You chose a used car , checked history, documents. It's time to go for a visit. Please note that the seller offers a preliminary price tag. Often he is ready to reduce the amount, and you - you can and even need to bargain. But without arguments - no way. Cars with mileage need to carefully inspect and ask questions about the technical condition. The attentive will get a prize - a discount of 5-15 thousand rubles or more. Do you want to become its owner? Then let's go.

CONTENT
Inspect the body
If you see small chips and scratches on the car body, this does not mean that its technical condition leaves much to be desired. A used car will not retain its factory appearance - stones, sand, dirt, dust constantly fly on the road. Or another car will strike in the parking lot, you will not notice the curb yourself and you will bury the bumper. Roughness is normal. It doesn’t matter if you are looking at the Solaris or the “seven” of BMW. But ideally smooth surfaces, on the contrary, should be alerted.

There are more serious problems. Look for signs of welding on the body - perhaps the car was made from two of the same. When hit, the car risks just falling apart.

“If you went to inspect at a private trader, in the market, in the company like CarZaamin.com - be prepared for anything. There is always a chance that you will be "fooled". One time I had a funny situation when I looked at a used car. The guy was selling Renault Logan, made of two. "

Check paintwork

“The thickness gauge will add details to the machine inspection. It will be easy to check the thickness of paintwork yourself if you find out how many microns the device should display on the screen. Find the numbers in advance on the Internet. For example, the thickness of the Ford Focus 3 varnish will fluctuate around 100-150 microns, while the Mercedes or the old Land Rover should have a thicker varnish - approximately 200-250 microns. The paint on the car 10-20 years ago put denser. Today, this procedure replaces the tension on the body of the protective film and coating.

Check.  Car paint coating

But not always the thickness gauge saves from dishonest sellers - in car services they paint used cars specifically for the device. Also contact insurance companies and make minor repairs on the hull insurance. Therefore, when meeting with the seller, wear glasses if you see badly. Carefully consider cars from different angles. Not every car repair shop will pick up the paint exactly in the color of the car.

Another way to measure lacquer thickness is a regular magnet. Wrap it in a rag and drive on the body. Where there is no attraction at all - probably a thick layer of putty. ”

Determine whether the machine is broken
Alexander Gudov, owner and head of the auto shop “ IskraRS ”:

Alexander Gudov, owner and head of a car repair shop

"There are 10 clear signs of participation in the accident and the curvature of the geometry of the body:

Different color paintwork under the seals on the shade on the body;
There is no paint on the hood bolts, door hinges, fuel tank flap;
The gaps on the body parts are not symmetrical;
Differs marking, year of manufacture of glass;
Closed with effort hood, trunk, doors;
Sprayed moldings painted in body color;
Do not join body stampings, lines;
Cracked windshield with no visible center;
Differ headlights, one - muddy;
There are no small scratches, dents, chips on the front bumper.
Also read: How to check whether a broken car or not

Track tire wear. If you see that tires are worn unevenly - perhaps the body curve. Check in a car repair shop - mechanics will help you figure it out with the help of special devices, stands.

Determine the actual mileage

“Odometer reading is the last thing worth believing. Try to determine the mileage on the condition of the cabin.

Count. In the year a private car "reels" 10-20 thousand kilometers. Five years - 100 thousand.

Check. To the mileage of 100 thousand kilometers on the brake discs will remain the edge of a maximum of 2-3 mm. If you see that the wheels are new - it means that the car “ran” more than a hundred.

Learn. If the pedals are worn down to metal or, on the contrary, completely new, the car’s mileage has exceeded 300 thousand kilometers.

Inspect. By 5 years of use or 150-200 thousand kilometers on the steering wheel appear rubbing. You can determine how and where used cars. You see the position of "9 o'clock" - the owner often traveled long distances, "9" and "15 hours" - in the city. If the scuffs around the rim - the owner probably tax it.  

Explore. Upholstery driver's seat of fabric begins to fall into disrepair after 100-120 thousand kilometers, of leather - after 190-200 thousand. The armrest and lateral support on the left are strongly erased, if the car is left-hand drive. In the case of the right-hand drive car - on the contrary even if you buying from auction. "

Conduct a test drive

The car passed a visual check - proceed to the test drive. It is important to evaluate:

brake system, suspension;
engine start and idle;
the presence of suspicious noises and knocks in the suspension, engine;
steering wheel position, machine handling;
the operation of electric windows, radio, instrument panel, air conditioning, "stove";
jerking during gear changes.
The seller may not let the wheel, but you do not need it. Get in the car together, ask him to accelerate, slow down, turn, turn around and drive through a speed bump or other road bumps. Such a test drive will show the technical condition of the suspension brakes. Watch out

Watch out for the owner from the front passenger seat. If he turns the steering wheel and uses the PPC without effort - the car is fine.