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Buying a car on the secondary market - how not to take junk?

Buying a car on the secondary market - how not to take junk?
Finding a used car in perfect condition today is not as easy as it might seem. But every potential buyer believes that he will be lucky. As a result, many relax, listen to the promises of sellers and ... are disappointed! While with such an operation, a cold mind and a sober calculation are doubly important.


Looking for the right seller


There are several categories of sellers in the secondary market. Some owners personally handle the sale. But mostly you have to deal with the so-called resellers. Among them there are conscientious, rather, as an exception. However, much more often such sellers buy other people's cars, dropping the price as much as possible and thinking solely about their own benefit. Further, cosmetic repairs are carried out to increase the external attractiveness of the transport. Having increased the cost, resellers earn on the difference.

Subsequently, the new owner is faced with problems hidden from him, he has to spend extra money on repairs. A good result can be considered if it takes about 10% of the cost paid to the reseller. Sometimes one repair leads to another, and the costs pile up like a snowball.

Покупка авто на вторичном рынке - как не взять автохлам?Used car dealerships work according to the same schemes as resellers. Photo: youtube.com


However, with the owners, too, not everything is so simple. They can be conditionally divided into two groups. The first is car owners who love their "iron horse", cherish and cherish it to the last. Preparing the car for sale, they are anxiously looking for a buyer, hoping to find a conscientious person with whom the vehicle will last for many more years. It is not surprising that even an old car in excellent condition can be bought from such a seller.

Alas, if the owner sells the car, this does not exclude unpleasant surprises. No less widely represented is the category of sellers from among the owners, who, with the decision to sell a car, change their attitude towards the vehicle. Already, the pits on the roads do not seem dangerous to them, and it is quite possible to fill the engine with cheaper oil - all the same, they will soon change to a new salon.

Of course, the best option for cooperation is with a responsible and decent owner. To find this, you will have to make an effort and be a psychologist, communicating with different sellers.

Checking the history of the car


Today, checking a car for a motorist is simplified thanks to modern technology. You can find out the entire history of the car in a few clicks. First of all, it is useful to look at the documents, including the service book, and check with the seller for the VIN and license plate number. This data is enough to find out the inside story on special services. By the way, when the seller reluctantly shows the papers and tries to remain silent.

The more attentive you are during the inspection, the less unexpected expenses later. Photo: youtube.com


In addition to the VIN and state number, you can use STS or PTS to check the car online. Alternatively, the data is punched by the body or chassis number. Thanks to this method, it is possible to find out the most valuable information. From official sources, a potential buyer learns about the accident in which the car has been, about the repairs performed. If the car was used by a taxi service, and the seller will not be able to hide this information.

Checking the history will help to identify in a timely manner whether the vehicle is pledged. Access to information about other restrictions is also provided.


We carry out an external inspection


Purely visually, you can identify a lot of defects, even without being a professional appraiser. The case is inspected from the outside, paying attention to dents and chips, any scratches and rust. The discovery of places where subtle differences in shades are observed in the painting is an occasion to think about what happened to the car. Especially if the seller swears that the car has never been in an accident.

A little secret: it is useful to inspect from different angles. Also, do not forget to look into hard-to-reach places by highlighting yourself with a flashlight and using a mirror.

To detect hidden defects in the paintwork, use a thickness gauge. The joints and states of the connecting bolts will tell a lot. If the gaps differ in width, and the fasteners are deformed, a collision or unscrupulous repair is suspected.

During the external inspection, you need to open and close all the doors, raise and lower the hood, check the operation of the gas tank flap. It is important to feel whether there are any difficulties in such operations. When inspecting doors, pay attention to such nuances:

  • ✅ Smudges in the lower corners of the glasses - evidence of leaks
  • ✅ Rust or dampness on the hinges is a sign of rubber profile wear
  • ✅ Traces of friction on the paint - the cause is sagging loops, corrosion processes or deformation due to impact


The salon also needs a visual inspection. Assess the condition as a whole - it is unlikely that you will want to drive a car in which the upholstery is worn to holes. Or you have to figure out how much it will cost to update the coating. Particular attention is paid to plastic surfaces: it is much more difficult and expensive to deal with cracks and scratches, and sometimes such defects can no longer be eliminated.

The condition of the interior will tell about the fate of the car. If the view is pleasing to the eye even after a long service, the car was taken care of, cared for. Heavily worn pedal and steering wheel pads signal that the vehicle was operated in intensive mode. When the seats are frayed, one can suspect that the car was engaged in private transportation.

The visual inspection is completed by the study of additional options. It is worth checking how the power windows work, if there are any problems with the interior light, if the air conditioner turns on, heated seats. We add that the seller has no right to increase the price, justifying this by the presence of musical equipment or similar "chips". If the owner insists, let him dismantle the equipment and keep it for himself.

Engine and chassis diagnostics


First of all, it is better to involve professionals who will most accurately determine the condition of each mechanism. In addition, on the basis of the inspection, such a specialist will also orient on the cost: how much you can pay for the car without hesitation. But they also independently identify weaknesses and suspicious phenomena.

Looking under the hood, you should immediately pay attention to how clean the compartment is. Both dirt and excessive cleanliness should be embarrassing. The motor needs care, cleanliness and dryness, but if the area around it is cleaned to a shine, this is suspicious. Surely there is an oil leak, and the owner hides this fact by carefully rubbing the traces of the leak. It is useful to inspect flexible connections: cracks and breaks are excluded.

The engine is checked by listening to how it works. When shifting the transmission, there should be no jerking, knocking or crunching. If the work is obviously unstable, extraneous sounds are heard, gray or black smoke rises from the exhaust pipe, you need to seek a good discount.

It is worth unscrewing a few candles to check for plaque, cracks, soot. Photo: youtube.com


Special tests fall on the chassis in domestic realities. Therefore, a check in a car service is recommended. If this is not possible, then it's time to get behind the wheel to make a test drive. For her, a bad section of the road is chosen: on bumps, the car will show vulnerabilities.

Squeaks and knocks, breakdown of the shock absorber should alert. It is also useful to check how the car behaves during hard braking, accelerating, on a sharp turn. If the seller is afraid that the buyer will break the car, let him drive. A categorical failure in the test drive indicates that the chassis is not in order.

Buying a car in the secondary market is not an easy task, in which oversights and ignorance are fraught with unpleasant surprises during operation. It is better to solve it with the participation of professional experts or familiar motorists with great experience. Beginners are paying for their inexperience in the truest sense of the word, as shortcomings hit the budget.

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