Useful advices for “young” motorists that have decided to buy an old car: how to choose and check a car before buying.
How to choose a used car? What do you need to know and what to be guided by in order to make the right choice? What to pay special attention to when examining, and how to carry it out correctly? How not to fall for the bait of dealers or an unscrupulous owner? You will find answers to all these questions in this article. By following the recommendations in it step by step, you can choose a car that will not disappoint you.
Decide on the budget and purpose of the purchase
First, decide what you need a car for: for trips to the dacha, hunting or fishing, or a simple city car in order to get to your place of work. It depends on your goals and needs what characteristics and additional options the car should have, ranging from the type of body, filling under the hood and the type of gearbox to various lotions such as air conditioning and cruise control. Once you have decided on these parameters, you can start looking for a car. To do this, make a list of the models you are interested in and read the reviews of the owners. Check all the options that did not suit you. After sifting, you should get a small list of 5, maximum 10 models.
Secondly, find out the average price of the selected cars on the market and correlate it with your financial capabilities. Draw the appropriate conclusions. After that, the search circle will be narrowed down by a couple of models, and the list will take on its final form. But keep in mind that while searching, you may come across better options and at a more affordable price, so it is not necessary to choose from the compiled list.
We start searching
You can search in different ways:
- Advertisements on the Internet. This is a very convenient way to search. Without leaving home, you can find a suitable car, familiarize yourself with its characteristics, see photos. It is better to search for ads on those sites that specialize in the sale of cars.
- Through friends. Buying through someone you know is a good and reliable option. In this case, you will know exactly what the car experienced, who and how did not drive it. Of course, the chances that the car you need will be with your friends is very small, but it's worth asking around, and it will be much easier to bargain.
- Used cars in the showroom. Many motorists use the trade-in program when buying a new car. Ask at car dealerships, maybe they have decent used cars at reasonable prices.
- Car market. It is convenient in that a large number of models are presented there, and there is always plenty to choose from. If you like the car, you can immediately inspect it and talk to the owner. True, the disadvantage of this search method is that, as a rule, there are resellers on the car market, who can not always please the buyer with high-quality supported cars and give full information about his past.
When inspecting a car, we would recommend using the following algorithm
Selection criteria for a supported car (inspection):
- First of all, ask the owner to submit documents for the car: PTS, certificate of registration. Study them carefully. It is desirable that the TCP was original, and there were no additional marks in it. If there are problems with the documents, it is better to refuse to buy such a car.
- Begin inspection from the body. Inspect it carefully: the presence of chips, increased gaps, uneven seams, a difference in color and texture of the paint itself - all this suggests that the car has been in an accident. A car that has been in a serious accident may not be able to withstand the second one. Buying a broken car is not worth it. Many owners mask body defects with various moldings, overlays and stickers. Be careful.
- Examine the engine. There should be no smudges, no extraneous sounds - the motor should literally whisper. The wiring must be intact. Inspect the spark plugs if they have ash deposits - the engine is faulty. Look at the color of the exhaust - it should be almost transparent and dissipate quickly.
- Examine the salon. The upholstery must be clean and free of "stains". Look under the rugs, there should be no moisture. Check the safety belts and seat adjustment mechanism. Ask about the serviceability of additional equipment: air conditioning, music and other electrical equipment.
- Check the operation of the vehicle undercarriage. Pay attention to whether the machine is loose. Make sure that the brake system is in good working order: with the engine off, press the brake pedal: its travel should decrease. Check the operation of the shock absorbers, see if there are oil leaks on the struts. If they are present, then the counter is broken, and this is already a reason to bargain.
If you have friends or acquaintances who are well versed in cars, ask them to go for an inspection. As they say, one head is good, but two are better. It is advisable to go to a service station before buying a used car and carry out a full diagnosis of all vehicle systems.
When inspecting cars, make notes in your notebook. So it will be much easier for you to navigate and make a choice.
