18 Questions To Ask Before Buying Any Used Car
DOES THIS CAR HAVE THE ORIGINAL PAINT?
One of the most important questions to ask your seller or dealership before buying a used car is if the paint on the car the original paint.
A car repaint will instantly let you know that the car has been fixed due to numerous reasons including car accidents.
Try rephrasing the question to your seller to something like, “Was off white the original colour?” After the seller answers, even if it is affirmative, go around the car and inspect it. Axle Addict states, “The aftermarket paint process is different than that of the factory and oftentimes, that newly painted panel will fade slightly.” Once you find a body part with colour not matching, do not forget to ask the seller its origin.
HAS THIS CAR BEEN IN ANY ACCIDENTS?
This is a good question to ask. Often, cars that have been in accidents will have performance and handling issues. Before taking the car on a test drive, one of the things that’ll tell you a car has been in an accident is looking at the color as described in the previous point. Another way is to run your fingers “along the edges of doors, windows and also the back edge of the hood. These edges should be smooth if painted at the factory. Often with aftermarket paint, the person applying the paint will concentrate on the panel finish and the lip of the panel will be left slightly rough or bumpy. This never happens at the factory because the paint is applied before anything else, so it goes on smooth and even. A rough edge normally indicates a panel that has been painted and you should examine it further” according to Axle Addict.
CAN I CHECK THE CAR OIL?
Always check the oil yourself. You run the risk of the seller lying to you when you directly ask him/her. First, open the hood.
If there is a burnt oil smell, then the car may have problems.
Then, check the oil level. Notice the level and colour of the oil on the oil stick. If the level is low, or the oil colour is darker than usual, then that might indicate the car was maintained a long time ago and you may want to stay away from these kinds of cars. You may also check for oil leaks on the lower levels of the car. Make sure everything is dry.
CAN I SEE THIS CAR ON THE LIFT?
This question is best directed to a dealer. It is an important question that lets you inspect the ‘belly’ of the car. If the dealer refuses, it is best that you walk away because, in most instances, that indicates problems with the car. If they agree, take this chance to inspect the dryness of the front engine part. If it is dry, it indicates no oil/coolant leaks. Also, inspect if the exhaust pipe is rusted, how the transmission looks and if the bumpers have been tampered with. Lifting a car for inspection lets you examine the car in depth and ask your dealer any provocative question.
WHY ARE THEY SELLING THIS CAR?
Although this question opens up the possibility of the seller lying to you, find out whether the reason they are selling the car is personal or relative to the car. Most of the time, personal reasons such as the seller wanting a larger car, or the seller looking to get money for mortgage repayment do not warrant much suspicion. However, if the reasons are car related such as the car has become old, or the car spends a lot of time in the garage, then you might want to walk away immediately. If the car has troubled the seller, it is very likely to trouble you too.
WHO WAS THE PREVIOUS OWNER/S?
Nerd Wallet reports, ““If the seller doesn’t really have many details about the car or only owned it a short time, that’s a warning sign,” You do not want any surprises down the road. Be diligent in asking who the previous owners of the car were.
When looking for a used car, its best to go with sellers who have cared for the car for a couple of years.
The longer the period, the better. This is an assurance that the used car is in good condition and is less likely to give you problems down the road.
CAN I TAKE THE CAR FOR A TEST DRIVE?
Sellers of properly maintained used cars will usually schedule a test drive for you that very same day. Handling is one of the main reasons you will want to test drive a used car. Questions to ask yourself during a test drive include: Is the car handling well? Is the steering wheel misaligned? Is the car pulling itself to one side when driving? Are there any funny sounds coming from the engine? Are there any warning signs on the dashboard as you drive? Is it parallel parking well? How much space do I have in the boot? Take advantage of the test drive, and inspect everything.
CAN I SEE THE MAINTENANCE HISTORY?
A car service history will likely tell you how well a car has been cared for. Look at such things as oil changes, car wheel alignments, car tire changes, headlight bulb changes, air and oil filter changes and the like. Regular maintenance will let you know that the used car is in good condition. However, do not be disheartened if the seller is reluctant in providing you in depth service history. This is because some people are not as organized as others are and won’t have stored this information. Nevertheless, you can still ask the seller for his mechanics contacts and take up this question with him.
CAN I TAKE THIS TO MY MECHANIC?
Just as a doctor is a specialist of the body, so is a mechanic a specialist of the car. A mechanic will help you get an expert review on the used car. He is more likely to notice the nitty gritties that could affect a used car’s performance down the road than you can. As such, although they might come at a cost, make sure you get one to inspect that used car. Some sellers/dealerships will offer their own in-house mechanics. However, always insist on having your own mechanic, even if you’ll go with them
DID THE OWNER DO A GOOD JOB OF MAINTAINING THIS VEHICLE?
You must ask your own mechanic this important question. Your mechanic will let you know if the car is well maintained after inspecting it. If it is properly maintained, then consider buying it. If it is not properly maintained, then you may want to walk away and look for another used car.
However, there may be instances when the mechanic may tell a driver that, although not properly maintained, the used car is a feasible purchase.
This is mostly in cases where the car is still new or it hasn’t been used for a long time. Listen to the mechanic well, and make a well-informed decision.
WHAT FEATURES DON’T WORK THE WAY THEY’RE SUPPOSED TO?
This question also opens up the possibility that the seller is going to lie to you that all features work well. However, it is recommended that you jump into the car and look at all features yourself. Are the indicators and hazards working well? Is the air conditioner heating and cooling properly? Are the rear view mirrors all present? Is the rear view camera working properly? Make sure everything is working properly. Other additional things to make sure are working well include headlights, brake lights, reverse lights, sunroof, gear changes, the radio and its speakers.
IS THERE ANY REASON I WOULDN’T DRIVE THE CAR COAST-TO-COAST TOMORROW?
Ask this question for fun. More often than not, the seller will answer it with a resounding yes while wearing a smile on his face. However, if you do not get that kind of a reaction, then you may want to investigate further or even walk away from that deal. A seller who is not confident in their used car will always avoid answering this question. If they do, and they are lying, chances are they will display classic lying signs such as pointing a lot, staring without blinking much, having difficulty speaking, standing still or shuffling their feet. Buyer beware!
HOW DID THEY ARRIVE AT THIS PRICE?
The seller can arrive at a price for their used car in various ways. Some just pick a number out of thin air and stick to it while others may use a pricing chart. Some may also go with the current selling price of that used car in the market. In any case, make sure you know the current value of the used car to avoid over-paying for it.
Use the Internet, ask trusted friends and visit several dealerships to get a more accurate figure.
This will put you at a better position for negotiating the used car price.
DO THEY HAVE BOTH KEYS FOR THE VEHICLE?
Make sure the used car you are considering to buy has two keys. Most used cars are sold with one key often because the seller or dealership might have lost one. However, this brings up the issue that your car is vulnerable to easily being stolen. So, to protect yourself from theft, always make sure the seller or dealership has both the original keys for the used car. This will give you peace of mind in case you lose, bend or snap one key. An additional key will also help prevent accidental lockouts, and will give you convenience incase the used car is to be used by two people.
CAN THEY REDUCE THE PRICE?
Once you are serious about buying the car, then go ahead and ask this question. You will need negotiation tactics here. Negotiating for a lower price will not only help you save money, but it will also help you feel good about your abilities. To help you successfully negotiate a lower price, listen to the seller more than you talk. Time well. The best time to buy a vehicle from a dealership is at the end of the month when they are looking to end the month at a high note – so buy at the end of the month. Also, do not forget to keep a poker face.
HOW MANY MILES HAS THE CAR COVERED?
Another important aspect to consider before buying a used car is the number of miles it has covered. Normally, the fewer the miles a used car has covered, the better it is to a buyer and an average of 12,000 miles annually is a good place to start. However, there are few things to consider. Are these city or highway miles?
More highway miles are better than city miles.
In addition, an old car doesn’t necessarily mean more mileage. In fact, a seven-year-old car with 35,000 miles is considered much better than a 2-year-old car with 100,000
HOW WILL I FINANCE THIS PURCHASE?
There are many ways you can finance your used car purchase. The two main ones are cash directly from your pocket and a loan from a financial institution. If you are intending to use an auto loan, we recommend that you get it way before finding your preferred used car. Not only will this give you a good footing as far as negotiating is concerned, it will also instill confidence in you from your seller or dealership. You may also take advantage of a trade-in arrangement if your dealership offers one. If you have an older car, you can dispose of it this way, thereby reducing the cost of maintaining two cars to one.
WHAT COMMON PROBLEMS DOES THIS MODEL EXPERIENCE THE MOST?
Make sure you deeply know what common problems the used car model you want to purchase commonly faces. For example, Volkswagen Golfs and BMW 3 series commonly have gearbox problems, Land Rover Discovery and VW Passat models commonly have braking problems and Vauxhall Astra and Ford Focus models have alternator problems according to Auto Express UK. All cars are manmade; therefore, they are not devoid of problems. However, you may want to look at the overall cost of the underlying problem. If it is costly, you better move on to another used car model.
Sources: Progressive.com, Jalopnik.com, AutoExpress.co.uk
