Cheap car buying - do's and dont's
Discussion
I wrote the below for my Father in Law this week who was looking at cars in that price bracket, so that he could try and purchase the best he possibly can...
Before getting in the car, I always check:
1: MOT documents - read the milages between the last few MOTs and also any advisories noted on the last few MOTs. Look for evidence of any remedial work for advisories.
2: Service history. I never expect a full dealer history, but I do expect at least an oil change every 10/15,000 miles or every year or so
3: V5. Check the number of previous owners and when it the previous owner bought it (if it was only a few months ago, it could indicate it is a dud).
4: Stand back and look at all the panels and panel gaps. Make sure there are no obvious differences in colour that could indicate a re-spray caused by crash damage.
5: Look at the tyres and read the manufacturer. If they are not a well known make, it is an indicator that the owner has scrimped on maintenance. Something like Kumho / Yokohama / Avon / Goodyear / Michelin / Pirelli / Falken is absolutely fine. Something like Nankang / Linglong / Goodlife is a big red warning sign. Also, run a finger between the treads - there should be a good depth of tread across the breadth of the tyre.
6: Open the boot, lift up the carpet and check that the spare wheel is there. Also, check the metalwork in the floor of the boot - any signs of weld / rippling of metal is an indicator of crash damage
7: Open the bonnet and look at the top of each wing where the bonnet sits. Crash damage can sometimes show up there. While the bonnet is open, check the oil. Is it relatively clean and gold looking or black and sludgy. This is a good indicator of how much it's been cared for previously.
8: Have a look at the sills under the doors. Is there sign of black paint being applied / rust / cut lines. These can indicate crash damage.
9: Have a look at the wheels. Do they look to be in good condition.
Next, I get in the car, finally!!!
10: With the bonnet open, get someone to start the car from cold. Yo want to see if there's a puff of blue smoke from the exhaust. If there is, it could be a sign of head gasket failure. Let the engine idle for a minute with the bonnet open and listen for a "tappety" sound from the top of the engine and any grumbles or rattles from the bottom. Make sure all the lights on the dashboard light up when you turn the key to the Aux position and they all go out when you start the engine.
11: Check the radio / heated seats / sunroof / electric seats / all windows / central locking works. On the Lexus, turn the lights on and get someone to stand at the front while you squirt the windscreen - two prongs should come out of the front bumper to spray the headlights. Make sure all lights work. Make sure there are no tips and tears in the upholstery.
12: Check the air conditioning works. With the engine running, turn the temperature to the very coldest and the blower can to the very highest. After about 3 - 5 minutes, the air should blow through ice cold. If not, it could be a simple re-gas (about £30) or a new compressor (about £500!!)
Next - time for the drive..!!!!!!
This isn't a drive for fun. You are trying to ascertain whether or not there are any faults anywhere!!
13: Most importantly, if the salesman keeps talking, ask him to be quiet, as you want to feel and hear the car, not him!!! Keep the radio turned off and drive it normally for a few miles to get used to it. There are only about 3 or 4 tests that you want to do, but you want to do them a couple of times each. These are:
1: Accelerate smartly through the gears. Within the law, you want to put the gearbox under load to make sure it shifts smoothly when under load and being driven quite hard - if it really bangs into gear (like a horse kicking the car) when accelerating hard, take it back and decline to purchase
2: Where safe, prepare everyone in the car for an emergency stop and really stand on the brakes from about 35 / 40mph with your hands off the steering wheel (but ready to grab it in case!!!). You want the car to brake hard in a straight line - you will feel a judder through the brake pedal - this is the ABS, which is a good thing.
3: Next, get to a car park / open space, put the wheel on full lock right so that it's in the stops and drive round slowly In a circle. Do the same on full lock left. You don't want to hear any knocking noises
4: All that should take about 10 / 15 minutes, so the engine will be nice and warm. Accelerate hard through the gears again to make sure they still shift smoothly when they are warm.
5: Finally, take it back to the dealership, park up and turn the engine off. Leave it switched off for about 5 minutes and then re-start it. It should jump in to life. If it doesn't, it indicates a hot start / heat soak issue, which can be a right swine to fix
Before getting in the car, I always check:
1: MOT documents - read the milages between the last few MOTs and also any advisories noted on the last few MOTs. Look for evidence of any remedial work for advisories.
2: Service history. I never expect a full dealer history, but I do expect at least an oil change every 10/15,000 miles or every year or so
3: V5. Check the number of previous owners and when it the previous owner bought it (if it was only a few months ago, it could indicate it is a dud).
4: Stand back and look at all the panels and panel gaps. Make sure there are no obvious differences in colour that could indicate a re-spray caused by crash damage.
5: Look at the tyres and read the manufacturer. If they are not a well known make, it is an indicator that the owner has scrimped on maintenance. Something like Kumho / Yokohama / Avon / Goodyear / Michelin / Pirelli / Falken is absolutely fine. Something like Nankang / Linglong / Goodlife is a big red warning sign. Also, run a finger between the treads - there should be a good depth of tread across the breadth of the tyre.
6: Open the boot, lift up the carpet and check that the spare wheel is there. Also, check the metalwork in the floor of the boot - any signs of weld / rippling of metal is an indicator of crash damage
7: Open the bonnet and look at the top of each wing where the bonnet sits. Crash damage can sometimes show up there. While the bonnet is open, check the oil. Is it relatively clean and gold looking or black and sludgy. This is a good indicator of how much it's been cared for previously.
8: Have a look at the sills under the doors. Is there sign of black paint being applied / rust / cut lines. These can indicate crash damage.
9: Have a look at the wheels. Do they look to be in good condition.
Next, I get in the car, finally!!!
10: With the bonnet open, get someone to start the car from cold. Yo want to see if there's a puff of blue smoke from the exhaust. If there is, it could be a sign of head gasket failure. Let the engine idle for a minute with the bonnet open and listen for a "tappety" sound from the top of the engine and any grumbles or rattles from the bottom. Make sure all the lights on the dashboard light up when you turn the key to the Aux position and they all go out when you start the engine.
11: Check the radio / heated seats / sunroof / electric seats / all windows / central locking works. On the Lexus, turn the lights on and get someone to stand at the front while you squirt the windscreen - two prongs should come out of the front bumper to spray the headlights. Make sure all lights work. Make sure there are no tips and tears in the upholstery.
12: Check the air conditioning works. With the engine running, turn the temperature to the very coldest and the blower can to the very highest. After about 3 - 5 minutes, the air should blow through ice cold. If not, it could be a simple re-gas (about £30) or a new compressor (about £500!!)
Next - time for the drive..!!!!!!
This isn't a drive for fun. You are trying to ascertain whether or not there are any faults anywhere!!
13: Most importantly, if the salesman keeps talking, ask him to be quiet, as you want to feel and hear the car, not him!!! Keep the radio turned off and drive it normally for a few miles to get used to it. There are only about 3 or 4 tests that you want to do, but you want to do them a couple of times each. These are:
1: Accelerate smartly through the gears. Within the law, you want to put the gearbox under load to make sure it shifts smoothly when under load and being driven quite hard - if it really bangs into gear (like a horse kicking the car) when accelerating hard, take it back and decline to purchase
2: Where safe, prepare everyone in the car for an emergency stop and really stand on the brakes from about 35 / 40mph with your hands off the steering wheel (but ready to grab it in case!!!). You want the car to brake hard in a straight line - you will feel a judder through the brake pedal - this is the ABS, which is a good thing.
3: Next, get to a car park / open space, put the wheel on full lock right so that it's in the stops and drive round slowly In a circle. Do the same on full lock left. You don't want to hear any knocking noises
4: All that should take about 10 / 15 minutes, so the engine will be nice and warm. Accelerate hard through the gears again to make sure they still shift smoothly when they are warm.
5: Finally, take it back to the dealership, park up and turn the engine off. Leave it switched off for about 5 minutes and then re-start it. It should jump in to life. If it doesn't, it indicates a hot start / heat soak issue, which can be a right swine to fix
Seems a lot of effort for a cheap car, I usually do research before hand, ask questions etc, the tone of replies usually indicates type of deller ergo car. Cheap tyres are not a problem as I always change anyway.
Blue smoke is oil burning not hg,hg would be white smoke. Older cars smoke, my car smoke on start up bit done 15k in a year no issues.
Blue smoke is oil burning not hg,hg would be white smoke. Older cars smoke, my car smoke on start up bit done 15k in a year no issues.
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