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 inspection book, insurance book (if any),... 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 old car as regulated 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 number of kilometers traveled, you can determine the value of the car and think about whether it is worth spending 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 that the cause is a worn gasket, but there are also many cases where the seller has anticipated 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, they 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, to 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, buyers 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 warping at the edges of the doors when closed, which is due to collisions or some other problems that the previous owner did not fix. Depending on the severity, you can decide whether or not to choose it.

6. Steering wheel

The easiest way to judge whether a used car’s steering wheel works well is to take it for a test drive. You should test drive the car you’re considering at least two or three times; first test it on a quiet stretch of road to see how smooth the engine sounds, then expand the test range.

The best time to test drive a car is over half an hour, applied 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

Replacing the engine mounts can be expensive if they break. There are a total of four rubber mounts. To check them, open the hood, shift into first gear, and press the accelerator. If the engine jerks backwards or upwards, it’s time to replace them. The rubber mounts are also fairly easy to see with the naked eye. This is common on older cars.

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 make sure 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 that are easy to find and have 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.