Buying a used car has its pros and cons. On the bright side, you can afford it easily, make your commute easier, and may even expand your choice to selective features that would otherwise be out of budget. On the other hand, you have to be cautious of dubious sellers who are looking for ways to pass the old issues to the new owner. It’s not an easy job, selecting a car that has been through its fair share of drive, but then it’s not entirely impossible.
Whether you’re buying from a trusted source or just looking it up online, you must always indulge in a full-fledged inspection session before finalizing the deal. What may have passed on the first look can show itself during the test drive or on closer inspection. Though it is the general idea to buy a second-hand car that has gone through minimum wear and tear, it is better to get one which has not yet seen an accident or has been written-off. A severe accident can significantly lessen the years of the car and can be unsafe to drive on the road. Unless you want to adopt unknown issues, let’s have a look at the signs that help us identify whether it has been through accidents or not.
- Inconsistent Paint Job
This is the easiest way to judge whether the to-be car has been through a rough time. When you buy a car from the showroom, the paint, the colour, and the tone are harmonious with one another. If the car has been through an accident, chances are the paint was chipped off which was then covered up using a similar paint.
If you notice any inconsistencies, especially around the bumper, doors or hood, it may do better to have another talk with the seller. It can be just a slightly different shade, a variation in the shine, or mismatched colours; they all are evidence that the car went through bodywork repair. Another word of advice is to check these signs in a well-lit environment and not in the garage or a second-hand dealer shop where everything is dimly lit.
- Look for the Gaps
Every car is designed with doors and panel gaps that are in perfect sync with one another. You don’t have to slam the door too hard to make the entire neighbourhood alert of your arrival or departure. Similarly, you shouldn’t be seeing inconsistency in the doors and panel gaps since they are huge signs evident of the car being slammed into something.
If you’re able to place your finger in the gap between the fender and the door, it is a clear sign of an accident as it becomes very difficult to put the parts back in a neat way as they were original.
- Unpainted or Rusty
We saw how uneven paint can be indicative of a not-so-glorious part of the car, but so can unpainted and rusty surfaces.
Why is that so? Let’s have a look.
If you’re a car owner, you may be aware of the fact that structural parts of the car are not subjected to the usual nuts and screws, but require welding. To subject your car to welding leads to stripping off the pain so that the process can be carried out without hindrance. If you’re not quick to cover the exposed surface with fresh paint, the surface rusts.
If you spot an area of rust with paint missing, you can be sure that massive repair work was carried out. Look for these signs under the hood such as the engine bay, as they are easily ignored there.
- Parts – New and Shiny
An old car having new parts – pretty suspicious, isn’t it?
When you go through an accident that damages the car, instead of giving up on it, you usually look for new parts. That’s where our 4th warning comes into!
A second-hand car is bound to rust, be old, and have worked up parts. It becomes very easy to spot the ones that have been recently changed, especially if they are the airbag cover, the headlights, and so on. This is a warning sign right in your face, and until you’re sure what caused these changes, you should vary of purchasing the car. In many cases, the car owner uses a cheap alternative for the replaced part and maybe puts you and your passengers into grave danger.
Have an honest talk with the buyer before you finalize the deal. An easy way is to bring the car to your car repair garage and have it checked for the parts.
- Straight Drive
As much as it is important to inspect all the nooks and crannies of the car, it is equally critical to take a test drive and experience it before purchasing.
Testing your drive will allow you to judge it more accurately and identify potential issues. One such issue is the dragging of the car to one side. While this is generally related to incorrect wheel alignment, it could also be because of a bent chassis that is impossible to be properly aligned.
You can ask the seller to align the wheels and check again. If the issue persists, you should not get that car as it will always be misaligned.
- Uneven Tyre Treads
If your car drives perfectly fine during the test, it is not still out of the possibility that there might be an underlining alignment issue. To be absolutely sure, it is recommended to take a look at the tyre treads. If they are uneven, it can be due to a suspension alignment setting or even more serious, like the chassis issue.
The chassis, when working with an issue, operates against the direction of the wheel which will eventually show up uneven tread marks on the tyre. Make sure you have this looked at by professionals. You can also ask for the seller’s servicing checklist to see whether he has been consistent with them. A good and regular car service helps to avoid these issues in the long run.
- Undercoat
If you live in a country that experiences severe winter, cars are undercoated to avoid corrosion, rust, and unnecessary wear and tear. This undercoat is evident on the car for years and maybe a little bit worn out. But if you see a fresh layer of undercoat that has been applied recently, you must ask the reason from the seller.
It could be done to just hide a repair work that can significantly drop the car’s value or the car went through a repair recently and the coat was applied then. In both cases, there is some information that you need to be aware of as the future owner.
- Welding Evidence
A bad accident leaves the rammed rear end in the hand of the owner who now has to decide whether to scrap the car or repair it. Most people go for the repair because it is cost-effective. Though it is a good choice for someone who has had the car for long and plans to keep it, it is not the most ideal setting for someone looking for a used car.
When such a car is bought for repair, the area is cut and swapped which involves a lot of welding, which leaves its mark. This mark is hidden with paint, but eventually can be seen on close look under the carpeting of the boot.
You can look for evidence of welding all over the car, sometimes irregular and at times, very easily visible. It is very hard to judge whether this repair was carried out with utmost sincerity and experience, and therefore, hard to judge whether the car will be able to withstand another fatal blow.
- Misplaced screws and fasteners
Take a peek under the hood and look at the different screws that hold the fenders in place. They should be all of the same type and size, without any variation. However, if they are not of the same condition or type, chances are the car went for a major repair and the garage replaced the screws with other ones. If the fenders were moved at some point, it is evident that the car met with an accident.
Similarly, when looking for fasteners, most cars are now equipped with plastic fasteners to hold the body panels together. If instead of clips, there are screws at some places, it shows that whoever was repairing the car couldn’t get it aligned properly and hence used a screw to do the job, instead of a fastener.
- Hidden Dents and Creases
The steel sheets, which are a major part of your car, are easily shaken when they come across an impactful collision. Of course, the repair job would straighten it out and keep it as good as new, but when the impact is very loud, it could be that you can still see signs of dents and creases especially under the concealed areas.
This brings us to the end of the article. Hope you can use these signs before making a purchase. Either way, always clear all your doubts from the seller before finalizing the deal. Feel free to comment below if you have any questions or doubts.
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