Your personal quality checklist when browsing for pre-owned cars
Buying a pre-owned vehicle means you will be saving loads of money when it comes to financing a car and you can still get all the bells and whistles that a new car would have. Sure, there may be a scratch or two, here and there, but every car will get those eventually.
Just be sure when you’re browsing for pre-owned cars that you know what to look for and that you’re still buying a car that will perform as well as you need it to.
A look under the hood
Not everyone knows what to look for when the hood of a car pops open with all of the boxes, some wires and other weird looking things, but there are some basics to keep an eye out for.
Start with the car battery, are there any signs of corrosion on the terminals? How about the engine? Do you notice any leaks, smells or strange noises being made from the engine when the car is switched on? And while the car is on, check out the exhaust pipe to see if there’s any blue or black smoke coming out of it. This is the life of your car right here and you need to be confident that it will run smoothly and continue to do so for years to come.
Overall inspection
Now take a look at the vehicle as a whole.
From the outside, a few minor scratches are to be expected, but deep scratches in the paint, dents in the car or rust anywhere on the body of the car should be avoided. Assess whether the paint on the car is an even colour all around and whether there are any bubbles or sun damage in the paint. Open and close all the car doors and windows and make sure everything fits back into the right place, that there’s no screeching of hinges and any automated systems (windows, for example) work properly. You should also test that all the head, tail and indicator lights are working – those are important.
Now we move into the inside. Depending on the model of the pre-owned car, the inside may be slightly damaged from the sun or general wear and tear over the years. If you can handle these bits and pieces, fine. If not, make sure the price on offer compensates for the damages inside the vehicle.
Moving away from just the look of the interior, you need to check whether any of the warning lights are illuminated on the dashboard and whether the air conditioning, heating systems, sound system, windscreen wipers, car alarm and door locks work.
Mileage
A great determinant of the price you will be paying for pre-owned cars is the mileage on the odometer. The higher the mileage on a car, the lower the asking price, but you don’t necessarily want to buy a car with a super high mileage because there’s a chance it won’t last as long as you need it too before giving you some serious problems. Make sure you know and see the mileage before making any deals.
Service and general history
You’re going to want to check the service history of the vehicle and make sure that the previous owner (or owners) took their car for the regular 15 000 km services. You will also be able to see any major services that were done and any previous issues the car may have had.
While you’re working through the history books, it’s good to find out if the vehicle has been in any accidents.
Tyres
If you’re buying a pre-owned car through private sales directly from the owner, then you need to check the tyres out. If you’re buying from a dealership, they’ve likely changed the tyres and sorted out the spare as well.
Check the tread of all four tyres and look out for any cuts or damage on the wheel. Then, pop the trunk and make sure the spare tyre is inflated and ready to be used in the case of an emergency, as well as making sure that all the necessary tools are there for you to change a tyre. You don’t want to end up with a flat and not be able to do anything about it or have to spend extra money replacing the tyres on your car.
All the paperwork
Now it’s time to make sure that all the necessary paperwork is there for you to officially own the car. You will need the registration certificate, a MOT certificate for roadworthy evaluations, the vehicle’s handbook and service history book. If you have all these documents and you’re happy with the rest of the car, then work some financing miracles and get the pre-owned car of your dreams.
Also view:
Vehicle Finance, Car Insurance and Road Safety
Buying and Selling a Vehicle – Informed decisions and the Vehicle Retailer
The Online Vehicle Retail Market and Safely Selling Vehicles Online
Buying a Quality Used Car and Safety on the Road https://t.co/RA39TrVk2G #ArriveAlive #BuyingCars #Roadworthiness pic.twitter.com/6cnzGRORgT
— Arrive Alive (@_ArriveAlive) October 25, 2019
