This is the article where you can find all the tricks on how to internally check a used car to see if it is in a good condition. Cars cost a lot of money and you want to be sure that your money is well spent.
INSIDE
• A steering wheel and at least 1 seat, preferably in front of the steering wheel.
• Sit in the car, get the feel of it, a car that is 2 or 3 years old should not have shabby gear knobs, worn out sits or heavily scratched pedals.
• Check that the seatbelts are ok, put the seatbelt on and give it a pull, if the buckle comes loose it usually means the car was in a shunt and the seatbelt absorbed the forward movement of the passenger during impact.
• Take a really hard look at the dashboard, especially the inside part close to the analogue miles meter. If there are fingertips signs on the inside, there is a great chance that the meter has been tampered with, the oldest trick in the book.
• Check that all the switches and buttons work properly. Imagine buying a car and while driving on the highway something happens and you need to turn the hazard lights on, and they don’t work, this will be really unpleasant.
• Finally check the cars service records, ideally a car should be serviced by authorised mechanics only.
• A steering wheel and at least 1 seat, preferably in front of the steering wheel.
• Sit in the car, get the feel of it, a car that is 2 or 3 years old should not have shabby gear knobs, worn out sits or heavily scratched pedals.
• Check that the seatbelts are ok, put the seatbelt on and give it a pull, if the buckle comes loose it usually means the car was in a shunt and the seatbelt absorbed the forward movement of the passenger during impact.
• Take a really hard look at the dashboard, especially the inside part close to the analogue miles meter. If there are fingertips signs on the inside, there is a great chance that the meter has been tampered with, the oldest trick in the book.
• Check that all the switches and buttons work properly. Imagine buying a car and while driving on the highway something happens and you need to turn the hazard lights on, and they don’t work, this will be really unpleasant.
• Finally check the cars service records, ideally a car should be serviced by authorised mechanics only.
UNDER THE BONNET
• Check the oil dipstick of the car. If it is not near the maximum level then it means that the owner did not look after the car properly.
• If the oil in the engine is black it translates to a damaged engine. Its colour must be golden.
• Check for oil licks, dripping hoses are a bad thing for a car.
• Oil filler cap must be clean, if you see white thick sticky stuff, turn around and walk away; a damaged head gasket is really expensive to repair.
• Check the oil dipstick of the car. If it is not near the maximum level then it means that the owner did not look after the car properly.
• If the oil in the engine is black it translates to a damaged engine. Its colour must be golden.
• Check for oil licks, dripping hoses are a bad thing for a car.
• Oil filler cap must be clean, if you see white thick sticky stuff, turn around and walk away; a damaged head gasket is really expensive to repair.
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Next time you go to view a car that you are thinking on buying have in mind all of the above, it’s important to identify early on if a car has any problems.
Finally don’t forget to take the car to a mechanic of your trust so that everything will be checked and rechecked.
Finally don’t forget to take the car to a mechanic of your trust so that everything will be checked and rechecked.
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