Surely at some point you have thought about buying a car and you have decided on the purchase of a second hand vehicle.
In the market of sale there is a wide range of used cars at very competitive prices and that adapt to your needs, saving you a significant number of euros in the transaction.
But before convincing you for this choice, remember that you should know and keep in mind that there are many aspects to consider.
In our matter, the mechanics, there are many frauds that you must know before making the decision.
We will help you to know how to choose with total reliability and not to make mistakes, for this we are going to give you these tips:
1º. The choice of the car: It seems obvious but it is important to know how to choose what car we need in our day to day.
Many people get carried away by the aesthetic and do not look at aspects such as practicality, mobility or space.
It is relevant to know what function we are going to give. For example: If you recently had family, it is highly recommended to choose a vehicle with 5 doors for the baby’s entrance in a comfortable way.
2nd. Particular or professional ?: This choice is certainly complicated. If you are looking for a price as cheap as possible we recommend the particular seller, since the dealer will always raise a percentage of sale on the final price. In return, the professional will always give you a technical guarantee that a private person can hide from a possible defect of the vehicle you want to acquire.
3º. First call: I am already clear about the car you like, I have seen it in a buying and selling portal and I am convinced by the conditions, the aesthetics … and now what?
It’s time to call the seller.
We recommend you to have clear the questions that you will be asked to detect the needs you require, here we leave some of them:
– Do you have a maintenance book? Does it take you to the day?
– Where do you pass the reviews (official service, independent workshop, does he …)?
– Do you have the instruction book of the car and the radio? Do you have the original radio? If the radio is original, do you have the radio key?
– Has the control unit been touched to increase the power or for something that is not strictly the maintenance of the car in the official workshop of the brand?
– Does the car incorporate any non-approved accessory, wheels, skirts, ailerons special lights or has it been tuned in any way?
– Have you suffered a structural or important blow?
– Has any part been repainted? What parts and why? Who made the repair?
– Is there any impact on the bodywork, lackluster, poorly painted, scratches, spots or areas with rust?
– Is there a broken or damaged pilot?
– Does it have on the windshield or on some moon, pickets, fissures, …? And the interior mirror?
– Is there any external accessory, molding, emblem? Which and where?
– Do you have a dog or are you a smoker? Ask this question if you care about this type of smell or find animal hair in the cabin. To sweeten the question you can tell him that you are allergic to smoke and hair.
– Is there any kind of damage inside?
– What is the wear of the upholstery? And the seats? Do they have any stain, burn or abnormal wear?
– Has any repair been made to the engine or transmission? In your case, when and in what it consisted?
– Has the timing belt changed? When did you do it for the last time? Do you keep the workshop invoice?
– Do all the lights work correctly, both exterior and interior?
– How long is the battery?
– Does any picture light remain on after starting?
– Does any auxiliary system fail: they raise and lower the windows normally without unusual noise, seat regulation, mirror adjustment, opening and closing of the sunroof / sunroof (if it is a cabriolet), door locks and safety locks, air conditioning, heating, windshield wipers, the heated rear window?
– Has anything been repaired in the electrical system? In your case, what was it? Who did it?
– Is the car completely airtight? Does not water enter the interior, by the gums of the doors or of the moons?
– How is suspension, brakes and wheels? When were the pads, discs, shock absorbers, tires changed last?
– As for the announced kilometers, are they real? (ask for the maintenance book to check it) Would it be inconvenient for us to specify the number of kilometers in the contract?
– Can I check the car with a professional mechanic?
4th The visit: When these previous points you have resolved and finally decide what fits the conditions with the price, it will be time to see it. We are going to give you some basic mechanical advice to know if what you have answered is completely true:
– Kilometers: To avoid fraud in the actual mileage of the vehicle, ask for the updated maintenance book. This book will tell you if the kilometers you put in the odometer is real or manipulated.
– Tires: Look carefully at the wheels. If you find the wheels cracked or deflated, it could be due to misuse or even disuse of the vehicle.
– The brakes: It is important to check the effectiveness of the braking, as well as the feel of the pedal and the condition of discs and pads, because brake equipment failures They are precisely cheap.
– The suspensions: Try to apply pressure on the hood, just above a wheel, and observe how the shock absorbers behave. If the car bounces more than once until it stabilizes, the suspension is very worn. In this case, I would change it if you want to drive safely. Maybe it’s a good time to lower the price or ask the seller to take over the replacement.
– The crystals: Observe that there are no scratches or possible cracks caused by any possible sudden change in temperature. This would cause the few months to the acquisition to break with a pothole and cause an accident.
5th Documentation: You have already checked all the technical points of the car and they fit perfectly with your expectations. Now it’s the turn of the bureaucratic part. It is time to know if the previous owner is up to date with the payment of the tax of circulation, with the ITV and even with the possible fines or embargoes that could drag. This can be known by making a query to the Traffic Department.
Now, if everything is finally in order, you can now sign your sales contract and show off your brand new car!
Remember, after buying your car, make a review in our workshops to leave it completely ready and drive it with such peace of mind.
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