Secrets to buying a used car

Dracula
By Dracula

You can easily check some basic things when looking over a used car as a potential buy.
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Checking Inside The Car
Look at the general condition of the interior. Does this fit with the mileage of the car? Wear on the driver's seat, a shiny steering wheel, worn carpets and pedals all indicate a high mileage vehicle. Check for damp carpets.

Check that all of the lights/indicators work.

Does the air conditioning (AC) work? Do the electric windows work?

If the car has an immobilizer/alarm or a gps - vehicle tracking system check that it works. What is the car key code? Unknown key codes can be difficult/expensive to obtain.

If the car has central locking do all of the doors and boot lock and unlock OK?

If the car has a stereo does it work? Is the re-set code to hand?

Check to see that the car has a spare tyre and all of the necessary tyre changing equipment.

Check The Vehicle Paperwork

Check to see how long the previous owner kept the car. If they only kept the car for a few months then better to be safe than sorry - now is the time to walk away.

Take some time to check over the car's service history and any receipts for upkeep. Be cautious of any large gaps in service history.

Check over all paperwork to ensure that reference numbers (VIN - Vehicle Identification Number, Registration Engine Number) match those on the car itself.

Checking Outside The Car
It is important to view a vehicle under natural lighting conditions, as it may be difficult to assess the true condition of the bodywork under fluorescent lighting. Also try to avoid viewing on a rainy day as wet body panels may hide surface scratches.

First of all take a few steps back from the car and look at the general condition of the bodywork.
Does the car look like it has been well treated? Are there numerous surface marks along the length of the body? Check that all of the gaps between the panels are aligned. Check the sills, door edges and undersides for signs of rust or repair.
A small pocket mirror may prove helpful for this type of inspection.

Check the windscreen for cracks (how much will it cost to replace a cracked windscreen?).

Check the condition of the tyres.
Uneven tread wear could indicate suspension or steering problems. Mismatched tyres could indicate a car that has been maintained on the cheap.

Alloy Wheels (ALL's).
Kerbed wheels indicate that a car has not been well looked after. Don't be fobbed off with a suggested refurbishment job. If the damage is non-repairable then you will have to replace both the affected wheels and the tyres (tyres must be replaced when a wheel is replaced due to the decompression and rim seating). This is not a cheap fix. Additionally kerbed wheels could indicate steering and or tracking problems.

Do the tyres look new but the wheels badly damaged?

Check the nuts/bolts on the bodywork to see if the original paint remains or if it has been scraped or chipped off when a panel has been removed for repair.

Check that the number plates are the original ones.
If they don't, then why have the plates been replaced?

http://www.autocalculator.org/UsedCarBuyingGuide.htm

By edifis• 9 Jan 2009 11:26
edifis

Britex

For that much quantity you have to go to Peru. You can mine guano there!

By britexpat• 9 Jan 2009 11:18
britexpat

Guano can be used as an alternative fuel..

THINKS ! A guano fueled KIA . I'm off to my workshop.

By edifis• 9 Jan 2009 11:13
edifis

ofcourse!I forgot the the blood sucking bats can fly. So there is Guano here!

Dracula do you fly over villagio very often?

By Dracula• 9 Jan 2009 01:26
Dracula

Thanks, my trustfully friend!

Now you see, edifis?

THERE'S guano here.

By anonymous• 9 Jan 2009 01:14
Rating: 5/5
anonymous

There is guano in qatar, just drive by Villagio and the smell will choke you.

By Dracula• 9 Jan 2009 00:42
Dracula

whalla?

By edifis• 9 Jan 2009 00:39
Rating: 2/5
edifis

No bird no Guano. It's Qatar!

By ONEmakikomoto• 9 Jan 2009 00:30
ONEmakikomoto

how fragrant! :)

_________________

call me ONE.

By Dracula• 9 Jan 2009 00:28
Dracula

nehh, One...just be careful with guano!

By ONEmakikomoto• 9 Jan 2009 00:04
ONEmakikomoto

ur cave has parking lot?

_________________

call me ONE.

By Dracula• 9 Jan 2009 00:02
Dracula

www.buyabicycle.com

By anonymous• 8 Jan 2009 20:51
anonymous

With so much of checklist it is better to buy a bicycle.

By anonymous• 8 Jan 2009 20:43
anonymous

lol, it was a bit chav I spose!

By britexpat• 8 Jan 2009 20:39
britexpat

You must be from Essex! I knew a Tracy who drove an RS 2000..

She was only a fishmongers daughter, but ..........

Good times..

By Dracula• 8 Jan 2009 20:33
Rating: 4/5
Dracula

Reasons:

too noisy

too expensive spare parts

too old fashioned

too difficult to make a new "Isthimara"

too difficult to make a "third party insurance" policy

By GodFather.• 8 Jan 2009 20:28
GodFather.

Ok better go and try my luck trying to gate crash the party..see you guys later who are coming and the rest..have nice time Qling..be nice to each other

-----------------

HE WHO DARES WINS

By GodFather.• 8 Jan 2009 20:27
GodFather.

Well Brit has hijacked nicely..I was talking of the escort that gets you past that big bouncer at the door..

-----------------

HE WHO DARES WINS

By GodFather.• 8 Jan 2009 20:26
GodFather.

Yeah right Brit..but has to be a Ghia...

-----------------

HE WHO DARES WINS

By anonymous• 8 Jan 2009 20:25
anonymous

I had an Escort RS2000.....

By britexpat• 8 Jan 2009 20:22
britexpat

Ford Escort ?? 1600 GT??

By GodFather.• 8 Jan 2009 20:19
GodFather.

Drac I am taking the cab tonight..lol

I still trying to find an escort for tonight to get in that place..lol

-----------------

HE WHO DARES WINS

By Dracula• 8 Jan 2009 20:16
Rating: 4/5
Dracula

garlic breed?

Ukeng..

hmmm...4 new tires and a sharp screwdriver...

the target and the tool :)

By Dracula• 8 Jan 2009 20:13
Rating: 4/5
Dracula

By GodFather.• 8 Jan 2009 20:11
Rating: 2/5
GodFather.

Drac can you take the venue off from the above post..Dont think Da will be happy..u know what I mean..Anyway see you later buddy..Just gonna brush my teeth as just eat some garlic bread..

-----------------

HE WHO DARES WINS

By mallrat• 8 Jan 2009 19:52
Rating: 4/5
mallrat

.

.You aint drivin bec youd be flying, i supposed, lol......

.

.enjoy drac, love to go there but i have asthma.

.

By archer78• 8 Jan 2009 19:51
Rating: 4/5
archer78

Better buy a new car..no need this book...

By mallrat• 8 Jan 2009 19:24
Rating: 4/5
mallrat

.who needs a "used" car if youve got wings....lol (j/k).

.

.drac where is the party?

.

.

By anonymous• 8 Jan 2009 19:16
anonymous

wat kinda secret is that.......

By Dracula• 8 Jan 2009 18:48
Rating: 4/5
Dracula

many of Karwa cars are under 30,000 kms

...but don't buy one! :)

By hotandsticky• 8 Jan 2009 15:46
Rating: 5/5
hotandsticky

One thing has never failed me. - buy any car with under

30,000 kms and you will be fine.

By Dracula• 8 Jan 2009 15:35
Rating: 4/5
Dracula

By heero_yuy2• 8 Jan 2009 15:25
heero_yuy2

"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

By heero_yuy2• 8 Jan 2009 15:25
heero_yuy2

"Everything in this book may be wrong." Illusions: The Adventures of The Reluctant Messiah by Richard Bach

By Oryx• 8 Jan 2009 14:59
Oryx

oh chum I have been wanting to say that for a long time... :)

By newkidontheblock• 8 Jan 2009 14:57
Rating: 5/5
newkidontheblock

check the body paint if it's original or re-paint. maybe it's a hot car :) how to check? usually from the baggage trunk, somewhere around in there you can see the difference. sometimes near the engine.

By Dracula• 8 Jan 2009 14:56
Dracula

britex: if you don't get information / details / documents out of salesman, don't buy the car.

By britexpat• 8 Jan 2009 14:52
britexpat

Thanks for the helpful info..

However, from my own experience trying to get information / details / documents out of salesman in Qatar is a nightmare. They don't know.

The attitude is - "Buy it or leave"

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