Tips for buying a used car

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  Euphemistic on 22/12/2013 - 08:14

  +1

  Most of the things you have listed will only tell you about the cars ownership. Buying a car privately doesn't give you ANY warranty at all. You need to do a thorough mechanical check, if you have no idea what you are looking at take it to a trusted mechanic for an inspection. Just because a car has clear ownership and service records doesn't mean it won't blow up 50m down the road.

  Tyres, body damage, oil leaks, lights functioning, brake operation are some of the things that should be looked at. Check some of the reputable motoring websites for a list of what to check when buying a used car.

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  Antecedence on 22/12/2013 - 08:30

  Try and go and see cars in the evening when the petrol stations have turned their lights on. When you take the car for a test drive, pull over in the gas station and check down the sides of the cars for dints/scrapes. Garages use some kind of odd lights that make it extremely easy to see any dents!

  Just a useful thing I do when looking around.

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  Almost Banned on 22/12/2013 - 11:15

  Unless you are very mechanically capable I would insist on a thorough mechanical check by a reputable outfit.
  One thing you can do is run a magnet over the bodywork to check for repair.

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  Cheeper on 22/12/2013 - 11:35

  When buying a used car don't get sucked in by "gimmicks".
  Shiny wheels and a fancy audio system do not make a good car.
  You want a car in good condition first and foremost, the alternative can be very expensive.

  Being your first venture try to speak to some older people… they would have had the experience of being stung when buying cars and there is nothing like experienced advice.

  What is your budget?

  Any reason why your purchase will be strictly a private sale? Most private sellers ask for car yard prices but do not have to guarantee title or provide a statutory warranty so adjust your offer accordingly.

  Take a read of a few dozen pages on the whirlpool automotive forum, your question is asked almost daily. (don't post your question again without reading what people have already taken the time to answer)
  In there you will see a constant repeat of victims that have gone out with attitude and come back with citrus.
  http://forums.whirlpool.net.au/forum/133

  If you have a particular make/model in mind most brands have an owners forum which is a good source for seeing common problems and advice from people into that particular car. On general forums like whirlpool etc you will get more opinions that are not correct and based on bias or attitude so read between the lines in there.

  www.productreview.com.au is a good site to look up feedback from car owners and also feedback about some car yards.

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  MustResistPurchase on 22/12/2013 - 12:44

  Just prepare funds for repairs and servicing. Within the first month of owning a used vehicle, you'll find all the reasons why they sold it.

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  frutter on 22/12/2013 - 20:41

  +1

  agree with xywolap go to the forums answered plentiful times already, but heres a summary cos its the festive season;

  -REV CHECK
  -Mechanic inspection
  -cylinder compression check @mechanic
  -weird noises on test drive
  -specifically ask owner to not warm the car before you inspect the car (if he does then he is hiding something)
  -take friend when inspecting, rev car hard - see for colored/blue smoke = bad (obviously)

  *it seems that this will be the first time doing this so i suggest u to pass it onto someone else to inspect and go along with u

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  Cheeper on 23/12/2013 - 10:47

  Oh, most important… do not drive it without having at least TPP insurance.

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  weezlebub on 23/12/2013 - 13:18

  +2

  regarding the body:
  - train your eye across the side of the car for any warps or bumps
  - check the gap between the doors / bonnet / hood, if it's not even on both sides, it's been repaired (they rarely get them to line up properly after an accident)
  - if you look down on the engine (from the top), there's usually a square frame at the bottom that you can see part of, if the car's had any chasis damage, this square thing wont be all that square (some have straight bits, then round circles at the end of the straight bits, the circles make it real easy to spot)
  - look under the engine for any oil leaks
  - check under the oil cap for any white residue, if there is, walk away (sign of a cracked / blown head)
  - check the water levels are full, then turn it on & look for any leaks
  - take it for a test drive & pay close attention when turning for any strange sounds (listen out to gear changes or anything else that might be funny - so dont turn the radio on)
  - check that the a/c works, if it's an older car and the a/c isn't working, it's expensive to get it converted to a CFC free type, and no mechanic will fill a CFC a/c
  - check for tread on tyres, check that it's work evenly
  - if it's night time, check that headlights are about the same level (if it's been damaged, they can be difficult to realign)

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  donbot on 29/12/2013 - 18:19

  Question - what about an old grandmas car? 7 year old hatchback, 17500 kms (and in a perfect state internally so no reason not to brlieve). It drives as new, but wasn't serviced between 2006 when it was bought brand new (1000km check) until October 2013 when it was serviced by recipient as per the records after she passed away. Is there major risk in such a car of deteriorated parts over time as opposed to use? It was driven occasionally to the shops and the like.

  I want to get an racv check done on it, but I also wonder how thorough that will be.

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  chenlocus on 24/03/2016 - 23:17

  I would rather recommend to buy car from auction, here is my tips:

  http://everydaysmarterlife.blogspot.com/2016/03/buying-secon…

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  JOCKz on 25/03/2016 - 22:08

  +1

  I would not recommend buying a car from an auction, unless you plan to sell it. First and foremost they wont let you drive it. Insurance purposes. Nowadays people get over excited at auctions and will bid close to private sale prices to boost their egos, lots of stories of people buying lemons at auctions. If your know what your getting into its a fun venture. But factor in the cost of expensive repairs.

  @OP

  Once you've figured out what car you plan to buy. Go to a dealership and test drive the same car. Dealers dont mind you taking the time to sit in it and push buttons etc. See if its right for you. Dont buy on impulse. Look on enthusiast forums and see what are the common problems with the car you plan to buy. Car manufacturers will share the same motor across a range of their cars. Also similar parts (chassis, driveline etc). So common problems with engine/tranny or driveline will be similar