Buying a new car sure requires a lot of research but when it comes to buying a used car, you need to be extra cautious and thoroughly check everything from engine to the car tires if you don’t want to end up having sleepless nights. The truth is, buying a used car is like a marriage between two people. Meet the right one and you could have a bright future with them but one bad decision could leave a deep dent in your life. In this blog you would find some useful tips that could help you reach the right car through a tricky maze.

Looks Do Matter

Just because you are buying a used car doesn’t necessarily mean you should compromise on its looks. It doesn’t take a scientist to see if the car has a clean exterior but then again, looks can be deceiving. A closer look would reveal if a fender, door or some other part has been repainted. Now you only need a repaint in two situations;

1: When The Car Has An Accident

You can check the surface that has been repainted and see if it is perfectly smooth or has signs of repairs. If so, ask the owner if the car has been involved in a major accident.

2: To Cover Minor Scratches

No matter how hard you try to avoid them, getting minor scratches on your car is inevitable. You can save it on the road from other drivers and the kids at home would make up for that. If nothing else, you yourself can scratch it by mistake while cleaning. There are literally hundreds of possibilities.

Either way, as long as the car doesn’t take a major hit to its body causing a mechanical fault, there is nothing to be alarmed of.

Look For The Inner Beauty

You have found the perfect scratch less exterior that shines bright as new but what good would it do if the car coughed like a generator is about to explode. While it’s intriguing to have a car with no external flaws, the engine is where your car is going to draw its power from. Engine issues are not always apparent. If it’s worn out or has leakages then you better find yourself some other option because investing in a car that has a faulty engine can be a headache. 

Engine repairs can cost you significantly. It’s recommended that you have a car inspected by a professional mechanic before making a purchase. Here are some key tips to figure what you are investing into.

• Take It For A Spin

When you take the car on a test drive, make sure that you check all the internal systems i.e. sound system air conditioning etc. A lot of times there are some engine issues that are associated with the car’s internal systems. See if turning on the air conditioning and sound system triggers some engine noise or performance issues.

• Check For The Leakages

Lift the car’s hood and it would tell you a story of how its owners have treated it in their possession. Check for leakages and burnt smells. You won’t necessarily find leakages right under the hood as the dealers often clean up the engine thoroughly when they put the car up for sale but one thing they cannot hide are the burnt fumes. Burnt oil smell indicates oil leakage. 

Another way to look for the leakages is to look under the car from the front. Ideally, it should be completely dry if there are no leakages but if there are any, you need to ask questions. 

If possible, ask for the maintenance records. Check the oil change dates. If the oil change dates have short intervals between them then the car is either consuming more oil than it should or there is a leakage somewhere. So what if there is a bit of an oil leakage, you can always get it repaired right? Wrong! Leakage repairs are not always simple and could be an indication of a bigger problem within the engine. 

Tyre Check

Finally, make sure the car tyres are in good shape because the last thing you want is to invest in a new set of tyres right after paying a huge sum for the car itself. Tyre prices in UAE can be really high so it would help if the car you are purchasing had its tires in good condition. If possible, take a tyre tread depth gauge along to see if the tyres have reached their minimum legal depth of 1.6mm, or have some miles left in them. Moreover, check the tires’ brand and see if there are any cracks or bulges on it. 

Furthermore, try to avoid a car with modified tyres as they look good in appearance but they also require a greater force to move hence putting an extra load on the engine that ultimately translates into engine performance issues. Continental tires always recommends its users to use right sized tyres as provided by the car manufacturer to make the most of them.