According to statistics, 30% of those who buy a used car reveal a huge number of problems during the first month of its use, whose elimination requires large financial investments. How can you avoid such a situation? What to pay attention to in order to buy a used car in a perfect tech condition? In this post, we will share with you the secrets on how to check the car before buying it.

Procedure

We advise you to carry out the first check of the car at the stage of viewing the sales ads. Choose the option you like, check the number on the car plate, and request the full RAM history report from one of the dedicated online services. The system will issue a report with a detailed history of the vehicle. If the information in the ad contradicts the report data, it is better to refuse from this option and not waste time meeting with the seller. Most often, sellers hide information about the real mileage, the number of car owners, and the participation of the car in different accidents.

 

Full Car Inspection

Documentation Check

Before buying a used car, it is important to check its documentation:

 

  • Vehicle license;
  • Vehicle registration certificate;
  • Seller’s ID.

 

Make sure there are no special inserts and markings in the vehicle license. What’s the catch here? Marks are put in cases where the numbers of the body or engine are broken or unreadable.

Mileage Check

More than 50% of car sellers strive to hide the real mileage of a used car, thus, increasing the cost of the vehicle. There are several ways to check the veracity of the mileage data:

 

  • Check documents;
  • Make a competent inspection of the vehicle;
  • Contact specialists.

Check for Participation in Road Accidents

More than 75% of cars have been involved in an accident at least once, and sellers often try to hide this fact. When recommending you to check a car for participation in road accidents, we talk about the visual signs of a broken car or scratches. If you notice signs of repair when inspecting a car, get the VIN data. From the VIN report, you will find out where, when, and in what type of accident the car got into.

full car inspection checklist

Car Theft Check

If you buy a stolen car, there is a possibility that you will have to sue the declared owner. In 85% of such situations, the judge obliges the new owner to return the vehicle to its real owner. In this case, you will lose not only the car but also the money spent on it. It is unlikely that it will be possible to return the funds. That’s why you are to be 100% sure that the car is not stolen or hijacked.

Where to Get the Full Data?

It is sometimes difficult and time-consuming to run a full-fledged car inspection by your own efforts. If it is the case of yours, then you can always request a VIN report and get a full car history in a single sheet of paper. Save your time and optimize your efforts.