Basic tips while buying a second hand car

There are many who prefer a second hand car as their 1st one. This can be due to quite a few reasons. Primary ones being budget constrains, still a learner and hence just to get your hands set and be a confident driver before going in for a new one or moving out in sometime and no one to take care of the vehicle while you are gone.

I personally feel these two things are better to be first hand, one - Wife, two - Vehicle. However there are a few friends who think otherwise. According to them its better to gain experience from the experienced. ;) And hence writing this in two parts - Basic tips and Advanced tips, for the benefit of those friends and all you out there looking for a second hand car.

Just because its a second hand car it doesn't mean you pick up any piece of scrap in the name of a car. Cmon its your hard earned money that you will be paying. Isn't it. Well if that wouldn't be the case you wouldn't be going in for a second hand car or for that matter reading this in the 1st place. Not that you are a car freak and just want to know all about car care and stuff. So not wasting any more time here we get started.

Basic Tips


A. General

1. Walk around the car to check its level. If it sags to one side, it may have some broken springs or a serious suspension problem.
2. Press each corner of the car. If the car keeps on bouncing up and down beyond once or at the most twice, it means the shock absorbers need replacement.

B. Check the tyres throughly.

1. If the odometer shows low reading and the tyres are new, it may mean the odometer has been tempered.
2. Check to ensure that all the tyres including the spare one, are of the same brand, size and type
3. Check the tread depth. If less than 1.5 mm of tread depth is left, if would mean the tyres have to be replaced.
4. Look for the year of manufacture of the tyre - for new cars it should match teh manufacture year of the car
5. Look for any scuffing, cracks or bulges on the sidewalls. Also inspect each rim edge ot look for any dents or cracks. A heavy dent may mean misalignment or damaged suspension.

C. Body

1. Check the condition of the body. Look in particular for an scratches, dents and rust. A careful look at the paint colour and finish would reveal whether the car had any accident and was repainted. A repainted body, howsoever carefully done, cannot duplicate the texture and finish of the factory’s baked-on paint. Even a good repaint job which may even be glossier than the original shine, may not weather the same for long.
   
2. Look for clues of body repair on the hood, trunk lid and the door sills. In case of repaint, there may be signs of ‘overspray’ or paint spray on the rubberseals around the body openings. A magnet may also come in handy to detect a hidden patched up dent on the body (of course, not on a fibre glass body). The dents are usually filled up with an epoxy body filler which is nonconducting. So the magnet will not stick on such an area of the body.
   
3. Apart from accidental damage, it is also important to detect any rusting on the body; and if over looked, the same may prove very costly. In particular, look for blistered paint or rust spots around the wheel wells, the sheet metal below the doors and the bottoms of the doors. Flashlight may be used to look on the inner side of the wheels.

D. Interiors

1. Seats: Check all the seats. They should not sag and all the adjustments should be in working order. In case of a car with the odometer showing low reading. Upholstery should not be badly worn out. Check in particular, the driver’s seat. Make sure that along with steering column and wheel adjustments, you can have a good driving position.
   
2. Pedal rubbers: A fair indication of use is given by the condition of rubber on the clutch, accelerator and brake pedals. A lower wear of rubbers would mean that the car has done less mileage. A badly worn out clutch pedal rubber may also mean that the driver has been in the habit of riding the clutch, putting a strain on it, causing the clutch lining to wear excessively.
   
3. Start and idling: Start the engine to verify whether it is hard to start from cold. Let it idle and note whether the idling is smooth
   
4. Instruments and controls: Operate every switch, button and lever to make sure that each one is working. Lock and unlock each door and operate all the windows. In case of sunroof, check up its working also. Press the horn switch to check up the same and try all the interior lights.
   
5. Temperature: Turn on the air conditioning and make sure the same blows cold. Check up the heater to see that it gives out hot air.

E. Inspecting the Trunk

A careful inspection of the car trunks may indicate water leaks, particularly if it smells musty or the carpet feels wet. Lift the carpet to check up for any water leak or rusting. The condition of the spare wheel and the tyre thereon should also be checked carefully.

F. Inspecting the bottom

1. If you are doing the inspection at the place where the car is usually parked, a careful look on the ground below till tell you whether any oil, coolant or fuel is leaking from the car. Otherwise, you will have to look at the car bottom.
   
2. Spread the old blanket you brought along, on the ground underneath the car. Look for any oil drops, other oily leaks or green coolant. Use your flashlight.
   
3. Inspect carefully the boots of the constant velocity joints. In case the rubber boots are split and grease is leaking. It indicates that these C-V joints shall be required to be replaced in the near future and that is quite costly.
   
4. Cheek up the residue at the tail pipe which should normally be dry and grey. A black and greasy residue indicates that the oil is being burnt in the engine. Heavy rusting on the exhaust pipe would mean that the same will have to be replaced soon.

G. 6 Step -Test drive

If the overall result of the above steps is positive. You should go for a test drive. which should last for about 20 to 30 minutes so as to be sure about certain systems.e.g.the cooling,heating and air conditioning.

1. After making various adjustments, fasten the seat belt and see that the drive seat is comfortable and first you well, that you are at a minimum distance of 250mm from the steering wheel and can still operate various pedals and other controls on the panel and all the displays are convenient to see.
   
2. Start the engine and let it idle. The engine Should idle smoothly without surging. Meanwhile turn the steering wheel to and fro to cheek whether there is any backlash present.
   
3. Start driving the car. It should accelerate from standstill without hesitating. The car should be able be able to cope up with the highway traffic without excessive gear shifting. There must be sufficient free play at the clutch pedal, the absence of which may indicate excessive wear of the clutch plate and hence the need to replace the clutch soon.
   
4. At a constant moderate speed on a smooth road, there should not be noticeable vibrations. Then drive the car on a bumpy road at about 50 kmph. There should not be many rattles or squeaks. Excessive bouncing and hopping may indicate suspension problems. In case the steering wheel shakes at highway speed, there may be problem of misalignment or wheel balance or both. Either of these can be easily remedied.
   
5. For testing brakes go to some empty stretch. Increase the speed to about 70 kmph and apply the brakes hard.The car must stop straight, quickly, without pulling to any side. Moreover applying the brakes should not require excessive effort. Try this braking a number of items to see that the car stops perfectly each time.
   
6. Stop the car on the roadside. Press the brake pedal continuously for at least 30 seconds. The pedal should not sink down or feel spongy. If it does, a leak is indicted in the braking system.

Well so everything seems to be fine, buy the vehicle. :) Would like to thank my friend whose a professional & has worked for Autocar India for helping me compile these tips. 

If you are satisfied with these, good. If not then stay tuned for my next post coming shortly on the Advanced Tips. 

Disclaimer:  These are just my thoughts and that I will not be responsible for any incorrect decision taken by you or any irreparable loss caused by following these tips. I still suggest you take a second opinion from a professional mechanic.