Advanced tips while buying a second hand car

So you have finally made up your mind to go in for a second hand car. Congratulations :) However before you continue reading any further I'd advise you to go through the Basic Tips first so that this makes some sense.

1.       Roll on Test

a.       Bottom End Grunt

                                                               i.            Steps: Put car in 3rd gear – slow down to 20kmph and then accelerate to 80kmph. Keep accelerator pressed down completely.

                                                             ii.            Checks - The car should accelerate cleanly. There should be no unexpected jerks, loss of power.

                                                            iii.            Problems – Poor fuel metering, air cleaner clogged, engine not in tune.

                                                           iv.            Interpretation: Poor maintenance, car has not been taken care of properly – regular services may not have been carried out.

b.      Mid Range:

                                                               i.       Steps: Put car in 4th gear – slow down to 40kmph then accelerate to 100. Keep accelerator pressed down completely.

                                                             ii.      Checks – The car should accelerate cleanly. There should be no unexpected jerks, loss of power.

                                                            iii.      Problems - Poor fuel metering, air cleaner clogged, engine not in tune, Valves noise

                                                           iv.      Interpretation - Poor maintenance, car has not been taken care of properly – regular services may not have been carried out.

2.       Clutch Condition:

a.       Clutch Slippage: Clutch should not feel hard

                                                               i.      Steps: Depress clutch. Put car in reverse. Ensure there is no traffic or obstruction behind. Increase revs to 3500. Dump clutch. Stop after 3 – 4 seconds. OR Put car in first gear drive slowly till engine rpm is in mid range. Then accelerate hard all the way up to the top.

                                                             ii.      Checks: If car does not accelerate in keeping with revs then there may be clutch slippage. Some slippage will occur due to spinning wheels. Other than that the car should accelerate properly.

                                                            iii.       Problems: Clutch plate could be worn. Clutch might need setting.

3.       Gearbox

a.       Shifting

                                                               i.      Steps: Accelerate hard in first gear and quickly shift to second. Try down shifting from third to second as well.

                                                             ii.      Checks: Does the gear shift without baulking? Does it make a grinding sound? Does it slip out when under load.

                                                            iii.      Problems: This could be a problem with the synchromesh, or the gear lock.

                                                           iv.      Interpretation: Depends on the life of the vehicle, but by and large this means that the vehicle has been used roughly and maintenance has not been in keeping with the usage.

b.       Auto’ box – Planetary

                                                               i.      Steps: accelerate

4.       Steering

a.       Joints

                                                               i.      Steps: Go to a place where you can make constant radius turns. Drive slowly, put the car in first. Turn the steering wheel completely to the right and accelerate. Keep increasing speed for a couple of rounds. Do the same for the other side.

                                                             ii.      Checks: Listen for any knocking or clicking sounds.

                                                            iii.      Problem: The constant velocity joints could be worn. This is a rare occurrence in modern day cars. For most modern day cars this will be a rare occurrence since CV joints are fairly durable as long as the boot is not torn. Check for boot replacement or

                                                           iv.      Interpretation: Car has been driven for well over 40,000kms to get this kind of a problem. And it hasn’t been cared for. Replacing and servicing joints is fairly expensive.

5.        Engine Bay Inspection

Open the hood. Look for hood release latch, do not grope for it. Each car’s will be different. Ensure stay is securely on.

a.       Internal parts

                                                               i.      Using flashlight look at cams, valve springs, rockers.

                                                             ii.      They should be shiny and metallic

                                                            iii.      Coating of thick oil is a sign of poor maintenance and possible problems

                                                           iv.      Uneven wear is also not a good sign

Engine oil Condition

                                                               i.      Remove oil dipstick. Take oil between index finger and thumb.

                                                             ii.      Colour –

1.       It should not be dark black. Most oils will look dark after a few 100kms. But that is alright.

2.       Golden colour is a sign of fresh oil

a.       Viscosity

                                                               i.      Is it too thick?

1.       The oils should feel slick

2.       It should not feel watery

b.      Levels

                                                               i.      Wipe dipstick with cloth.

                                                             ii.      Reinsert completely into slot.

                                                            iii.      Pull out slowly

                                                           iv.      The oil line should be between the markings

c.      Particles

                                                               i.      Oil can have sediments

                                                             ii.      Oil can have metal particles

Brake Oil

                                                               i.      Open Master cylinder reservoir

                                                             ii.      Remove filter net

                                                            iii.      Check bottom of container for dirt

                                                           iv.      Check levels with markings on container

Power steering oil

                                                               i.      Open container

                                                             ii.      Check for sediments, dirt

                                                            iii.      Check for levels on container

1.       Note: in some cars like the Honda City and Maruti Swift – the steering assist is electrical so there won’t be any power steering oil.

Coolant Check

                                                                     i.                        Levels

1.       Match liquid level with markings on container

                                                                   ii.                        Condition

1.       Anti-freeze will be mixed with water, but proportion should be correct. A light green/ blue colour means low mix

a.       A proper mix will look dark and thick

2.       Look for traces of oil in the coolant – this will be seen as a light haze on top of the coolant

a.       Check same at radiator cap

Engine Leakages

                                                               i.      Oil leakages at the head

                                                             ii.      Oil leakage at sump

                                                            iii.      Oil leakage – others

Signs of rebuild

                                                               i.      You will be able to find the gasket maker at the joins between the two planes.

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.

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.