ECU check so you can verify that all of these functions work properly
Performance
- Start the car and notice how long it takes for the engine to start. If it takes a long time to do so, then this indicates a certain malfunction in one of the engine parts
- Test the brake pedal multiple times, along with the gas pedal to check the acceleration and torque levels
- Drive the car around and see how responsive the steering wheel is especially on turns
- Go up and down hills so you can test the torque as well as the efficiency of the gear shifter
- See if the car is shaking while driving, or when you turn the engine on and off
- Listen carefully to sounds that the car makes, and if you hear something unusual that means there’s a defect
- Press the gas pedal hard for a few seconds and check the color of the smoke coming out of the exhaust pipe
- Test the systems that improve the car's performance, such as cruise control
Additionally, you can ask the seller a number of questions that can tell you something about the car’s condition:
- Is the current seller the first owner of this car? This gives you the ability to determine the validity of the mileage
- What is the car's chassis number? This will help you look for the car’s accidents history
- Is the car still under warranty? This enables you to know the car’s maintenance history
Finally, a professional car inspection done by a specialized technician is still very crucial. By doing so, you can make an informed decision.
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