A used car can be a blessing. But it can also be a pain in the neck. And there’s one primary factor that’ll determine your experience: the quality of the used car inspection process.
A car salesman’s bias is to tell you a vehicle is the cat’s meow and bee's knees. If you don't take those words with a pinch of salt and do your due diligence, you might just be going down a rabbit hole. It's your job as the buyer to be rigorous with your investigation process, especially since there are no warranties on used cars, unlike in new vehicles.
So how do you know if a second-hand car is everything the seller says it is? More importantly, how do you save yourself from making a terrible purchase mistake?
Here are some things to look out for before buying a used vehicle.
What Should I Check Before Buying a Used Car?
1. Vehicle History Check
A lot of people are out to sell a car for many reasons, some for not-so-honest reasons. That’s why you need an objective car history check. A vehicle history report contains information such as stolen check, written-off check, finance check, ANCAP star-rating and several other details to guide your decision. So how do you get one?
You can order a car’s history report from the NSW government. Alternatively, you can use any of the top-rated car history providers available today. CarFacts would be an excellent example of this.
2. Check the Car's Mileage
A car's odometer reading is a pointer to how long the vehicle has been on the road. And to a large extent, it tells you if a vehicle is worth buying or not. If a car's mileage is on the high side, it suggests that the car doesn’t have much life left in it and will wear out in little time because of the strain on its mechanical parts.
3. Check the Car's Engine
A car's engine is one of the most important things to check during a used car inspection. Open the bonnet when the engine is not running. Check for rust (in case there’s corrosion, examine the severity), oil leakages, and the hoses and fan belts for creaks.
Take the car for a spin. Listen for any noise from the engine while you're at it. As you do so, you get a feel of how smoothly the engine runs. This will help to further clear doubts that you may be having about the car's working condition.
4. Check the Car's Painting
Don't ignore aesthetics. Seeing a car for the first time can give you an idea of how well the vehicle has been maintained. A simple tour of the car, while looking out for dents and scratches or any other body deformity, may be sufficient to determine whether a vehicle is worth buying or not.
Don't get nitpicky, though. The car doesn't have to be perfect body-wise. It's a used car, and so you should overlook easily fixable scratches. It goes without saying that a serious seller could do a paint touchup to make the vehicle more appealing. Keep that in mind.
5. Check the Interiors
For clarity, the interior includes the sound system, dashboard, floors, and car seats. Look out for dust and stains, tears, creases, and the smells the seats give off. A well-maintained used car will score well in all of these inspections. Also, check the car seats' material to know if they'll need any changing or how soon they need to be changed.
The dashboard is also an integral part that many buyers overlook. The odometer, the accelerometer, and other lighting systems should be in good working condition if the car were well maintained.
That said, let’s answer two more FAQs about used cars.
#FAQ 1: Should I Get a Used Car Inspected Before Buying?
Yes, you absolutely should! Otherwise, how else would you decide if the car is worth your money? Taking someone else’s word for it is risky. It pays to do due diligence when buying a used car.
It will cost a few hundred dollars for a full inspection by a certified mechanic. So I recommend you involve a trusted auto mechanic in the inspection process, unless you’re an expert. It’ll be well worth the expense.
#FAQ 2: What Is a Good Used Car Mileage?
Mileage is a measure of distance. Generally, the lower the mileage, the safer the purchase. But high mileage isn't the ultimate measure of how spent a car is. Consider this example:
A car-owner whose job requires him to commute the highway may have an 80,000 km as the mileage on his odometer. Still, the probabilities are high that this car has been better maintained than a vehicle with lower mileage readings since the owner wouldn't want his car to disappoint him in the middle of nowhere. Do you get the drift?
Now, a good recommendation for used car mileage is 20,000 km on average per year. So if you're buying a car that's, say, five years old, the mileage should be 100,000 km or less.
Nevertheless, don't make mileage the sole determinant of which car you buy. Compare this with the car's maintenance history, the outlook, and the car's body condition. With those, you're likelier to have better judgment in determining which car you buy or do not buy.
Bottom Line
A second-hand car is a great way to get mobile without straining your finances. But that's only true if you buy a good car. So when purchasing your vehicle, make sure to look into its history. You may not be able to tell what the future holds for the car, but you don't have to run with blinders on, either. By carefully examining a car’s past, you can more accurately predict the future.
There's an abundance of helpful car tips like this on CarPartAU’s blog. Stick around long enough, learn as much as you can, and we might just award you a CarPart Diploma!
By Damilare Olasinde