What Should You Look For When Buying A Used Car

This checklist can help you when buying a secondhand car that is equipped with car finance. If you can, avoid performing visual inspections during the rain or at night, as both scenarios make it harder to spot the signs of problems.

What to be looking for when purchasing a used vehicle that has car finance.

Be sure to verify the history of your MOT on the car and the service documents.

If the vehicle you are viewing is not more than three years of age the vehicle can be examined online and viewed with its complete MOT history. You can input the registration number of the car to the MOT online check website to view details regarding every test.

Be aware of the notes. These notes will highlight any issue that might not be significant enough to cause an MOT fail but could cause a problem if isn't dealt with. This will be your issue when you've changed ownership. If you want to negotiate a price reduction or a reduction, you should consider the possibility of maintenance work and alerts , if there are numerous. If necessary, be prepared to quit.

Check the bodywork and the chassis for damage.

All panels on a car should have equal gaps. If panels are not aligned in a proper way, it may indicate that the vehicle was involved in an accident.

Check that the paint matches across every panel. It can be difficult to find paint that matches on panels which have been repaired and spray-painted. A slight variance could be a sign that a previous owner made an error. Visit our Fairsquare website for fruitful information about Car Finance right now.

Pay attention to small scratches and dents. More likely is that corrosion will begin to develop due to a scratch that has penetrated the lacquer paintwork onto the metal.

Are the tyres and wheels in good shape?

Wheels with kerbed edges are a normal fact of life, particularly for city drivers. However, it doesn't have to be a reason not to buy a vehicle if the damage isn't severe and the rims haven't been bent or damaged.

Check the oil level

Check that the car isn't cold prior to parking it on a level surface. Open the bonnet and check the level of oil inside the engine with the dipstick.

A low level of oil may be an indication of poor maintenance. Low oil levels can accelerate wear and create more problems as the vehicle gets older.

Golden yellow is the best option for oil used in engines. It could be that the dipstick's oil was not changed for some time if it's lighter than brown.

The exhaust color should be assessed

On start-up the exhaust will emit fine white smoke. This is normal and it's water vapour that is coming out of the exhaust pipe. Engine exhaust that has been heated is usually extremely fine. Thick smoke should not be considered a concern. If you notice one of the below, think twice about proceeding in making the purchase.

Are the miles authentic?

The mileage of the car will always be higher than that recorded at its last MOT. It could be a sign that the automobile unintentionally wound up.

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Be aware of cracks in windows.

The windscreen's stone chips may develop into cracks and become an MOT failure. Any crack 40mm in size anywhere on the windscreen is likely to require fixing (or the entire screen replaced). If the crack is in the driver's line of sight, it will be reduced to 10mm.

Have an inspection completed

A small cost for a small amount, businesses will give you a report into a vehicle's background. The report will provide details about any outstanding finance, as well as information regarding whether the vehicle was stolen or written off. These are all things to be concerned about in the event that they aren't reported.

Additional details may include information about the vehicle's previous owners and the import background. You will get an estimate of the value of your vehicle based on which service you choose. The most reliable providers of vehicle check can also ensure accuracy.