How to choose a used car
You always want to take a car cheaper – especially if it has already been in someone’s hands. Yes, reliable brands can serve for decades. But sometimes a seemingly decent-looking copy should not be bought in any case. We tell you how to choose a used car and not make a mistake

Immediately after the car leaves the dealership, it is considered used and begins to lose value quickly. Already a year after operation, the cost of the machine is reduced by 27%. Moreover, she can even just stand in the garage all this time. Buying a used car is much more difficult than a new one – here you need to be technically savvy and not trust such a serious purchase just to luck, so as not to get into a mess, be satisfied with the purchase and not solve many problems in the future. Let’s take a look at how to choose the right used car, what steps to take first, what to inspect and check before buying.

Step 1. Check the car engine

The motor of the car is its heart, if it is seriously naughty, consider the whole body of the khan. The owner can convince that he could pour anti-smoke additives into the oil, but he didn’t, because the problem is trifling, only the valve stem seals need to be replaced, it’s inexpensive. But in fact, the smoke from the chimney can smell like a complete overhaul or engine replacement, and in the case of modern foreign cars, this is under 100 thousand.

Having noticed one problem when choosing a used car, you may not think of others: both the box twitches and the generator refuses to work. Because if old age came to the car, then not with one disease. Of course, everything can now be repaired. But it’s a matter of time and money. And even with resale, this car will never recoup what was invested in it.

Conclusion: take a look at how the motor works. So that it doesn’t troil, doesn’t smoke, doesn’t knock. Sometimes problems are better heard “on a cold day”, then the seller will make appointments so that you come to an already working car. And you muffle while you are talking, let it cool down a little, then start it. Listen, smell.

Step 2. Inspect the car body

This primarily applies to SUVs that have a frame under the body. Because, in addition to the VIN number, they have a frame number, it is also called the chassis number. If you are going to buy such a car, study the documents and check the numbers in the papers and on the frame. Firstly, they must match, and secondly, the number on the piece of iron must be perfectly readable. Don’t guess, just read. If the license plate is rusted, this car can legally cease to be a car. The inspector will simply refuse to register it for you in the traffic police.

It’s only in American TV programs about pumping cars that everything is so easy and beautiful: they took an old trough, welded the missing parts, poured paint over it, and it sparkled. In reality, a rotten body loses its integrity. If rust has eaten not just the threshold and the muffler, but firmly grasped the power base of the body – the spars, then even the most talented welder is not able to cure the disease.

Serious alterations are also a disaster. Equipment for driving on gas, a raised suspension, an iron bumper, even a tow hook for a trailer on a passenger car – all these are design changes, if they are not legalized by the traffic police, then the car is not subject to registration. Will have to clean up.

Conclusion: a rusty, crumpled body or alterations are too risky and expensive.

Step 3. Check vehicle documents

Pieces of iron are still half the trouble. Papers on a used car – that’s the problem is more important. A lost registration certificate, aka PTS, is an alarming bell. Judge for yourself: what prevents the former owner from getting a duplicate title? The procedure is simple and inexpensive. If the car is also a non-resident, then there is some kind of dark matter.

The car may be wanted by bailiffs, with problems in customs clearance, with restrictions on registration actions for some other reason. And it happens that everything is in order with the car, but the owners are dark. The husband and wife were going to get divorced, and he secretly throws off the car, recorded on the still spouse. And then suddenly it turns out that the wife was not going to sell the car. The car will have to be returned immediately, but when the money will be given to you is a big question.

Conclusion: the legal cleanliness of the car must be crystal clear. Break through all the bases – the traffic police and the notary chamber on their websites, study each of the documents, including the owner’s passport, to the letter, before concluding a contract of sale.

Popular questions and answers

What else do you need to know when choosing a used car? Share your tips and tricks with us. Denis Migal, CEO of the Fresh Auto dealership network.

Where is it better to buy a car – in the cabin or from the hands?
– You can find a used car in good technical condition both at an authorized dealer and on the secondary market – at an individual, – answers Denis Migal. – The advantage of buying from a dealer: finding a quality car in the showroom is much easier and faster. In addition, dealers give guarantees, and the procedure for completing a transaction will take less time than in the case of a private person. A simple example: before buying a car, the new owner must assess its condition. This requires a specialist or a visit to the service station, which will take time and money. At the same time, checked cars are already presented in the assortment of the salon, since the dealer is responsible for the goods sold. The car dealership will definitely check the legal cleanliness of the car. When buying from your hands, you can run into scammers.
When is the best time of year to buy a car?
– A car is worth buying when it is needed. If you rush to invest the accumulated money, fearing a default, you can buy low-quality goods. It is better to wait for the season when the demand for cars decreases. In salons, this is traditionally January, February, partly June, the end of November and December, ”the Healthy Food Near Me expert answers.
How to check twisted mileage?
If you buy a car from a private person, be sure to check the mileage. Every car has an odometer – a device that shows mileage. In older machines, the counter is mechanical and can be rewound. For new cars with electric odometers, there are special devices – programmers that can twist the mileage.

On expensive foreign cars, which have a lot of electronics, you can check the mileage through the technical center by connecting the car to a computer. This is not the case with budget cars. Our expert Denis Migal recommends:

– You can check the mileage through the Autocode website. You need to enter the license plate and STS of the car. A visual inspection of the interior parts, the condition of which may not match the numbers on the dashboard, will also help. For example, worn seats, a steering wheel and a gear knob indicate a long service life of a car, the interlocutor answers.

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