Many are the times when we find the need to buy a used car.
The unfortunate thing is that most of us go to the sellers with only the specification of the vehicle we want to buy.
We don’t take our time to inspect a used car thoroughly. Most people do very few checks on the vehicle they are buying only to be surprised later on realizing some flaws with the vehicle that they just invested their savings or loan on.
We believe that you do not need to be an expert to check the integrity of a car before you settle on it.
We are therefore here to help you know what to look out for. Below is a list of items you should check before settling on a second-hand car.
The Car Basics
| Year |
| Make |
| Model (any options?) |
| Asking Price |
| Trade-in Value |
The Body
| Scratches |
| Dents |
| Windshield (chips or cracks?) |
| Headlights (foggy?) |
| Inspection Sticker Current? |
| Rusty Brake rotors? |
Note that even small scratches can get really expensive to repair. Matching paint is difficult.
You have to be sure that you won’t mind driving around with scratches if you find them on the vehicle, otherwise, just walk away. On the note, never inspect a wet car, it hides scratches.
When inspecting glass, ensure you look at it from different angles because
some chips can be hard to see.
Rusty brake rotors indicate a car that has been sitting for long. This is a red flag if you need to inspect a used car.
Remember cars are desired to be driven, thus a car that has been sitting for a long time can develop problems that you may not notice during the test drive.
The Wheels
| Tire Tread condition – |
| All 4 tires and rims the same? |
| Wheel damage? |
Tires and wheels are expensive, therefore, when you go out to inspect a used car, it is paramount that you ensure they are in good shape.
Ensure both front and rear wheels are identical, the treads are not worn out beyond the wear indicator band in the treads of the tire and that the rims are not peeling off.
Also, confirm that the tires are the recommended ones for the car.
Under the Car
| Leaks (near engine and rear diff) |
| Rust (exhaust, frame, body, etc) |
| Suspension (tie rods, ball joints, shocks, axle, etc) |
| Frame Damage (from collision) |
If the car you are inspecting has the spare wheel carrier, be sure to inspect it well for any crumples and damage because if the vehicle was involved in a rear end collision, body shops hardly manage to unbend and perfectly repair that metal.
Questions to ask the owner (make sure the story is realistic and answers questions consistently)
1.) How long have you owned the car?
2.) Why are you selling it?
3.) Does everything work/any problems?
4.) Any service records, what have you done since owning the car?
5.) What did you use the car for?
6.) How many miles did you put on it when you owned it?
7.) What car are you looking to get now? Why?
Things to Bring
-OBDII Scanner -Magnet -Flashlight -Paper towel -Pen
From your Research
If you are specific about a particular car, be sure to research the things they are known to be notorious for.
For instance, When researching Mazda Demio, you notice that there are complaints about the back axle cracking and even breaking at time.
Therefore, when you go out to inspect a used car, check this out.
Engine (start cold, let warm-up, go for a ride)
Scan Engine with OBDII Scanner (P1000= codes cleared recently, you don’t want to see this code)
| Before Startup | |
| Hood pops open easily? | Hood support/struts work? |
| Frame (straight, no kinks) | Clean vs Dirty (was the engine detailed) |
| Inspect for leaks (oil, coolant, tranny) | Any damage/new parts |
| Oil level and oil (no metal, not frothy) | Oil Cap (no froth under cap) |
| Check Coolant (make sure it’s not hot when you check) | Hoses, belts, battery post, wires, etc |
| Cold Startup | |
| Any strange noises/smoke? (ticking, grinding, etc) | Does it take too long to start? |
| Does the motor move a lot (bad motor mounts) | Check under oil cap (strong pulses/smoke) |
| Idle (does the idle drop and smooth out) | Check exhaust for smoke upon startup |
| Warm Startup | |
| Any strange noises/smoke? (ticking, grinding, etc) | Does it take too long to start? |
| Check under oil cap (strong pulses/smoke/froth) | Idle (does the idle drop and smooth out) |
| Bubbling in radiator reservoir? (blown headgasket) | Check exhaust for smoke upon startup |
Be careful about overly detailed engine compartment, in most cases, there is something hidden behind that shiny look.
The rule of thumb for under the hood check is to check for damages and anything that is out of the ordinary.
From under the hood, check if the frame (fender and core support) is straight.
Again, if the car was involved in an accident, body shops will hardly manage to straighten up the frame perfectly.
Also, check the front bumper and the front cross member for any damages. if it is bent inwards, then either the left or the right side frames have been pulled inwards.
The torch should help you inspect for oil leaks under the hood. Remember to go underneath the vehicle since leaks drip downwards. You will use the paper towel to check the power steering fluid.
There should be no specks of black and it should not be dark. The paper towel is also used to check the engine oil.
The oil should not be frothy or have metallic specks. When checking the engine oil, if the oil cap has a filthy white oil, like a milkshake, that could be an indication that the vehicle has a cylinder head gasket leak.
The hoses should not be bulging, cracked, and brittle. The belt shouldn’t look shiny, worn and should feel tight on pressing.
As the engine starts up, there should be no smoke from the exhaust since it could mean that the valves are leaking into the combustion chamber while the car was sitting among other things.
When the engine is revving, if you get white smoke, there could be a gasket leak and if you get blue smoke, the pistons rings are worn out.
When the car is started and the motor or engine movement is much, the mounts could be broken. Confirm that there are no leaks when the engine is running.
With the engine running, open the engine oil cap and feel if there are any pulsing of air, pressure or vacuum and smoke coming out from there.
These could be signs of a damaged engine. Little pressure or vacuum is normal.
The engine should not vibrate and the revving should be constant. Remember to do the checks again after the engine is warm or hot. Also check the in
Interior
| Seats: Front and rear | |
| Damage, rips, tares, stains, smell | Solid/no movement |
| Adjust properly (forward, back, tilt) | Ensure the powered seat adjustment works |
| Carpet: Front, rear, and trunk | |
| Check Under Carpets (rust, water) | Floor mats? |
| Stains, holes, cuts, smell, dampness | |
| Trunk: | |
| Spare (holds air, not rusty) | Jack with lug wrench |
| Spare tire carrier round (no indents) | Lug nut key (locking lug-nuts) |
| Water marks, damp carpet? | |
| Vehicle Options: | |
| Power Windows (roll up/down, scratches) | Window tint (bubbles, legal) |
| Power Mirrors (heat and movement) | Power Locks (all doors lock/unlock) |
| Radio (am/fm/clock set right, speakers work) | AC/Heat (all settings, all vents) |
| Navigation (make sure it locates) | Sunroof (opens/closes, no leaks) |
| Rear View Mirror (auto-dim) | Parking Sensors (beep in reverse) |
| Lights (glove box, map, dashboard, etc) | Emergency Brake Holds car in Neutral |
| Heated Seats | Wipers and washer fluid work |
| Check for Owner’s Manual | All Gauges Work |
| Headliner: | |
| Sagging? | Water Damage, Burns, damage |
| Wear and Tear: | |
| Gas/Brake Pedal | Steering Wheel |
| Shift Knob | Seats/Carpet |
If the vehicle has power seat, ensure that they are working as well. To inspect a used car interior, always check for water spots, they help you knw if there are leaks in the vehicle. In particular, under the mats.
When water leaks, it will tend to collect under the mat and this will cause that area to rust. It is a good practice to hit the floor at these points to feel for soft spots.
You can even check underneath to check to rust. The pedals can also help you determine if the odometer has been rolled back.
The wear on them should match the odometer reading. The trunk can also tell you a thing or two about the owner of you are buying directly.
Exterior
| Lights | |
| High/Low Beams | Front Running Lights |
| Front Fog Lights | Front Turn Signals |
| Brake Running Lights | Pressed Brake Lights (3rd brake light) |
| Rear Turn Signals | Rear Fog Lights |
| Bodywork | |
| Panel Gaps | Paint Seams on edge of panels |
| Bondo (magnet and tapping methods) | |
| Tires | |
| Turn lock to lock | Inspect tread-wear |
| Inspect camber/toe angle |
To inspect a used car panel gaps, use your finger to run through the gaps. if the gaps are uneven, most probably the vehicle has been involved in an accident.
It can also help you identify sagging doors. The paint edges help you determine if the car has been repainted.
These are the places where the tape will be put so that paint doesn’t fall onto the other parts.
The springs should not be rusted. You can bounce the car up and down at the wheel positions, it should be firm and not easy to move. There should be no noise from the springs or shocks.
There should be no squish or cracking since they could indicate bad ball joints or bushings. There should be no oil and grease leaks on the shocks strut, ball joint, brake caliper, and axle boot.
While at it, ensure the brake rotors are smooth. From both from and behind, you can check the alignment of the wheels, they shouldn’t have conspicuous negative or positive camber.
The treads can also show if the wheels are aligned. The rate of tear of the treads should be the same, otherwise, the wheel has a positive or negative camber.
The magnet is used to check for repainting as well especially with a steel body vehicle.
Test Drive (go for a regular drive city and highway)
| Acceleration Test: smooth, no knocks or hesitation, | |
| Regular Acceleration | Hard Acceleration |
| Turning Test | |
| Stationary- turn lock to lock (noise/feel) | Moving- turn 360 (noise/feel both ways) |
| Turn back and forth in motion to sway car (controlled, squeaks, knocks) | Hard turn while moving (controlled, squeaks, knocks) |
| Brake Test -smooth, no pulls, no noises, no vibrations | |
| Regular Braking | Hard Braking (try to activate abs) |
| ABS Light on dash? | Noise/pulling? |
| Highway: stop and go, bumps, turns, slower | |
| RPM (top gear/overdrive) | Smooth/controlled/comfortable/solid |
| Noises (thuds, squeaks, whines) | Downshift at cruising speed |
| Cruise Control | Does it shift smoothly |
| City: stop and go, bumps, turns, slower | |
| Noises (thuds, squeaks, whines) | Vibrations |
| Does the car feel good to drive? | Shifting (smooth, crisp, no slipping) |
| Scan Engine again after Test Drive |
ETIQUETTE: Only go for a test drive if you truly want to buy the car. While making the 360 turns, ensure you turn the wheels to the largest angle until you can’t turn it anymore.
Pay attention to anything that doesn’t feel and sound normal. Ensure the suspension is comfortable and firm. The steering wheel should not vibrate. Ask if the car has a spare key.
Before you make any deposit for the car, ensure it is not owned by another third party like a bank or a company.
If you need to inspect a used car and you need help checking the vehicle against this list, feel free to engage us.