If you are like me then you don't enjoy the process of buying a used car. I enjoy driving it, but the whole process of bargaining and looking at several cars isn't enjoyable to me. I hate trying to guess whether what the seller is telling me about the car is true or not. Unfortunately we have to drive cars and we all have to buy used cars throughout our lives.
We have probably all seen those cars on the road where the back tires are not in line with the front tires. You know, it looks like the car should be veering to the left but is going perfectly straight. This happens when the frame is bent due to a serious accident that the car has been in.
Unfortunately the seller is not always honest about the history of the car. How can we tell if the car has been totaled in the past? How can we be sure that the seller is telling the truth? This can be a little tricky! But it is not impossible to outsmart the seller and get a good deal in the process.
The first place that I always look is the title of the car. If the title isn't clean then the seller will be hesitant to show it to you. If he does show it to you and everything appears clean but you still aren't sure about that car, then follow these suggestions and see what you can do.
The most obvious signs of a repair on a car are the light covers. I have seen this a million times! If there is paint on the taillight cover then the car has been in some kind of accident for sure. How do I know? Because they had to repaint that piece of the car, and some of it got on the taillight. This might not be a big deal but if the seller won't admit to a "small" fender bender then he might be hiding a much bigger accident and much more serious damage to the car.
Another method to use when trying to figure out if a car has been in an accident is the lines where the pieces of the body come together. If the gap between the parts is perfectly parallel the entire seam then the chances are that it hasn't been in an accident. If all of these lines are parallel then the car is sitting straight and shouldn't have any major body, or frame damage.
Don't forget the obvious by asking the owner. Be smart when you do this and ask more detailed questions if their answer doesn't satisfy you. For instance if the car has had a harmless fender bender the owner will probably tell you, there is no reason to hide that bit of information. If they try to hide the fact that the car has been in an accident that normally means that the car has been in a serious accident and they don't want you to know about it.
Just a few months ago I was looking at a used car. Yep, our family is expanding and we needed an SUV. As I looked over the car I noticed that it hadn't been take care of very well. Then I spotted the paint on the taillight. I causally asked the seller if the car had been in any kind of accident and he stated, "oh sure, just the normal fender bender a couple of times". I almost walked away right then! Why didn't he walk me over to that fender and say, "A few months ago we got hit here in a parking lot, and had to have this fender replaced"? Because he didn't want to tell me what really happened. Needless to say, I walked away and didn't buy that car.
I hope that you will take these tips with you when you buy your next used car. Buying cars is something that we all have to do, and is most definitely a part of our life. So, be smart and enjoy the process. Do you homework so that you can drive a car that you know is in good condition and that you can be proud of.
We have probably all seen those cars on the road where the back tires are not in line with the front tires. You know, it looks like the car should be veering to the left but is going perfectly straight. This happens when the frame is bent due to a serious accident that the car has been in.
Unfortunately the seller is not always honest about the history of the car. How can we tell if the car has been totaled in the past? How can we be sure that the seller is telling the truth? This can be a little tricky! But it is not impossible to outsmart the seller and get a good deal in the process.
The first place that I always look is the title of the car. If the title isn't clean then the seller will be hesitant to show it to you. If he does show it to you and everything appears clean but you still aren't sure about that car, then follow these suggestions and see what you can do.
The most obvious signs of a repair on a car are the light covers. I have seen this a million times! If there is paint on the taillight cover then the car has been in some kind of accident for sure. How do I know? Because they had to repaint that piece of the car, and some of it got on the taillight. This might not be a big deal but if the seller won't admit to a "small" fender bender then he might be hiding a much bigger accident and much more serious damage to the car.
Another method to use when trying to figure out if a car has been in an accident is the lines where the pieces of the body come together. If the gap between the parts is perfectly parallel the entire seam then the chances are that it hasn't been in an accident. If all of these lines are parallel then the car is sitting straight and shouldn't have any major body, or frame damage.
Don't forget the obvious by asking the owner. Be smart when you do this and ask more detailed questions if their answer doesn't satisfy you. For instance if the car has had a harmless fender bender the owner will probably tell you, there is no reason to hide that bit of information. If they try to hide the fact that the car has been in an accident that normally means that the car has been in a serious accident and they don't want you to know about it.
Just a few months ago I was looking at a used car. Yep, our family is expanding and we needed an SUV. As I looked over the car I noticed that it hadn't been take care of very well. Then I spotted the paint on the taillight. I causally asked the seller if the car had been in any kind of accident and he stated, "oh sure, just the normal fender bender a couple of times". I almost walked away right then! Why didn't he walk me over to that fender and say, "A few months ago we got hit here in a parking lot, and had to have this fender replaced"? Because he didn't want to tell me what really happened. Needless to say, I walked away and didn't buy that car.
I hope that you will take these tips with you when you buy your next used car. Buying cars is something that we all have to do, and is most definitely a part of our life. So, be smart and enjoy the process. Do you homework so that you can drive a car that you know is in good condition and that you can be proud of.
About the Author:
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