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Nairaland Forum / Nairaland / General / Car Talk / 4 Things To NEVER Forget When Buying A Used Car (2568 Views)
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4 Things To NEVER Forget When Buying A Used Car by iamSi(m): 12:41pm On May 04, 2013 |
Buying a used automobile can be risky business if you don’t know what to look for. There are a lot of people out there eager to sell unsuspecting buyers cars in poor condition that have been shined up to look like quality automobiles. Here are a few tips on what to look for when purchasing a used car to avoid getting stuck with a bad investment. Check for body damage. Sellers will often claim a car has never been wrecked when it actually has. A previously wrecked car can have serious problems down the road so spotting the signs of collision repair before you buy can save a lot of money and headaches later. First, inspect the gaps between the doors and fenders, trunk and quarter panels, etc. Check to see that all these gaps are uniform in size all the way around. Differences in gap size can be an indicator of collision repair and frame damage. Second, use your knuckle to tap around all the body panels. Listen for a difference in sound as you knock on the metal. If synthetic body filler materials have been used to repair collision damage you will hear a significant change in the knocking sound. Third, open the doors, hood and trunk. With them open check the hinge mounts and brackets for tool scuffs and different color paint on and around the bolt heads and mounting brackets. Also check around the bolts where the front and rear fenders mount to the chassis to see if there are tool scuffs or different colors of paint. All these are signs of previous damage repair. Engine Check for leaks. Many used vehicles have chronic fluid leaks that the seller may try to hide as best they can. There are a few quick and simple ways to check for fluid leaks without extensively inspecting the entire drive-train. First, check the heat pad on the underside of the hood for splatter stains. This can be a dead giveaway that the car has been leaking coolant or oil while the engine is running. Second, visually inspect the engine for extensive buildup of a clumpy dirt-like substance. These deposits are a combination of dirt, grease and various engine fluids. They occur when fluids leak out and attract dust, dirt and road grime causing a clumpy buildup around the leak. Last, when test driving the vehicle park the car for several minutes both with the engine running and turned off. After allowing it to sit, move the car and check the pavement where it was parked for any fluid drip spots. If a car has a leak it will usually show on the pavement where it has been parked. Check for interior damage. Interior damage and wear spots can tell you a lot about what a car has been through and how well it was cared for by the previous owner, so pay close attention to the inside of the car you’re interested in. First, ask the seller to remove the sill plate that holds the carpet down along one of the door openings. This is a simple procedure, often the panel just pops off or is secured by a few screws. Once the sill plate is removed check under the edge of the carpet for excessive dirt or sand buildup. This is a sign that the car has sustained flood damage of some sort. If so, do not purchase the car. Flooding causes damage that is far more extensive than what you can see on the surface. Also beware of carpet that has been glued down. This usually is not the original carpet and signifies that something has happened to the car. Second, check the area under the pedals. The degree of wear in this area will give you an accurate idea of how much the car was really driven. The condition of the interior door handles and the sturdiness of the gear shift lever can help in this assessment as well. Third, inspect various surfaces is the car such as the seats and radio controls. Discoloration and surface wear on the radio controls indicates excessive use and neglect of maintenance and cleaning. The seats, especially leather, can be a great indicator of how well the car has been taken care of. If the upholstery is faded, hard and cracking it is a good possibility the previous owner neglected to regularly clean and maintain the vehicle. Verify the history of the car. Sellers often deceive potential buyers when it comes to the cars mileage and overall history. A company call CarFax offers an excellent way to verify these things. A report from CarFax can provide actual mileage of a vehicle as well as the recorded maintenance history and title information. This will let you know if the car was ever a salvage title automobile or theft recovery. It also prevents the seller from rolling back the odometer. I highly recommend getting one of these reports on any used vehicle you are interested in buying. Hopefully this information will help you with your next used car purchase. Use these tips and if possible take a certified mechanic along to help check out your the vehicle and you can avoid getting stuck with a lemon. 1. Value Of My Used Car 2. Top Cars To Buy 3. Best Luxury Sedans 4. Luxury Vehicles 5. Car Accessories 6. Affordable Luxury SUV 7. 2013 Car Ratings ads MOST READ ARTICLES What Nissan Doesn’t Want You To Know About the Altima What Toyota Doesn’t Want You To Know About the Camry What Honda Doesn’t Want You To Know About the Civic What Jeep Doesn’t Want You To Know About the Grand Cherokee The Least Expensive Cars to Insure 1. 2013 Car Ratings 2. Toyota Discounts 3. Most Economical Cars 4. 10 Best Cars 5. Best Car To Buy 6. Top 10 Luxury Cars 7. Best Luxury SUV Don't Mind Me OOOoo _ na Promotions I dey do OOoo _ ff @IamSI_ 2 Likes |
Re: 4 Things To NEVER Forget When Buying A Used Car by CHIMCO(m): 7:52am On May 05, 2013 |
Nice one. 1 Like |
Re: 4 Things To NEVER Forget When Buying A Used Car by Originalsly: 10:56am On May 05, 2013 |
Very good tips. 1 Like |
Re: 4 Things To NEVER Forget When Buying A Used Car by oluwaseyanu(m): 2:11pm On May 09, 2013 |
nice tips, thanks. 1 Like |
Re: 4 Things To NEVER Forget When Buying A Used Car by Tinkinguy(m): 10:37am On May 16, 2013 |
Bros, ANy idea on ford escape (2003 - 2005 edition) generally you can give us? Price, Maintenance, Fuel consuption, reliability etc. |
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