Things to check when buying.
Discussion
Hi all.
Looking to getting myself a second hand car and am just looking for advice on what sort of things to look out for to make sure its genuine/ non dodgy.
The car in question is a high miler but has full service history with all stamps and book and invoices for all work carried out, comes with 2 keys. I take it this is a good sign of non dodgyness.
Obviously a HPI check will be done when I go and view the car bu is there anything else I should check?
Looking to getting myself a second hand car and am just looking for advice on what sort of things to look out for to make sure its genuine/ non dodgy.
The car in question is a high miler but has full service history with all stamps and book and invoices for all work carried out, comes with 2 keys. I take it this is a good sign of non dodgyness.
Obviously a HPI check will be done when I go and view the car bu is there anything else I should check?
From experience... 
Check the air con is working and properly cold. Mine (bought two months ago) is in the garage at the moment with the dash out having the (leaking) evaporator changed, looking at a bill of about a grand.
Look at panel gaps, I looked at an Audi recently that you could insert a key and waggle it on one side of the boot lid where it meets the wing, the other side you couldn't even get a key in the gap. Same with the bonnet, and the drivers door didn't line up with the rear door behind it.
Also, if it's a private sale, get the owner to drive it and see how he does drive it. If he four wheel drifts out of his drive with a stone cold engine and redlines it up the road you might want to have a re-think.
Other than that, common sense stuff really, check everything works, have a look underneath, just keep your eyes and ears open.
Check the air con is working and properly cold. Mine (bought two months ago) is in the garage at the moment with the dash out having the (leaking) evaporator changed, looking at a bill of about a grand.
Look at panel gaps, I looked at an Audi recently that you could insert a key and waggle it on one side of the boot lid where it meets the wing, the other side you couldn't even get a key in the gap. Same with the bonnet, and the drivers door didn't line up with the rear door behind it.
Also, if it's a private sale, get the owner to drive it and see how he does drive it. If he four wheel drifts out of his drive with a stone cold engine and redlines it up the road you might want to have a re-think.
Other than that, common sense stuff really, check everything works, have a look underneath, just keep your eyes and ears open.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff