Inspecting a Used Vehicle

If you are a tech-oriented person and can fix your own car – good for you; you are one of the few.  Most people know how to add oil and fill tires; that's as far as it goes.  However, you do not have to be a mechanic to be able to inspect a vehicle you want to purchase.  We’re not talking about assessing the condition of the engine, that is a job for a professional, but checking the general condition of a vehicle is within everyone's capabilities. Small inspections will allow you to save a few dollars when it comes to buying a used vehicle. 

Prior to attempting the inspection, make sure you are well prepared.  Put on something you don't mind getting dirty – you don’t want to inspect vehicles in a new suit.  You will need to take the following things with you:

You should start by inspecting the body of the vehicle.  Take a few laps around the car and make note of its general appearance.  Pay close attention to the car’s paint; you may notice that different car parts are covered in different paint.  It can be something as obvious as tone mismatch or something that is a bit harder to notice – the glare.  All parts of the vehicle should be of the same color and be equally shiny or dull.  If you notice that one of the vehicle's parts differs from others – good chances that this vehicle has been in an accident or was repainted for some other reason.  You should look for these things from some distance – you will not be able to see the full picture when you get closer and may miss some problems.  You should mark this down and ask the seller about the issue, especially if the seller stated that the vehicle had never been in an accident.  Vehicles that have been in an accident are generally avoided as they are more prone to various breakdowns, even if the vehicle has been well-repaired.  Malfunctions do not always show themselves during your inspection or test-drive. Problems may appear a few days or months later. There is no way to be certain.

Let's get closer to the vehicle.  You can run another test that will allow you to determine whether the car has been in an accident.  If the vehicle's paint is shiny, it should act as a mirror and reflect everything around.  Stand at the front of the vehicle and look along its body towards the hood.  The reflection should be smooth.  If you notice any ripples, it means that there are small indentations on the vehicle's surface.  In most cases, such indentations are signs of repairs and you may suspect that this vehicle has been damaged in an accident.

Got that magnet?  Now is the time to use it.  Try to stick it to all metal body parts.  If the magnet won't stick in some places, it means that there is fiberglass or other car filler under the paint.  Car fillers are used to repair damages.  Note: it might be a good idea to put a sheet of paper between the magnet and the vehicle's body, otherwise you may scratch the paint.

Once you're done with all that, you should start looking for rust.  The amount of rust will show you how well the previous owner cared for the vehicle and it may be a good indication of the overall vehicle's condition.  If the seller did not bother to repair rust when it appeared for the first time – who can guarantee that he changed oil regularly or went through any mechanical inspections?  The rust must be repaired as soon as it appears, the further it progresses, the harder it is to repair.  Places where the rust appears most commonly (door panels, the undercarriage, and wheel arches).  Don't just look for large spots – even a small amount of corrosion may indicate the beginning of large troubles. 

Once you are down there looking for rust, you should also assess the underside of the vehicle for any leaks.  That's when your flashlight comes handy.  Moist spots may be the sign of break fluid or fuel leakage, which may endanger you during your test drive. 

Done with the underside?  Don't get up yet, you still have tires to check.  First of all, check if all tires are inflated properly.  Sellers usually keep their vehicles ready for test-driving and if the tires have low pressure, they might be faulty.  Check if all tires are the same, observe the amount of wear.  If you notice that some tires have less wear than others, you should talk about it with the seller.  Some vehicle problems may cause uneven wear and the seller might be trying to hide these problems by changing these tires to a new set.  The tread on new tires is approximately 8 mm deep.  The depths should never be less than 1.5-2 mm. If it reaches this level, you should change your tires.  Look for signs of physical damage on all tires – cuts, cracks, or bubbles may cause the tire to blow up when you do not expect it to.

The engine is probably one thing that should really be inspected by a professional. However, you can still do a few things there.  Pop the hood and take a good look at the engine.  Is it dirty?  Does it have any signs of fluid leakage?  Any corrosion?  If the engine is clean and there is no oil to be seen, it may mean two things. It might be in good condition or it could have been cleaned just for this occasion to hide some malfunction.  If you see that the engine is dirty, or covered in oil or rust, it usually means that the owner did not look after his vehicle and it will be quite expensive to maintain.

Make sure that the engine is cold and not running.  Start by checking the oil.  The oil must be clean, cloudy-yellowish in appearance.  The oil should never be black, it is a good sign that the previous owner did not bother changing the oil frequently.  You should also take a look at the oil dipstick. The oil level should be adequate.  Problems with oil quickly become problems with the engine, so this may be a good time to walk away.

Check the coolant in the radiator.  The coolant must also be clean and its levels must always be observed.  If you notice that coolant is too cloudy, dirty, or has rust particles in it, you may start looking at other vehicles.  Cooling system repairs will cost a good buck, so watch out.

Prior to getting inside the vehicle, it is a good idea to check the condition and contents of the trunk.  Make sure there is no rust there and there is a spare tire there.  The vehicle should also have the minimum number of tools that are necessary to change your tires.  Make sure the size of the trunk is adequate.

Finally, it's time to look at the interior.  It does not mean getting behind the wheel straight away.  Start by opening all doors.  Inspect the bottom of each door – this is the place you don't see often,. However, there might be some rust hidden in there.  Inspect every door frame carefully.  Try to lift a door when it's open.  If the hinges are in a good condition, it should not move too much.  A door that slides up and down is not normal.

Lift up those floor pads.  Better yet – take them out of the car.  These things can be easily replaced and we are not worried about their condition, but pay close attention to the floors under those pads.  These places accumulate dirt and water that damage your floor’s surface.  Once again, repairing your floors will cost you much more than replacing floor pads.  Make use of the flashlight and inspect places under the steering wheel.  Do the same on the passenger side.  You should also check all panels; see if you are satisfied with the amount of wear.  Better to note such things now than when you purchase the car.

Close the doors and get into the driver's seat.  Start by testing all systems – air conditioning (if there is one), radio, and all lights and switches.  Once you're done, get approval from the seller and go out for a test drive (Read more on test-driving a vehicle in our "Test-driving a used vehicle" section).

When you come back from the test drive, don't rush to make your decision.  Pop that hood again and take another look at the engine.  Do you notice any changes?  Any new spots?  Wait for the engine to cool down and take a look at those oil and coolant again.  Does it look like it did prior to the drive?  Beware: you should never try to open any engine compartments while the engine is running or when it is still hot.  Most fluids are kept under pressure and are hot. Opening a cap on the radiator or oil compartment may cause heavy burns and bodily damage.

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