Home Automotive

How to Inspect a Used Car Before Making a Purchase?

Buying a car can be a matter of fun and pride. But any wrong selection of a vehicle can spoil the excitement. If you wish to buy a used car, you need to be sure that you’re buying the best car model and working condition. Things can be a bit overwhelming for a first-time car buyer, but don’t worry; you’ll get every information here.

According to a research report, used car prices are falling like never before. So it’s one of the best times to buy a used car and start enjoying the rides. But, instead of waiting too long, you should buy early, because you never know when suddenly the car prices will go up sooner than later.

At the same time, you must ensure that the vehicle you buy needs to be in its best working condition and perfect for future use. Here, the role of personal inspection comes in. Once you select a car within a predetermined price range, you should visit a showroom to manually inspect the vehicle that you are about to buy.

Here are simple tips that you should follow to manually inspect a car before bringing it home

Check Out the Exterior Body of the Vehicle

The first step towards manually inspecting the vehicle begins with manually checking its exterior parts. Next, pay close attention to the car’s overall body, including headlights, grille, windscreen wipers, wheels, and side turn indicators. Should you find any inconsistency or something that’s not right, don’t hesitate to notify the same to your dealer. You can ask for free repairs or replacement of faulty parts for minor defects. But you need to go for alternative car models for any major faults.

Check Tyres

You can’t overlook tires when you wish to bring a used car home. You must ensure that all tires (4+1) are of the same brand. Using tires of different brands is not advisable. While checking the cars for sale Tasmania, you need to ask the dealer if you see that a used car has tires of different brands installed. Any prudent car driver won’t do that. Another vital thing you can’t miss out on is checking the vehicle’s manufacture date.

It’s obvious that if the tires are quite old and have already covered 30,000—35,000 km, you should get a new set of tires. These tires need to be in proper shape and working condition. In a nutshell, you should manually check the tires. If they are not too old, the tires are good to go. But if the tires are too old and look weak, try to get these tires replaced.

Inspect the Cabin

You need at least 15-20 minutes to get the interiors of a used vehicle checked. Take your time and inspect everything, including whether the air conditioner is working, whether the metal parts need more repair work, the reading on the odometer, and if there is any problem with the ignition system.

Physically Examine the Delicate Areas

You need to be extra cautious while inspecting the delicate areas of the car, including joints on the doors, the metal sheet floor, and the vehicle’s roof. In addition, if the car has undergone any major repair work, it’s not advisable to buy that vehicle. You can instead choose any other second-hand car that is available within your budget.

It’s worth paying additional money for a used car that has gone through minor or negligible repair work. But you should never opt for a second-hand vehicle that has gone through any major repair work, even if the latter costs less!

Checking The Engine Oil Level

The car should be cool when you pour engine oil into the engine, and it’s in standby mode. Also, you need to be doubly sure about the quality of the oil used in the car. There won’t be much smell if the oil has been recently poured. Besides, the color of the oil will be crystal clear and transparent. But if the oil emits a bad smell, the vehicle requires an oil change.

You should request the dealer to add fresh oil before you take the vehicle home. In addition, you need to ensure that other car-related fluids, like brake fluid, are filled in their respective container inside the engine. Coolant (liquid) also needs to be stored in a reservoir.

In Conclusion

In a nutshell, buying a second-hand vehicle is not as tough as people consider it. However, being attentive at the time of buying can help you from harassment in the future. Furthermore, a few hours of inspection can save you time, money, and efforts, which would have otherwise been wasted by choosing the wrong vehicle.

After completing the above steps, it’s essential to ask for a test drive. It’s non-negotiable. A test drive gives you a complete idea of how the vehicle runs when in motion. If you love its drivability and enjoy cabin comfort, this pre-owned car is for you. Do the necessary paperwork and buy it!