5 basic steps to check to buy a satisfactory used car

1. Overall vehicle review

Take the car you intend to buy to a wide, open, well-lit place for easy observation. Then look at the overall shape of the car to see if it is the same as the original.

Check the door: This is the most used part of the car so you need to check carefully; close and open the door many times to see if it is difficult to close? When closed, does it fit tightly? Is there any gap or warp? If the car has been in an accident and has been rebuilt, the door will not fit as tightly as the original... Use moderate force to push the car door in. If it closes immediately, it is original. If it has to be closed hard to close, you should check the car carefully.

Check the glue line for the door, if the glue is intact, not broken, even thickness, press your fingernail into it and it feels soft and elastic like before, it is the original car door, not re-welded.

2. Check the interior

Next is to check the interior of the car; look carefully at the dashboard, check for signs of prying open, the original dashboard must have an even color, not rough or cracked.

Gently rub the steering wheel to see if it is worn out. Usually, new cars that are rarely used will feel rough when you rub the steering wheel, as if there is a layer of thorns. Feel how much the thorns are worn out to assess how the previous owner used the car.

Checking the gear lever is similar, observe the wear of the gear lever handle, with manual transmission cars, push the gears to see how dirty the gear window is to judge the condition of the car used a lot or a little.

3. Check the chassis

The chassis is an important part that needs to be checked carefully, especially the car's axle - this part can only be replaced and rarely repaired. This part is very important and affects the performance of the used car when purchased.

Bend down or put the car on the bridge to carefully examine the metal parts for signs of re-bending and repainting. If there are signs of re-bending, you should not buy the car because it has been in a serious accident and its performance is greatly affected.

4. Check the machine part

Check the engine block: Open the hood and check if there is any oil leak under the engine block. If there is a leak, the gasket may be worn out, causing a leak. Remove the dipstick to see if the oil has been lost. Check if the wiring system is original, if there are many connections… if there are any signs, consider carefully, avoid buying a car that has been repaired a lot.

Check the machine base carefully, usually there are 4 rubber feet and bolts attached to the chassis. If the feet are broken, it will cause jerking when starting, the cost of replacement is very expensive. Check if the 4 bolts have been removed, if there are signs of removal, the machine has been reworked or the feet need to be replaced.

Carefully examine the signs of the main screws such as the hood screws, engine block screws...; see if the edges of the screws show signs of having been removed. If they have been removed, the car must have had to be redone for some reason, so consider carefully before buying.

5. Test drive and feel

When buying a used car, you must take it for a test drive. First, start the engine to see if it vibrates or jerks when starting. If it vibrates, there is definitely a problem with the rubber engine mount...

Check the equipment in the car such as lights, horn, turn signals to see if they are working properly? Check the air conditioner to see if it is cold enough? If it is not cold or not cold enough, there is a possibility that the condenser has a problem, or is clogged or leaking...

Then you should test drive, the longer the test drive distance the better to get a feel for the car. Avoid test driving on flat roads, the rougher the road, the more you can feel if the chassis and suspension system of the car are working well.