10 things to know to avoid getting ripped off when buying a used car

1. Origin of the car

This is the number 1 important issue for a used car, such as registration papers, full registration book, insurance book (if any), etc. It not only shows the previous owners, but also relates to a series of issues in the legalization process for the car to return to the new owner and is also a condition for the car to circulate later.

Normally, buyers of used cars will have to pay additional fees (registration tax, calculated based on the value of the used car as determined by the tax authority) to transfer legal ownership, and the amount can vary greatly if the car registration is in different localities.

2. Number of kilometers traveled on the clock

This is important and should be considered first. Based on the mileage, you can determine the value of the car and think about whether it is worth the money or not. According to experts, for European brands such as BMW, Mercedes, you should choose cars that have been used for no more than 7 years; for Japanese and Korean cars, you should not choose cars that have traveled more than 18,000 km because this is the point where damage begins to appear.

3. Check the engine block

When buying and selling a used car, you need to check for oil leaks under the engine block. If there are leaks, it is likely due to worn gaskets, but there are also many cases where the seller has foreseen this and replaced the car with a thick oil, limiting the leakage of bearings and preventing black smoke.

Buyers should discuss clearly with the seller, to check the vehicle best should still choose the right type of oil, according to the requirements set forth by the manufacturer.

4. Windshield

To evaluate the quality of a used car, you need to check all the windows, windshields both front and rear of the car, through which you can determine whether the car has ever been in a collision in the past. Even if it is just scratches, abrasions, small cracks or loose parts, the buyer should be careful, because this can be a factor proving that this car has been in a collision or damaged without being repaired or maintained by its owner.

5. The door

Used cars often have gaps and warps at the edges of the doors when closed, due to collisions or some other problems that the previous owner did not fix. Depending on the severity of the problem, you can decide whether or not to choose it.

6. Steering wheel

The simplest way to judge whether a used car has a good steering wheel is to take it for a test drive. You should test drive the car you are considering at least 2 or 3 times; first test it on a quiet road to see if the engine sounds smooth, then expand the testing range.

The best time to test drive a car is over half an hour, applying on many different roads you will have the best assessment of the car's handling angle.

7. Brakes

The brake system plays a very important role - when buying a used car, you should check it carefully. First, step on the brake pedal, if you feel it is not firm or you feel the car shaking, the steering wheel shaking, the brakes make a screeching, screeching sound, the sound of metal rubbing against each other, it is very likely that the brake is lacking oil, the fluid is leaking...

Sometimes there are also some cars with brake discs that are too worn, not carefully maintained, when purchased they may have many problems in the future, or if repaired, it is not certain that they will operate stably.

8. Check the tripod

If this part breaks, it will be very expensive to replace the engine mount. There are a total of 4 rubber mounts. To check this part, open the hood, shift to 1st gear and press the accelerator. If the engine jerks back or up, it is time to replace it. The rubber mounts are also quite easy to see with the naked eye. Most old cars have this problem.

9. Control panel

The dashboard on an old car is considered good when the buttons or touch screen must provide information about the car's status as well as the journey accurately and completely. Test all the buttons, even the smallest ones, to ensure everything still works smoothly, only then will you not encounter any trouble.

10. Branding issues

When buying a used car, some parts may need to be replaced before use. Therefore, the price of parts is also an issue to consider. For example, Japanese and Korean cars (Toyota, Honda...) have a variety of spare parts, easy to find at many different prices. Meanwhile, Mercedes and BMW cars have much more expensive spare parts. The process of replacing parts of luxury cars is also quite expensive.