Used car: what to pay attention to before buying
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08/02/2024
Among Ukrainians and not only, the purchase of used cars significantly outweighs the purchase of new ones from the showroom. After all, the price is much more attractive, and the choice is large. But often such a step resembles a lottery. What to do so as not to draw a losing ticket? Our answer is to check .
And it is even better to entrust this matter to specialists who know exactly about all the pitfalls.
Don't trust auto repair shops?
Then here are tips on what steps to take before buying a used car.
Step 1. Choosing a car
First of all, answer yourself for what purpose you are buying a car.
After all, even if you have been dreaming of a 5-liter AMG Mercedes for a long time, and you have two children, and the purpose of buying a car is to take children to school and kindergarten, you should look for something else. Do not be lazy to find out the cost and features of the service. Don't forget that you are buying a used vehicle. And each type and brand has its own "sick" places. Good and specialized auto repair shops know this.
But if you decide to figure things out on your own, collect as much information as possible about the model of the desired car. You can find information about typical problems of specific brands on special forums, in video reviews on Youtube and from specialists at service stations.
For example, if you want to take a Volkswagen Golf or Passat with a 1.4 engine from 2004-2008, you should know that they have timing problems. This is a chain drive that needs to be changed every 100,000 miles. After all, if the mileage is already over 100 thousand and the timing has not changed, then all costs fall on your shoulders.
Find out how much the main parts that will most likely have to be changed cost, calculate the possible costs, consider what is more profitable for you: overpaying for the car itself or still paying for its repair. This is the principle by which each car model is examined.
Step 2. Documents
If you have already chosen a car, it's time to check its documents. Find out whether he was arrested, for theft, crime, smuggling. They are not looking for him in Interpol. There was a case when a person was stopped at the border and searched because, as it turned out, this car had once illegally transported prohibited goods.
Therefore, study the history: when were the last transactions, how many owners were there, what mileage was indicated at previous sales, whether the car was in an accident, etc. Only a lazy person does not know about twisted mileage. Therefore, do not trust the numbers on the odometer panel, but additionally check on computer diagnostics.
If the car model is chosen, its "sick" places are found, all the nuances of maintenance are explained and the documents are checked, it's time for service.
Step 3. Diagnostics
Don't skimp on diagnostics. Used cars require a thorough inspection.
- Body and chassis. Be sure to check the condition of levers, silent blocks, shock absorbers. Check for signs of recent repairs.
In the photo, diagnostics of the car chassis
Ask for help from levelers and painters with experience to find out if the body was painted. It is important that the geometry is preserved. If the corners do not meet somewhere, then in the future there may be problems with the door locks, the windows will not close well, and the windshield may even crack. And also brakes, pads, hoses. Shock absorbers should be checked on a test platform (known as a "shaker" or "vibrostand"). If you have to change them, this should be taken into account when buying a car, because the cost is quite significant.
Carefully inspect all gaps.
- DVZ It is important to find out whether there are any leaks and excessive noise. Conduct a so-called visual-acoustic inspection of the engine.
If there is a suspicion of certain problems, then it is worth doing an endoscopy (especially for Volkswagen and BMW).
This will make it possible to determine the state of the power plant. You eliminate the risks of buying a car with burrs in the cylinders, which often happens if the previous driver liked to "gas". What are burrs in cylinders? In simple words, it's very bad, you shouldn't buy such a car.
- Sazhevyk If the car is diesel, it is important to check how clogged the particulate filter is, as well as the number of its regenerations and the amount of soot in the filter. This is done using computer diagnostics.
When the soot plug fails, the engine loses its power. It is also possible to measure exhaust gas pressure and endoscopy of the particulate filter and catalyst.
- Turbocharger. If the car is equipped with a turbocharger, you need to remove the nozzle and measure the axial and longitudinal backlash.
The appearance of the turbocharger is in terrible condition
In the photo, the turbocharger is in good condition.
The state of the turbocharger is a reflection of the entire state of the engine. After all, with careless maintenance, the blades of the turbine wheel will be covered with dust and sand, which let through cheap filters and filters that have not been changed according to the regulations, break through and let everything into the engine. The first to take it upon themselves, after the filter, is the turbine, and then everything gets into the engine.
- Errors in the system. Conduct computer diagnostics to identify malfunctions or errors in the system. It is known that some unscrupulous sellers erase errors before selling.
Therefore, it is important to use original diagnostic equipment (that is, special for BMW, Volkswagen, etc.). So you will get a more detailed and meaningful story. During this, you can immediately check the true mileage.
- Salon. Pay attention to the number of indicator lamps that light up on the dashboard. Even if the seller assures you that it is enough to replace the fuse or light bulb to correct the situation, you should make sure that he is correct before buying a car. Behind each "light bulb" that signals a malfunction, there is a whole system and it needs to be investigated and find out how expensive the repair is.
Check whether all the buttons work, whether the mirrors and windows are adjustable, inspect the condition of the steering wheel. If the car was in an accident, be sure to check the airbags, namely their presence. Pay attention to unpleasant smells. If the car was heated, the water that got inside will give off a musty smell. The smell is only one component of a fueled car, if the smell is an unpleasant factor, then a problem with electronics, due to water getting into the cabin, is a huge waste of money and time.
With a good owner, the car can be in excellent condition even with 100,000 miles. As with a bad owner — the opposite.
Usually, if the interior is dirty, it means that the previous driver improperly looked after the technical component of the car.
- Transmission (automatic transmission). If your chosen car has an automatic transmission, check for jerks. When switching gears, everything should work smoothly, without shocks. From the beginning of the movement to its end, the ideal option is considered when the user does not even feel the gear shift.
Automatic transmission is a very complex and high-precision mechanism, and its repair is extremely expensive. This should be taken into account if, during the testing process, there are suspicions of improper operation of the transmission.
- Test ride. During a test drive, pay attention to the dynamics of the car, whether anything knocks, whether the steering wheel works properly. Brakes, handling and dynamics should be felt and without excessive, excessive efforts. And most importantly, you should like all this, because you choose the car for yourself.
It would be nice to drive on the cobblestones. This will make all the troubles of the car especially noticeable.
Result
Remember: having saved a thousand hryvnias on inspection, you can lose a much larger amount in the future. Therefore, if you are going to buy a used car and do not know much about this topic, it is better to consult with a specialist before buying. Thanks to this, you can avoid trouble with repairs in the future.
Good car services and responsible craftsmen!