Hey guys Iam sure it's a it of a silly question but what things should I check when buying a new car? Iam not a car guy and I am taking a friend who knows about cars but part from the obvious things eg mileage and mot and having a good look round it and checking for stamps and servicing what else should I be asking? |
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Feel the bonnet/exhaust when you arrive to see if it’s been started and run. Sometimes that’s done to disguise cold start problems.
Look under the engine to see if there are fluid puddles. Aircon units usually produce small puddles of water, but anything with colour is coolant/oil/fuel.
Get them to start the engine but stand at the back and look for blue smoke from the exhaust.
The most necessary thing is to take it for a test drive. Go somewhere you can test all legal speeds through the gears and check the brakes to see if they pull/judder. Turn from lock to lock and listen to see if you can hear a knocking (wheel bearings).
Check for rust/repairs in wheel arches, door sills, window frames.
Look inside boot and engine bay for rippled/repaired bodywork which may point to accident damage.
Once the engine is hot, turn it off and see if it will start again (hot start problems).
Oh, and look in the ashtray.
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By (user no longer on site) 42 weeks ago
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Your mobile phone.
There’s so much you can get about a car’s history just by checking its registration number.
Have a look at its MOT history especially the most recent version be which can show if there’s outstanding and can give you an indication of how it’s been looked after and if mileage on consistent with usage.
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If it has aircon (most cars do) I always check to see how cold it gets.
The reason is that aircon is one of those things that "stingey" owners don't bother to keep re-gassed, but conscientious former owners do.
So you're getting a feel for how previous owners have treated it, on something that lots of people say "oh I'll get round to the aircon one day" and never do.
And that indicates they've cut corners elsewhere (not always, but a lot of the time).
I also always check for last change of owner - if less than two years I start asking more questions (it could be a genuine reason for changing so soon, or a problem car).
I worked in the motor trade for 12 years, sold 1200 new and used cars, part exchanged about 400 ranging from "lovely" to "old snotters", still know absolutely nothing about how a car works and have no interest in knowing how a car works, and very, very rarely fucked up. Well - I fucked up less than the tech-y sales guys anyway.
So all the engineering based advice above is really good (genuinely), but if you know jack shit about cars (like me), the aircon trick and change of owner check cover a lot of ground.
If it "feels" wrong, walk away. |
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Maybe best visiting a used car dealer that's been there for years.
I think every town has one and if they have been trading for years and years they are probably doing something right.
Great advice on the aircon, never thought about that.
Bought our daughter a car and just looked at the usual stuff and the one we picked looked "loved".
Seems to have worked so far, no issues whatsoever.  |
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"Maybe best visiting a used car dealer that's been there for years.
I think every town has one and if they have been trading for years and years they are probably doing something right.
Great advice on the aircon, never thought about that.
Bought our daughter a car and just looked at the usual stuff and the one we picked looked "loved".
Seems to have worked so far, no issues whatsoever. "
That's why the aircon thing is a great trick  .
No one ever thinks about it.
But a good former owner looks after ALL the car, whereas that one little thing doesn't occur to fly-by-night owners, measly owners, or dodgy dealers (mostly - it's a very good guide, but not infallible. It supports the test drive/service and MOT check/frequency of owner change).
No charge for the advice  . |
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"I disagree on the air con. I've had it serviced every year, whatever the garage tells me I need done I've had done. However, I've not got round to regassing the air con. "
And that's why it's not infallible, but a support. |
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By (user no longer on site) 42 weeks ago
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"Feel the bonnet/exhaust when you arrive to see if it’s been started and run. Sometimes that’s done to disguise cold start problems.
Look under the engine to see if there are fluid puddles. Aircon units usually produce small puddles of water, but anything with colour is coolant/oil/fuel.
Get them to start the engine but stand at the back and look for blue smoke from the exhaust.
The most necessary thing is to take it for a test drive. Go somewhere you can test all legal speeds through the gears and check the brakes to see if they pull/judder. Turn from lock to lock and listen to see if you can hear a knocking (wheel bearings).
Check for rust/repairs in wheel arches, door sills, window frames.
Look inside boot and engine bay for rippled/repaired bodywork which may point to accident damage.
Once the engine is hot, turn it off and see if it will start again (hot start problems).
Oh, and look in the ashtray.
"
Plus check the clutch bitess reasonably early when changing gears when pedal is lowish to the floor, not high up when your foot is nearly off the clutch pedal |
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First thing I look for is matching tyres, if they all match chances are the vehicle is looked after. An HPI check before you even go too look is a must .
A good test drive if you like it , at motor way speed if at all possible. |
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By (user no longer on site) 42 weeks ago
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Good you bringing a mate along .
Check peddles see if much wear brake etc tie in with miles ?
Tyres .
Seat if heated or not .
Possible service history on car .
If any doubts walk away
Good luck drive safev |
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By *iss.ddWoman 42 weeks ago
Leeds + Newcastle |
Whatever car you are interested in, join the owners club forum and you will get an expert, insiders list of very specific things to be aware of .
Mostly all owners clubs are very very helpful to prospective new owners |
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I assume second hand rather than new, I thought I'd never buy a new car due to the depreciation once you drive it off the forecourt but If you look for one pre registered with the dealership you can avoid that |
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"First thing I look for is matching tyres, if they all match chances are the vehicle is looked after. An HPI check before you even go too look is a must .
A good test drive if you like it , at motor way speed if at all possible. "
The other thing with tyres is even wear. Check the inside treads for greater wear than the outside. That usually points to poor wheel alignment.
Park on a slope to see if the handbrake works.
Oh and check the glove box. |
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"Feel the bonnet/exhaust when you arrive to see if it’s been started and run. Sometimes that’s done to disguise cold start problems.
Look under the engine to see if there are fluid puddles. Aircon units usually produce small puddles of water, but anything with colour is coolant/oil/fuel.
Get them to start the engine but stand at the back and look for blue smoke from the exhaust.
The most necessary thing is to take it for a test drive. Go somewhere you can test all legal speeds through the gears and check the brakes to see if they pull/judder. Turn from lock to lock and listen to see if you can hear a knocking (wheel bearings).
Check for rust/repairs in wheel arches, door sills, window frames.
Look inside boot and engine bay for rippled/repaired bodywork which may point to accident damage.
Once the engine is hot, turn it off and see if it will start again (hot start problems).
Oh, and look in the ashtray.
"
a) I’m taking you with me next time I buy a car
b) what car still has an ashtray? |
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By *oo..Woman 42 weeks ago
Boo's World |
Checking the cars history online and Mot history is always a good starting point.
Any major defects that have been fixed or bodge fixed to pass the next mot will always have to be listed.
Anything major listed I'd walk away straight away as you never know how someone else drove the car prior to it looking nice and shiny again on a forecourt!
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"Don't think I've seen it on your list, but check that all electric windows works.
Seems silly, but I've bought a cheap car before where they didn't all work."
Absolutely.
Daughters first car.
I went to check it over because I'm her dad and therefore know everything about everything in the universe.
Apart from the electric window switch on the passenger side, worked fine on drivers side switch and the wing mirror.
Apart from that I got everything right.
For some unknown reason she never asks my advice anymore. |
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Well thank you for the help and suggestions I have got the car I was after Iam sure it is not a 100% but will keep an eye on it but got it for less then asked so all in all pretty happy so thanks for the help guys |
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"Well thank you for the help and suggestions I have got the car I was after Iam sure it is not a 100% but will keep an eye on it but got it for less then asked so all in all pretty happy so thanks for the help guys "
Bet you're freezing now with the AC on full blast |
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"Look at the manufacturer service guide and. Compare what’s due vs mileage. For eg, a nice car at say 50k mileage may need timing belt and water pump replaced in a year which is a £1,000 job. "
If possible, avoid cars with timing belts and, particularly, models with the water pump driven by the timing belt.
Both are money making schemes and bring a great deal of potential breakdown and engine wrecking anxiety which owners could well do without.
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"Well thank you for the help and suggestions I have got the car I was after Iam sure it is not a 100% but will keep an eye on it but got it for less then asked so all in all pretty happy so thanks for the help guys "
Congrats OP! Hope it keeps working well for you  |
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"Check how high the windows are off the floor for dogging purposes. This is one of our main criteria.. haha
Out of interest, what car would you recommend as a good entry point to dogging?"
Mazda Bonko |
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Thanks every one and I know it's nothing posh or even worth showing off but it's new Corsa only small but it does the job getting me from a to b and seems pretty cheap to insure and well just a nice run around until I can save up for some thing a little nicer |
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"Look at the manufacturer service guide and. Compare what’s due vs mileage. For eg, a nice car at say 50k mileage may need timing belt and water pump replaced in a year which is a £1,000 job.
If possible, avoid cars with timing belts and, particularly, models with the water pump driven by the timing belt.
Both are money making schemes and bring a great deal of potential breakdown and engine wrecking anxiety which owners could well do without.
"
That's what the guy I took with me was looking at the timing belt |
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"Well thank you for the help and suggestions I have got the car I was after Iam sure it is not a 100% but will keep an eye on it but got it for less then asked so all in all pretty happy so thanks for the help guys
Bet you're freezing now with the AC on full blast"
Oh no heated seats and weel nice and warm and did not take 15 mins to warm up lol |
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If the speedo is the old non digital type and the needle goes up and down slightly when travelling at a constant speed. Don't touch the car.
I did, and about 6 months later it needed a new/recon gearbox.
(The reason is that the nylon gear from the speedo sits between two crown gears. If the bearings on the crown wear. The crown gears then start to wear away at the nylon gear teeth.) |
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