BUYING A SECOND HAND CAR?

My tips and tricks. It's you against the seller, keep in mind that most cars sold are because there is something wrong with it, and it is your job to figure it out and get a better deal or roll on to another car.

First have a good look around the car for obvious damage, rust on the wheel arches and rear boot door are common, and some dodgy repairs take place, so look inside the arches properly. Under the vehicle is almost always not checked, look for signs of corrosion, especially at the shock absorber mountings at the rear of the car, you don't want expensive welding repairs.

Accident damage

There are ways to check if there has been a repair and it hasn't been reported. With the steering wheel straight ahead, measure the distance from the centre of right front wheel and rear right wheel and compare it to the left front wheel and left rear wheel. The measurements should be with in a couple of millimetres no more than 10 millimetres, if it is out it shows a bent suspension. Check in the boot where the spare wheel is kept, when a car is rear ended it is really difficult to fix inside there and it is quite easy to see it has been repaired. Then open the bonnet or hood if you American, look around usually there are some holes in the body work for after fitments, the holes should be perfectly rounded not oval, repaired body parts won't be rounded.

Reliability

While you have the bonnet or hood open don't be scared to check the oil, it can tell you a lot. If it is black and sludgy it may need injectors if it is diesel, If it is grey there is a coolant leak, probably cylinder head gasket leak. It is also possible for condensation to occur in the dip stick so if you see white sludge wipe it off, you may need to check it a few times to make sure. Check the coolant has antifreeze, it should be a bright colour, no rust, look around the cap for coolant leak, possible head gasket leak will pressurise the cooling system forcing it out the cap. Ask for service history, cam belt changes are important especially diesel, some cars require coolant pumps to be changed at the same time, so check if it is needed with that vehicle, you don't want coolant leaks.

Test drive

This is very important, it has to be more than 10 minutes to get the car to operating temperature, and travel faster than 50 mph. Most engine defects occur at operating temperature, it is easy to clear a fault and test drive it a short distance and the engine light won't come on, so make sure that the engine is nice and warm and take your time. Pay attention to the steering wheel for pulling to the side and vibration, it has to do with suspension and wheel alignment. Keep an eye on the temperature gauge, if there is a head gasket leak the gauge will act erratic up and down like a yo yo, it should at the same place once at operating temperature. Another cheacky trick is to pull off in 2nd by accident, you will be checking the clutch, it is not good for the car but it should pull off, also while stationary on a flat surface, put clutch in, select 1st gear, let the hand brake off, the car should not move forwards at all.

Take a friend with you and get them to ask all the questions that you have, obviously you need to prepare before hand, this will distract the seller while you are checking over the car properly.

Good luck and I hope that this helps