Todd Nesnick
In our country, the market for the purchase and sale of used cars is enormously more than 30 million used cars are sold each year in the country for a value of nearly 150,000 million dollars. This makes our country one of the countries with the largest market for buying and selling used vehicles worldwide.
And in fact, the trend in buying used cars has increased due to the Covid-19 pandemic. These reports show that the search for used cars against new cars was two to one, and now it is three to one.
This can be explained by the deterioration in the economy of people who now instead of buying a new car, choose to buy a cheaper used one and according to their ability to pay. In addition to reputable car buying search sites like Autotempest car buying search, today there are more financing options and automotive credit with very accessible annual interest rates that facilitate the acquisition of a pre-owned car.
As you can see, buying a used car can be an excellent way to save money, because even if you don’t have the latest model, you will have a functional, safe vehicle that provides you with the mobility you need.
However, buying a used car is not always that easy, especially if you buy it directly from a stranger or at a car swap. There are always some risks which you should keep in mind and here we will explain some of them.
What to check when buying a used car?
When you buy a used car for the first time, it is very difficult for you to be completely certain about its origin, its history of maintenance services, its history of failures, or even if at any time it required major repairs due to an accident. If you have never bought a second-hand car, you must pay attention to the following:
Mechanical performance
One of the first things you should check when buying a used car is its mechanical condition. Buying a car, even if it is pre-owned, represents a considerable investment and therefore you must ensure that its performance is optimal and that it still has a considerable useful life. To make sure that the car you are going to buy is still in good condition, it is recommended that a mechanic you trust inspect it and check:
Body of the car: Sometimes the owners of used vehicles decide to sell them because they have suffered an accident. And when this happens, they usually repair the damaged cars to improve their aesthetic appearance and be able to sell them easily. For this reason, it is important to check in detail things such as the floor of the car to see if it has no deformations, the frame of the vehicle in the hood to ensure that it did not have frontal impacts, the door frames, the chassis, the carter, etc. Any welding you notice could be an indication of a major repair.
Engine: This is one of the fundamental parts of a car, that is why it should be checked by an experienced mechanic. The first thing is to do a visual inspection to detect leaks, cracks, welding, or deformed parts that could indicate an impact. Once the above is done, it should be checked if the engine starts without problem when turning on the ignition switch, if the gear starts on time, and if there are no strange noises. Finally check if when starting the engine the car does not emit blue smoke or black smoke, since this could indicate problems in the seals or engine gaskets or damage to the piston rings.
Suspension: It is very important to make sure that the car’s suspension system performs well, especially if you are going to use the car on the road. To ensure that it is in good condition, you should check the operation of the shock absorbers. You can rock the car from side to side to listen for any unusual noises or grinding noises that could indicate problems with the ball joints or tire forks. It is also recommended that you take the car for a spin, if possible on a cobbled street so that you can assess the condition of the car’s suspension.
Leaks or filtrations: The best way to verify that the car is not leaking antifreeze, oil, and other fluids is to check the underside of the car. To do this, put the car in neutral and turn it on, including the air conditioning. This will activate the circulation of fluids through all the systems, allowing you to verify that no leaks or runoff could indicate a crack or leak in any of the elements.
Did you find these tips useful? We hope so!