Content

• Steps
• Advice
• Warning

If you're considering buying a used car, you understand how difficult and distracting your options can be. Too many things to consider, buying a car, especially a first time purchase, can be a terrifying experience for you. Although there are many things to consider, the status of the vehicle is one of the most important factors to take before making a final decision.

Steps

Part 1 of 5: Checking car shape

1. 

   Before proceeding with the inspection, make sure the vehicle is on level ground. This way, you can carefully check the tires and see if there are any parts on the car that are sagging.

2. 

   
   
   Carefully check the paintwork of the car, note any rust, dents or scratches. Vehicles should be cleaned so that the paint can be clearly checked. Look at all sides of the car, from one end to the other to detect surface ripples, a sign of paint failure. Hand grips along the edges connecting surfaces: Roughness indicates that excess adhesive tape could not be fully treated when finished.

3. 

   
   
   Check the bag to make sure it is in good working condition. In the trunk, there should be no signs of rust, entering the water due to cracks or punctures. Depreciation in the tank shows how the vehicle was used.

4. 

   Check the tire. Tires should be worn evenly and commensurate with each other. Look at the surface and check if the tire is worn in the shape of the feather (the angle of the tire is not good). This could be due to a corroded steering / brake unit, a pothole on the road or damage to the chassis.

5. 

   
   
   Never buy a vehicle with an unhealthy chassis. Check the saddle (front bumper and radiator connector). It can be welded or bolted. Check the screw head in the upper part of the bumper in the hood, scratches indicate that the bumper has been replaced or reinstalled (after impact).

6. 

   Lift the vehicle up safely, get under the vehicle, check the exhaust system and any signs of rust. See if the exhaust system has any black marks - it could be a sign of the leak. This is also a good opportunity to check the frame or damage on the monolithic frame structure of the car.
   • Check the exhaust with finger. Greasy dirt is a serious problem. Turn on the vehicle operation. White smoke (in areas with no cold climates) is also a bad sign.
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Part 2 of 5: Examination under the hood

1. 

   Check under the hood for any signs of duster, damage or rust. They can both be a sign that the vehicle is not well cared for or well. On each barrier located just inside, where the hood is connected, should have a decals with the frame number. However, the position of the frame number is up to the discretion of the manufacturer and therefore, when no frame number is found, it cannot be conclusively concluded that the barrier has been replaced.

2. 

   Pipe and transmission belt type. The heat load hose should not be in a soft state.

3. 

   Check the engine for leaks or corrosion. On the engine cover, check for any dark brown oil stains - it could be a sign of a seal leak, leading to expensive repairs later on. Check brake fluid and auxiliary water tank, make sure there are no leaks. The power transmission belt should look fresh (no tear or dry appearance). Old belts can be broken and if you do not know how to replace them, you may have to spend between 2 and 10 million VND, depending on the situation.

4. 

   Open the fuel tank cap. Foam left inside indicates a leak in the cylinder head gasket. Forget this car.

5. 

   Pull the transmission oil gauge - the oil should be pink or red. With older cars, the color may be darker but it probably won't look as good as burning oil. At the same time, the oil should be at full level (check while the engine is running).

6. 

   Check the cam tape. This is the most important belt in the engine and is also the most expensive to replace. If the car is equipped with steel cam tape, don't worry about it anymore. Normal life cycle of cam tape is from 100,000 - 160,000+ km, depending on the company. advertisement

Part 3 of 5: In-vehicle inspection

1. 

   Get in the car. Check if the seat and upholstery are torn, dirty or damaged.

2. 

   Turn on the air conditioner, check if it works well or not. If an air conditioner is indispensable for you, buy a car using R134 coolant. Most vehicles using the R134 are manufactured from 1993 onwards and have a sticker on the Condenser.

3. 

   Check the speedometer to see how far the vehicle has traveled. This is an important parameter that indicates the age of the vehicle. On average, a driver can drive 16,000 - 24,000 km per year. However, this number depends on many different factors. Remember that vehicle age is measured by time and mileage. Buying a used 10-year-old car is not always a good idea.

4. 

   Determine if the vehicle has a built-in computer. Bring a cheap computer for error checking. Any car store has affordable equipment at a price of about 3 million dong. However, most of the cheaper generic code readers have only limited access.
   • With a car integrated with a computer, pay attention to the warning that appears when driving or turning the key, press the start button.

     

5. 

   Check lights and all normal functions when not running. Includes: any parking sensor, rear parking camera, radio, CD player, music player, etc. advertisement

Part 4 of 5: Checking the vehicle while it is in motion

1. 

   Check the car before making the final decision. This is probably one of the best ways to check the condition of a vehicle. Therefore, the buyer should do his best to get a trial run before making any decision.

2. 

   Make sure to check the brakes by stepping hard enough to slow down quickly, but not enough to cause the vehicle to slip. Test run at a speed of about 50 km / h around an area with no traffic. You need a car that doesn't make any vibrations from the pedals or makes any squeaks or strange sounds. The vehicle should not change direction suddenly - this occurs when the brake pedal is not good or the steering part is worn out.

3. 

   Vibration test at 75/90/105 km / h. Slight vibrations between small acceleration intervals can be a sign of corrosion in the mechanical part holding the navigation function - the cost of repairs for them is between 8 and 30 million dong. These may include coupling / rutts, etc. At the same time, they can also be accompanied by uneven front tire wear.

4. 

   Check for vehicle sound, vibration or metal impact when turning 90 degrees. Work at low speeds. Again, this indicates wear in the front navigator: the coupling needs to be replaced. advertisement

Part 5 of 5: Go to a decision

1. 

   Checking the maintenance and repair history will give you some information regarding the performance, repairs performed and problems with the vehicle. Ideally, the current owner will keep information about repairs and will be willing to make them available to you. Some vehicles are serviced at home and therefore do not have a service record. It should not be a problem if the seller can prove that they have maintained the vehicle properly. In many cases, used cars are sold by an accident or the negative experience associated with them.

2. 

   Ask someone knowledgeable about the vehicle. Asking a trusted friend with good knowledge of your car and checking out everything you feel unsure of is not a bad idea. If you don't have one, you can hire a mechanic to inspect the whole car at a cost of between 1 and a half to 2 million dong. Make sure the person has a good reputation so you don't get fooled and mistakenly think the car is a good deal.

3. 

   Don't forget to pay the price. Used car is a negotiable product for price. Do not let the offered price be unchanging. Brokers buy used cars at low prices, fix them and sell them at much higher prices thinking they might have to cut back to sell. Based on the quality of the vehicle, feel free to suggest the price, as long as it is reasonable. If the broker asks for 300 million, it would be insulting to propose 200. If the offered price is higher than 200 million, try to negotiate for a reduction of at least 30 million. You can pre-check the possibility of getting a loan with a bank or credit provider. From there, determine how much you can spend for a car. Try to buy at a lower rate than determined by the bank or credit provider. Most people are trying to buy more than they can really afford. Remember that no matter how good they are now, they will need maintenance in the future.
   • Take advantage of the bad points in the car. If the color of the car doesn't match your requirements, tell the dealer: "I really like this car. I don't like the color blue though and that's the only thing that makes me think." The broker will find that you want it and find a way to convince you to buy.

4. 

   Bring a pen, paper and cell phone when buying from an individual vendor. When checking your vehicle, don't forget to write down any damaged or replacement parts. If necessary, remind the seller that you are going to take the car to your own mechanic and this listing is not for them. After completing a list of what you believe are essential to your vehicle, call the parts store and ask if they have the goods for you. Once you have a grasp of how much repair you will have to do if you decide to buy, you can base on the price proposition as well as increase the likelihood of a discount from the seller.
   • Use caution when doing so because some sellers may feel rude and decide not to sell you.
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Advice

• Use your Consumer Reports and Shopping Guides to check your vehicle's overall reputation. Don't pay hundreds of millions more just for your reputation. The actual condition of the car is more important than that.
• Use independent sources to determine the wholesale and retail value of the target vehicle. Is the seller's price very similar to the general price level or is there inexplicable difference?
• Buying a vehicle from a trusted service center is the best way to ensure long-term satisfaction with your product. If buying a car from a broker with no service center, have a mechanic check it before you buy!
• Certified vehicles are a bit more expensive but are more secure and are often warranted.
• Note the strange smell. Getting rid of a strange smell from an old car can be difficult and expensive.
• If the car needs remodeling, use it as a basis for negotiation.
• Vehicle History Reports are inexpensive and can contain a lot of valuable information. Don't read too carefully! The important items are: Accident and Inconsistency in Meters. If you find a vehicle from a broker, ask them for a vehicle history report (Carfax). Make sure they have given up the entire document, not missing any.
• Never test your car in the rain. Rain will obscure paint problems and accidental damage. At the same time, it would be difficult to detect brake noise.
• Find similar vehicles: same type and speedometer. If the price is almost the same, use it to negotiate.
• Compare the vehicle's interior condition and speedometer readings. A 24,000 km car seat probably won't look like it's been crushed. Excessive wear in the cabin coupled with short distances can be a sign of fraud on the meter.

Warning

• If you live in a place that requires smoke or emissions testing, make sure your vehicle has been tested before you buy. Repairing the emissions control system can be very expensive and any vehicle that does not meet the requirements usually has to be repaired before registration. At the same time, the vehicle with severe wear and tear on internal engine components, such as pistons or valve pins, is more likely to fail: it could be a good way to ensure that current, the vehicle performs well and there will be no major mechanical problems causing you trouble driving. A qualified mechanic can easily check your emissions while checking your vehicle. Where emissions testing is not required, make sure the mechanic has checked the engine compressor, thus determining if there is an internal engine wear problem (this is a problem need to worry about vehicles running more than 80,000 km).
• After a preliminary inspection, if you want to proceed to purchase, seek expert advice from a qualified mechanic, especially if you have never bought a car or know very little about the vehicle. If the owner disagrees, they are more likely to want to hide something and in this case, you should look elsewhere.
• Does the deal seem too good? Maybe it really is.