How to choose

     There are 2 most popular way of searching the car – local newspapers & magazines and Internet. Looking through announcements, try to allocate only the objective information which cannot be embellished: year of release, color, a complete set, the price and contact phone of the seller.

The better way of phone call to the seller

     When speaking by phone with seller you have not to forget about specifying the following moments:
     - How many previous owners?
     - Are there any accidents with car?
     - Are there any (if yes – what type and where) viewable interior and exterior damages?
     - Additional equipment or characteristics of the car (that haven't shown in announcement)
     - Variants of purchasing?
     - Possibility of haggle?
     If you've received the exhaust information and it arranges you, it's better to fix the time and place of meeting for checking the car, its documents and test-drive.

How to prepare for checking the car

     For more careful survey please don't forget about: a small mirror (to glance in remote places); small electric torch (for examining places demanding illumination). Invite somebody to go with you. Together it's easier to find defects and psychologically better to reduce the price.

How to check the documents

     You have to check the date and year of release of the car. If you have specialized software or Internet-access you can check a lot (origin, body, transmission, engine, serial number of this car (last 6 digits)) with the help of VIN code of it. VIN usually consists of 17 elements (letters and digits). The 10th digit – is a year when car was produced. The serial number of a car's body can be verified in different places (usually – under the cowl and under the seat of front passenger. The documents have to contain the dates and remarks about all service checks of the car. If everything in documents have satisfied you, it is possible to start "investigation" of the car.

How to check the exterior

     It's useless to check not clean car, because even a thin layer of dust can "protect" the defect of body. Sit down behind the car and glance along its sides – it can help to find defects of geometry and painting. Make the same exam for the cowl and a roof. Everything suspicious has to be checked. Check the back pillars in all their length. Give special attention to the evenness of distance between the parts of car's body. Check gaps in all doors (when closed), in boot and around a cowl. Be sure, that there are no winkles and edges on EVERY part of the body.
     Everything (doors, cowl, boot lid) have to close and open easily, without any additional movements or sounds.
     Compare the color of a body in different places of the car. The difference – the reason to think more about "the past" of this car. The pieces of paint haven't to be found on a plastic or rubber parts outside or inside the car.
     Check everything for absence (presence is much worse) of a rust which will be able to be a big and expensive trouble for you.

How to inspect the engine

     Begin this stage from the inspection of the engine module as a whole. There should be no big traces of oil, gas and other technical liquids. Check it again after the test-drive. Check the oil – it has to be clear and transparent without any inclusions. Oil in different part of engine can be different in colours, but homogeneous and without any outside inclusions. The burnt smell near the automatic transmission show that "period of validity" of it is close to end. Check the level of oil everywhere. Check the battery. It should be clear, without traces of oxidation on plugs. Check up a tank with brake liquid. The low level of this liquid testifies about the possible leakage of system. The fan of cooling system has to rotate free without gap. Check viewable electrical cables – they have to be flexible and are well fixed.
     Put something big, white and cheap (list of paper A3 or bigger, list of newspaper) under the car and start engine. It has to work stable on 1000rpm without big changes in speed of rotation. The engine should work without extraneous noise. Push foot-throttle – you have NOT to hear any "metal" sounds. At the working engine wait, when cooling system of engine start (and stop some minutes later). Check the temperature of water and oil during this period.
     After checking the engine at work, take out the list from under the car. Be sure, that there are no drops of oil on it. If you see them – the engine is far from ideal. Don't mixed oil drops with the liquid condensate from the conditioning system.
     During this static engine test BE SURE that transmission is in neutral position.

How to check chassis

     Take all wheels for the top and strongly pull them to & from yourself. Significant gap shows the bearing is worm-out. Check the car suspension. From all corners push the car downwards. It has to return back without inertia.
     Check tires. Uneven deterioration of their protectors can be caused by the broken geometry of the cars body or incorrect angle between the wheels.

How to examine interior

     It's necessary to examine all rubber sealing elements. Check control panel. Scratches, jingles or attritions are good reason to move price down. Check the work of window raisers – move windows from fully open to fully closed positions some times. Check the functionality of all seats and all their adjustments. Check the presence and correct work of all seat belts. Check the work of all door locks and their special variants (central lock or children lock for back door (if presented)).
     Start the engine. Check up serviceability of signals of turn, near and far light, a sound signal, a heater of a back glass.
     Check the work of air-conditions. Try to change the direction of air streams inside the car and their temperature. Check, how it is working with open windows.

Where to see and what to notice during test-drive
     Full information about he car you can't receive without test-drive. Before it "transport" to the drier's seat and tune everything around (seat, seat belts, mirrors, air-condition) for your maximum comfort. Nothing has to disturb you. Check the work of handbrake - stop the car on the road with serious slope, switch it on, move outside the car and push it. If the car stays "s a rock" – everything is OK.
     Check, how soft without jerk the car begin to move in both directions (forward and backward). If you hear gnash when automatic transmission changes gear – run away from such car. Check how comfortable fast and soft you can change gear (from N to F or anything else).
     Check the work of breaks. When you are moving NOT FAST on the SAFETY part of the road (with minimum cars around) sharply press a pedal. The car have to stop fast and softly.
     Try to find "wild road" with far-from-ideal surface. It's a good test for car suspension.
     Check the "corners opportunities" of the car. You have to control the car trajectory during all the turn, even if you are moving rather fast (near 55mph).
     Estimate the level of comfort, noise from the road and other sounds during the moving with usual speed along the different types of road (if possible).

     Even if everything looks great for you – don't be very thrifty and try to spend additional time a money for professional check-up in car service. Your personal security and health costs more, much more!

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