Guide to Inspecting Used Car before Purchase

Get Help Examining a Used Car before Purchasing

Mihir Patel

Some Important Things to Look for When Inspecting a Used Car before Purchase

Planning to buy a car but have confusion about weather to buy a new or used car? There is no doubt that buying a used car is the least expensive option, but it is important to make sure that you take the proper steps to ensure you don’t buy a piece of junk. Used car purchases come with risks and you should do what ever you can to avoid them. Here are some steps you can take to make sure the used vehicles you might buy have not had a bad past and that their performance matches their price tags. Here are some tips for buying second hand cars that will help you avoid future issues

Check history record of used car
One of the first steps before purchasing a cheap used car should be checking its history by its VIN (Vehicle Identification Number). Even though history reports can’t guarantee buyers that the vehicle is running perfectly, it will at least give car buyers some information about its past history. For example, if car was totaled in an accident.

Check for leaks
It is possible for the engine to look very clean and shinny at first glance, but that doesn’t mean there are no leaks. The best way to search for leakage is to look underneath the vehicle around the transmission and around all the lower part of the engine. You can expect water to be leaking from the air conditioner, but anything else should be viewed as a red flag.

Check Oil fillers neck
It is also important to see if there is any black buildup under the oil cap. If you see a bunch of old oil all built up it typically means that previous owner hasn’t changed the oil for long time, or in some cases it could indicate the engine has overheated. If you happen to find that the car you’re looking at has this issue, you might want to avoid buying it because serious problems could be around the corner.

Check for engine noises
Noises like knocking or tapping is a clear indication of poor maintenance and could possible mean that the vehicle has ran out of oil at some point. If the engine make lots of noise, avoid buying that used car.

Check instrument panel
One of the simplest steps in check a used car for problems is to check instrument panel for any warnings. There should not be any warning lights on. If you see “low oil level”, “overheating”, or “check engine” you should probably pass on the vehicle.

Test Drive
Taking a test drive is the most important step before purchasing a used car. The more you test drive the used car the better chances you have of discovering possible problems. If you do find any engine problems, like delay in acceleration, vibrations, or smoke avoid buying the car. It is also good practice to have the vehicle inspected by an experienced mechanic prior to buying.

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