The car must have the original TCP. Cars should not be involved in an accident of any severity. The car must have a "native" body color. The car should not have any modifications to the suspension, braking, steering, fuel systems and electrical systems.
If the above questions are NOT confirmed, or the owner is in doubt, we boldly and without regret refuse this option. It's not worth the risk - the choice of cars is now huge. DO NOT waste your time.
Is everything "native"? We proceed to the inspection. When examining, it is useful to arm yourself with an assistant in the face of a knowledgeable friend or relative, as well as a notebook where you will note the deficiencies found. This disciplines the seller, reducing the degree of lies, will allow you not to forget about the shortcomings found and, as a consequence, at the end of the inspection, bring down the price as much as possible, argued by bargaining. We note in advance that this material was compiled for the purchase of only accident-free cars. Inspection of the car should be carried out only on a clear sunny day, or with slight clouds. Never inspect the car inside the cabin or garage box!
External inspection of the car before purchase
Documents, numbers, mileage
- We carefully study each letter and check them with the data on the car. Is something clearly NOT readable, shabby, blurry? We say goodbye and leave, further inspection does not make sense.
- Documents are in order, the car is only a couple of years old, but solid mileage? Check the notepad - there is a risk that this car worked in a taxi. This means that it can be completely "killed" even in one year of operation.
Signaling
- We check the operation of the alarm and central locking. Clarity of on / off, blocking, response threshold, distance.
Hood
- We open and close the hood, inspect the lock and drive for accuracy and reliability, inspect the bonnet stop. We inspect the inside of the hood for damage, oil stains, rust. If a heater is installed, please remove it. Examine the hood edge for chips. From the passenger compartment we check the operation of the hood lever.
Engine and units
- We inspect all engine units for streaks and cross-sections. It is bad if the engine is completely washed, it is good if not. On unwashed engines, all drips are noticeable at once. If you wash the engine, you will have to start it, run it at speed, then hold it with a piece of paper along all the technological connectors and joints. Oil or other technical fluid leaks out - a reason for bargaining and a closer inspection.
- We check the levels of all liquids, we look at their composition and consistency. The presence of outsiders is included or opacity is a cause for alarm.
- We carefully inspect all pipelines, wires, joints, bends for scuffs, cracks, signs of aging. Should be alerted by the presence of new components, fresh clamps, covers. Find out in detail the reason for their replacement.
- Start up the engine, listen to its work. When working, there should be no extraneous sounds - whistling, "poking", Clicks, beats, rattling, Knocking.
- We carefully inspect the cooling radiator and air conditioner (if any). We check the integrity of the honeycomb, jammed petals, foreign objects. No deformation of the radiator is allowed. If honeycombs are jammed, we find out the reasons. Perhaps the car was operated on dirt roads for a long time or had an inaccurate owner.
- We inspect the mount of the racks (cups and mud flaps). They must NOT show signs of loosening.
Body
- We look at the car close and from a distance of 3-5 meters from all angles. We carefully evaluate the color - are there areas where the paint differs from the main one in mattness, shades? The presence of such zones indicates its painting, which in turn, with a high degree of probability, indicates repairs due to an accident or corrosion. If an emergency location is identified, despite the fact that the seller previously assured you that the car was NOT painted and was not in an accident, say goodbye and leave without regret. Having lied about one thing, the seller will not stop. This means that the chance to get objective information about the car tends to zero. Even if the seller really did not know about the accident and proves it, the very fact does not reduce its negative consequences. Moreover, it speaks of the seller as an inexperienced car owner. Buying a car from such a person is all the more undesirable.
- We fix all, without exception, dents and damage to the body paintwork. Each of the chips requires repair, since this is a potential corrosion center, which will inevitably grow.
- We look carefully from behind and from the front. Doors Must be tightly closed and fit perfectly in the geometry of the body. If the doors protrude beyond the body contour, or, conversely, are "recessed" inward - the reason will be on the alert and find out the reasons. This is usually a sign of door replacement and careless adjustment after removal. If it is caused by an accident - again - we warmly say goodbye to the seller. We examine the gaps between the hood, doors, trunk and body. They must be the same with minor deviations. If there are differences that are noticeable to the eye, this is a sure sign of a violation of the geometry of the body. It is not worth looking further, even if the buyer immediately throws off half the price.
- Similarly, we inspect the trunk lid (door) for integrity, coincidence of color, geometry and correct "fit".
- We open all the doors, carefully inspect the thresholds, rubber seals, welded seams and evenness of color. The seams should be the same in all doorways. If it is noticed that a seam of a different shape or size is a reason to take a closer look at this place. Perhaps this area of the car was recovering from an accident. Examine the paint. As a rule, if the car was repainted, then the paint border passes along the arches. And since it is physically impossible to pick up a similar paint, the transition from a new paint to an old one is almost always noticeable. Sometimes they try to hide it under the seal. If possible, bend (Remove) it at any place. At the same time, you can see the centers of corrosion. Inspect door hinges and wiring harnesses - they must be in the same condition on all doors, including the degree of contamination. Something different from the rest - find out the reason. The presence of washers inserted into the door hinges should definitely alert - this is a well-known method of masking their sagging.
- We examine every door. Everything must be in place, all buttons must function clearly. Door panels Must adhere firmly to the enclosure without gaps. If there are gaps, it means that the panel was removed for some reason, and the mounting clips were broken. Find out the reasons. We check the operation of the power windows, both from each door and from the center console. We check the functioning of the mirror adjustments.
- We check the operation of the lock on each door, both in manual mode and in alarm mode (if available). We examine the counterpart of the castle. Are there any traces of displacement? There is? This means that the lock was either changed or the door was regulated. The reasons also need to be found out, since the factory settings do NOT require fine-tuning.
- We check the uniformity and ease of opening and closing doors. They must open easily, without jerking or jamming. It is also easy to close without strong effort, extraneous sounds. Something interferes - we inspect for wear, deformation. If the otvetku mount is simply loose, this is one thing, if the seat is deformed, it is already another.
- We examine the roof. Everything is the same - one color, no dents and geometry violations. We inspect the edges of the weirs (if any) for paint damage.
- We check the clarity of the gas tank flap, its fixation, opening and closing the tank lid.
Lighting engineering
- We inspect the headlights, sidelights (if any), foglights. The surface is not obliged to have damage, abrasions, chips. The headlights should sit securely and not vibrate when tapped. The working area of the headlamp must be clean, transparent and mirrored (if the design assumes a reflector). Dull, matte, dirty headlights - for replacement. This should be noted on a notepad as an immediate potential expense, as lighting technology directly affects safety.
- Similarly, we inspect the rear lighting equipment.
- We inspect and check the performance of the interior lighting equipment and signaling devices. Everything should work without comment. The instrument light must have a working intensity control.
Body kit
- We inspect the front bumper. Is it sitting correctly, are there large gaps or distortions? We examine it from below for scuffs, chips, fastenings. There should be no color, cracks, seams, traces of putty and welding (depending on the design). Fog lights and other equipment (for example, parking sensors, etc.) Must sit securely in the standard sockets.
- Similarly, we inspect the rear bumper.
- We inspect and check the integrity of the mud flaps and wheel arch liners (if any).
- We check the reliability of the fastening of the door sills, footrests, door moldings (if any).
Wheels
- We inspect the discs for damage. If there are chips, dents, radial deformations - this may indicate that the car “successfully flew” into a deep hole, which could result in significant damage or deformation of the suspension or body.
- We check the pressure in the tires, it must be strictly the same (or, if it is, for example, a pickup truck, it must be paired-the same). Some cunning dealers with different tire pressures eliminate the vehicle being pulled to the side due to a violation of the geometry of the body due to an accident.
- We inspect the rubber for wear on the marks. Is it still leaving the season or does it need to be replaced?
Windows, glass
- We check the integrity, absence of chips and cracks of glass.
- We check the operation of the glass heater (if any).
- We check the operation of the glass washer (if available).
- Checking the work of the wipers. We inspect the rubber bands for wear. This is important as it directly affects traffic safety.
- We check the operation of the headlight washers and wipers (if any).
- We inspect the window seals. Is there a trace of fresh sealant or planting adhesive? If there is, then the glass was changed, or removed to repair nearby areas of the hull. We find out the reason.
Checking the car interior before buying
Salon
1) We inspect the thresholds for corrosion. Be sure to do a few blows with a metal object. Thresholds are one of the weakest points of a car, which rots the fastest. Also carefully scan and tap the floor under the feet of the driver and front passenger. Are there any signs of corrosion? It is better to refuse such a purchase.
2) Check the condition of the seats. Covers, headrests. The efficiency of all adjustments, the presence of backlash. We check the freedom of movement of the front seats on the slide, the slide itself for corrosion, the tightness of the bolted connections. We check the operation of the heated seats (if available). We check the rear seats for fastening strength. If it is constructively provided, we remove the back of the sofa, inspect the opening in the luggage compartment, the reliability and tightness of the fastening of the partition.
3) We inspect the rear shelf for integrity, fastening, lack of deformation and unnecessary "holes". The latter usually arise from experiments with speakers.
4) Examine the ceiling. Abrasions of the coating above the driver's head often indicate that the car was operated in northern latitudes (the driver was wearing a hat). We check the integrity and operation of the over-door support handles, interior lighting. We check the attachment and operation of the visors.
5) We inspect the front dashboard. We try to move with our hands. If the panel is not properly secured (moves, creaks, etc.), it may have already been dismantled. Find out the reason. We try to open and close the lid of the glove box (glove compartment), if there is a lock - its functionality.
6) We check the operation of all seat belts. We look at the length of the departure, a clear fixation in the locks and a dynamic stop during a jerk. Belts must NOT be damaged in any way, must be clean and tidy.
7) We check the operation of the roof hatch. If it is motorized - by sliding / closing / opening from buttons. If not, slide free, open / close by hand. We inspect the seal for deformation or aging, the hatch itself - for chips and damage.
Luggage compartment
1) We inspect the luggage compartment lid (door) in the same way as the doors or hood.
2) fold back the cover (floor) of the trunk, carefully inspect the place for the spare tire for a quarrel, painting, corrosion. We check the condition of the wiring, cable channels, fasteners (if any).
3) We check the luggage compartment lighting, if any, the standard accessories mounts.
4) We check the opening and closing of the trunk, the precise operation of the external lock and the salon drive.
Dashboard
1) We check the operation of all devices, indicators, sensors, deflectors. The latter must move freely in all directions, be free to be fixed. Blinds Should move steadily, there should be no jamming, fallen or broken petals. The coating of the panel should be uniform, without scuffs, scratches, traces of melted from cigarette butts.
2) We check the operation of the cigarette lighter (if any). It should function clearly, with a clear departure after warming up. Do not forget that the cigarette lighter socket is a universal connector, which can be useful for many tasks, such as charging a phone or connecting a compressor.
3) Independently or with the help of an invited friend, we check the operation of direction indicators, high and low beam, alarm.
4) We check the operation of the central lock - the movement of the larva, the clarity of fixation, and the response of the devices.
5) Check the operation of the anti-theft steering shaft lock. The actuation should be with a clear, audible click.
6) We check the operation of the seat belt warning device.
7) drives the engine, check the operation of the devices. The functionality here is very wide, so it makes no sense to paint each one. Be guided by the instructions for use of a particular car.
Air conditioner, heater
The check is carried out with closed doors and windows.
1) turns on the interior heater to full mode with the engine running. We are convinced of uniform air flows in all channels, as well as in the absence of unpleasant odors during its operation.
2) turns on the air conditioner in all modes. When you turn on the air conditioner There should be no extraneous sounds in the compressors and an unpleasant smell in the cabin. When the hand approaches any, the deflector should clearly feel cold.
Gearbox, Hand brake
1) We check the operation of the gearshift lever. What is on the mechanics, what on the machine, the inclusion should be tangible, with a clearly distinguishable fixation.
2) We put on the "handbrake". The "ratchet" must be clearly audible, the lever must be securely fixed, backlash must be inadmissible. When you press the button, the lever should be lowered easily, without grinding or jamming.
Steering wheel
1) Grasp the steering wheel with your hands. Is it convenient? We check all available adjustments for reach and height. The movement of the steering column must be securely locked. Backlash - to be absent (or, depending on the car - to be within the standards).
2) We check the functionality of the steering wheel - signal, multimedia control, climate control, etc., depending on the car.
3) When the engine is running, the steering wheel should be turned freely, without jerking and jamming, while the engine operation may slightly change due to the inclusion of the power steering pump.
Shock absorbers
We press on the hood and trunk. The car should "sit down", when released - immediately return to its original position. We press twice "in swing". The car should immediately stop when reaching the top position. If there is a "swing" (the car swings up and down for some time), the shock absorbers are completely faulty. The note in the notebook is “for immediate replacement”, as this directly affects safety.