Motorists buying a second hand car 'should do 5 important checks'
Many motorists eagerly anticipate buying a new vehicle, whether they're looking to enhance their existing ride or to scale down to something smaller. Some choose to buy second-hand cars, which typically come with more affordable price tags compared to brand-new vehicles whilst still offering dependable transport.
An ex-car dealer, whose identity remains undisclosed, offers guidance, tips and recommendations via TikTok and YouTube. In a recent TikTok video, he explained: "These are five things that you need to check when you first turn up at a garage or a dealership to look at a used car that you have enquired about."
Browse through his suggestions below, particularly if you're in the market for a pre-owned vehicle.
1. Start the car
The former motor trader turned car photographer advised that the initial step involves starting the vehicle, provided you've already met the sales representative and got the keys or have the salesperson accompanying you.
He explained: "Obviously, you want to check that it actually does start. It's not the end of the world if the battery is flat, that can happen a lot at dealerships.
"If it's completely dead and won't jumpstart properly then I would start to worry that that car has been sat for a long time with zero enquiries, which might make me wonder why, but if it starts up pretty simply with a jump pack then it's probably just [been] sat for a few days so it's not the end of the world."
The expert advises switching on the air conditioning once you've started the vehicle to ensure air is circulating properly into the car.
He emphasised the importance of verifying that the air conditioning system is functioning correctly and operating as it should.
2. Examine all electrical components
The former car salesman then recommended inspecting all of the vehicle's internal electrical features, beginning from the right side and working towards the centre.
He elaborated: "So starting from the door where you've probably got, or possibly got, electric window adjustments, deadlocks possibly, almost certainly electric windows, try them all."
He suggested testing all these functions from the driver's seat. Following this, he advised examining the steering wheel controls and the audio system in the centre console, including checking the speakers.
3. Inspect the lighting and indicators
The motor trade specialist added that the next step involves checking the lighting and indicator systems, testing each different light using the light controls.
This includes sidelights, dipped beam, full beam, fog lamps and brake lights. He also suggested making sure that both left and right indicators function properly at the front and rear, along with the hazard warning lights.
He observed that checking all lighting and indicators becomes much simpler when you have someone positioned outside the vehicle to help with observation.
4. Check the exterior and tyres thoroughly
The automotive expert continued: "The next thing you want to do is hop outside of the car. From there, you want to start off by looking at the bodywork.
"Now, you don't need to be an expert here. You've already done a HPI check before you've gone there so you're not looking for massive amounts of accident damage."
He explained that buyers should examine the vehicle for splits or corrosion marks, plus any substandard paintwork that might cause concern.
The car photographer also recommended inspecting the tyres, including examining the tread depth across all four wheels and checking when the tyres were produced to determine their expiry date.
5. Examine beneath the bonnet and inspect the oil
The motoring specialist concluded with his final recommendation: "Right, lastly, and this is before you take it out for a test drive or negotiate a price or anything like this, pop the bonnet.
"Again if you've got someone with you that knows what they're looking at then great.
"If you don't know what you're looking at just have a look at the general condition of the hoses.
2Make sure nothing looks like it's split, make sure nothing looks damp and by damp I mean oily because then there could be a sign of oil leak, of course."
He suggested switching off the engine at this stage and examining both the oil level and its quality.
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