There are always plenty of used cars for sale, and if you are looking to buy a used car, one of the most important parts of the buying process is to visually inspect it yourself to determine it's condition. Unless you are an auto mechanic, you probably won't be able to get a thorough picture of the mechanical shape of the car, but you can still learn a lot by doing a proper visual examination.
Before you begin, it's a good practice to have a checklist with you that allows you to make notes about what you see as you go. This can be important, especially if you are looking at more than car at a time. It's easy to get confused and not be able to recall specific details about each car after you have seen several in a row, so being organized about the process can help out a lot.
The outside is a good place to start, so look over the car body very carefully. Look for any evidence that the car has been in an accident in the past. Does the paint match on all body parts? Do you see an obvious paint line from a previous repair? This doesn't mean that it is not a good car, but you want to able to determine if the car has been in an accident and how extensive the damage was if you can. Look for dings and car damage that may need repair, and especially for signs of rust as this can be very hard to eradicate once it has begun on a vehicle.
Look over the tires. If they are pretty worn, plan on buying a new set of tires and factor that into the price you are willing to pay for the car. Also look for excessive wear patterns on the front tires. If it appears that they are wearing much faster on one side of the tire, that may be an indication that the front end may need work and you should also factor that into the car price.
Next go inside the car and continue your visual inspection by making notes about the condition of the interior. If you notice excessive wear on the seats and carpet, perhaps including stains, this is a good indication of the kind of care, or lack of it, that the former owner gave to the car. Keep in mind that even the best car can suffer from owner neglect and if that is the case here, it may be best to avoid this vehicle altogether.
Next try all of the power and climate controls on the dash. Make sure that all of the windows go up and down as they should, that the power seats work in all directions, that the wipers, directional signals, horn, and electronics work. Then start the car and check that the air conditioning blows cold, and the heat is hot. While it is running, listen for any noises that don't sound right.
By making this kind of visual inspection of each car that you seriously consider, you can determine in advance whether you should now move to the next step where you have an independent mechanic thoroughly inspect it mechanically for final consideration.
When you buy a new vehicle you have every right to get one that is perfect and totally free of any imperfections. You don't want to pay top dollar for a brand new car that has mechanical problems or problems with the interior, body, or finish. Before you sign the final papers and take delivery of the car you want to be sure that you thoroughly inspect the car including road testing it. Take down notes of any imperfections and insist that they be taken care of before you sign anything. Some dealers will let you take the car overnight, if they will take advantage of it as it can give you the time to really check it out more than a 5 minute test drive and walk around at the dealership.
Another thing that is really helpful is to have someone else, other than the salesman, look it over with you. They may see something you don't. Don't let the dealer tell you ?Don't worry. Go ahead and sign and we'll fix it later.? Your signature is binding, there word isn't. Mechanical issues are usually just a matter of a minor adjustment, or they may have a factory flaw that is covered by the factory and will be repaired. Paint and upholstery on the other hand are items that most dealers are not very good at repairing and they will try to make you believe that a flaw is normal, it isn't.
Once you have driven the car off the lot with a signed contract anything and everything will be assumed to be your fault, so you have to be sure that it is perfect before you leave. NEVER take final delivery of a car at night. There are many flaws that can be hidden when not in direct sunlight. It is well worth the time to take off from work and see the vehicle in the daylight so you aren't surprised by scratches or swirls in the paint you couldn't see.
These are some of the things you want to inspect:
Make sure that the serial number on the car matches what is on the paperwork. Check the odometer or mileage reading. If it has more than 300 miles make them tell you why. If they can't give you a reasonable answer, get another car. Sometimes they trade cars from other dealers and this could explain it, but make them show you the paperwork proving it.
Check the body and paint thoroughly. Look inside the hood, trunk, and gas filler compartment. This is an area that is overlooked for overspray. If there was a minor flaw they fixed they may try to pass it off without disclosing it. New cars that have been partially repainted will not match later on as aging will make the colors different.
Be sure everything is lined up properly. The doors, hood, trunk, and windows should all be perfectly lined up and there should be a good seal around the windows with no wind noise. Check the upholstery for any stains or tears and be sure all the mechanical and electronic devices are in proper working order.
Be sure to have the salesperson take the time to go over all the equipment with you and be sure you know how to operate it and also check all the lights to be sure they are working. Also be sure to check all the fluid levels and be sure they are topped off. When you take the car for the test drive be sure to test the alignment by briefly releasing the steering wheel and note whether it pulls to the left or right. Also, test the brakes under light and heavy braking. There should be absolutely no shudder at all, if there is it needs to be corrected.
If you follow these suggestions it should prevent you from having a bad experience when picking up a new car.
Both Jim Johnson & Gregg Hall are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Gregg Hall has sinced written about articles on various topics from Lingerie, Desserts and Mortgage. Gregg Hall is a business consultant and author for many online and offline businesses and lives in Navarre Florida with his 16 year old son. Protect your new car's finish with. Gregg Hall's top article generates over 3350000 views. to your Favourites.