Used Car Guide

USED CAR GUIDE


USE THIS GUIDE AND CHECKLIST WHEN BUYING A
USED CAR

THIS WILL ENSURE THAT YOU WILL NOT END UP
BEING THE DISGRUNTLED OWNER OF A LEMON.

INTRODUCTION

If you follow the step by step instructions in this guide and checklist
the chance that you will buy a LEMON is very slim indeed.

If your mechanical experience is limited, use the procedures outlined
and practice on any available vehicle, once you have done this a
couple of times you will be able to do it faster and you will get a better understanding
of the methods used.

REPRINT RIGHTS.

You can reprint this guide and checklist as many times as you wish, you
can give it away to as many people as you want, provided that you
adhere to the reprint condition.

THE ONLY CONDITION IS THAT THIS GUIDE AND CHECKLIST MUST
NOT BE CHANGED OR ALTERED IN ANY WAY AND MUST BE COPIED AS
IS.

NON ADHERENCE OF THIS REPRINT CONDITION WILL LEAD TO PROSECUTION OF THE INFRINGEMENT OF THE AUTHORS COPY RIGHTS।


© PIETER LE ROUX, 2009

HOW TO SELECT A GOOD USED CAR.

When searching for a good used vehicle to buy, you have a few options.
Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages.



OPTION ONE

Buying a used car at a reputable registered used car dealer.

This is the safest option as you usually get a limited time guarantee
with the car. With this option it is much easier to get the deal financed
and if you have a car you can trade it in on the car that you want to buy.

You can usually get a better price for your car if you sell it out of hand.
You can then negotiate for a discount because you have no car to trade
in.

OPTION TWO

Buying a car from a private seller.

With this option you have to exercise extreme caution. There are
shysters everywhere and you must make one hundred percent sure that
the car is the legal property of the seller and that he does not still owe
money on the car.

Some people make a living by buying accident damaged vehicles and
after rebuilding them, sell them to unsuspecting buyers.

Only use this option if you personally know the seller and his vehicle.

OPTION THREE

Buying a car at an auction, you may buy a bargain but be very, very
cautious. Most cars sold at auctions have been repossessed or are
cars from persons or companies that have been liquidated.

Due to their owners financial problems these cars have been neglected
and have not been serviced regularly and most of these cars have no
service histories.

Some private owners and motor dealers also sell vehicles that they
battle to get rid off on these auctions.

Persons that buy accident damaged vehicles repair them and also
sell them at these auctions.


However if you inspect the car thoroughly before the auction and
decided how much you are prepared to bid on the car, just remember
that the auctioneers commission and sales tax if, applicable must be
added to the price you have decided to bid on the car.

Only buy a car at an auction if it is still in a good condition and you can
buy it for a maximum price of 50% under the retail value of the car.

Pay attention to the conditions of sale and don’t get carried away,
stick to the price you have decided on and you can buy a bargain at an
auction.

REMEMBER

Even if a car have passed a police computer clearance check it is not a guarantee that the car is not a stolen car।



A friend of mine once bought a late model Mercedes Benz from a
reputable used car dealer. As he only received one key with the car he
ordered a duplicate key through the Mercedes Benz agents.

That same day the police contacted him and confiscated the car. The
Mercedes Benz factory had it on their records that the car was stolen
and they informed the police. Fortunately for him he bought the car
through a registered dealer who gave him his money back.

MAKE USE OF THE FOLLOWING TIPS AND IT WILL SAVE YOU
HUNDREDS IF NOT THOUSANDS.

If you have a car that you want to trade in, have the engine and
underside of the car steam cleaned, the car washed and polished, all unnecessary items removed from the glove box, centre console and
trunk before you go shopping for another car. This will increase the
price offered substantially.

INSURANCE

Never include insurance cover premiums in your hire purchase
agreement as you will pay additional finance charges on this amount.

The financing company or their insurance broker is paid a
commission on the policy they sell you. This amount will be for your
pocket.

If you don’t have a home content short term policy, take one out as
this is the cheapest and provides the best value for your money.

Keep in mind that there can be a huge difference in premiums
between cars. Especially on high performance cars or cars that are
more prone to be stolen.

Get at least four quotes from different insurance companies before
you decide on an insurance policy for the car.

When buying a used car steer clear of special imported or exotic cars,
you may battle to obtain spare parts and qualified mechanics to
service and repair it.

Rather look for a car that is well represented and have a nation wide
network of dealers and service centers.

The dealer may also suggest that you take out an warranty policy that
covers mechanical breakdowns or failure of the mechanical parts of
the car. It is my experience that most dealers will insist that you take
out this cover, if they know that there is something wrong with the car.

Before taking out this warranty read the small print carefully, if you
skip one service or one of the many other conditions of the policy, your
claim will be rejected.

In most instances you can repair the car for less than the excess
amount.

Due to the high incidence of high jacking and stealing of cars most
insurance companies insist that cars must be fitted with alarms and
immobilizer systems, some insurers will also require you to fit a
tracking device to the car.

If they do, you must try to negotiate that this cost must be for the
dealers account.

Buy with your head and not with your heart, never buy a car at the
spur of the moment. Inform the dealer that you want to think it over
and that you will inform him the next day about your decision.

He may tell you that he has several buyers that also want to buy the
car, 99.9% of the time this is just sales talk, don’t fall for it.

When you inspect the car that you are interested in, see if you can
find the cars service or warranty book in the glove box, door pockets
or centre console.

Most of the time the previous owner’s personal details have been
recorded in them. Make a note of his telephone number or address so
that you can contact him later to find out why he got rid of this car
and also what the odometer reading was when he traded the car. All
odometer readings can be altered.

The reason that I give away this guide is because I have placed a few
ads in the guide that can help you to earn extra cash from home or
save you a lot of money and that is the reason why you can give it
away to who you want to, and it is also the reason that you must copy
it as is, with no omissions.

Can you do with an extra $2000 or more per month?

There is an easy method that you can follow that will make it happen
for you.

The method is, buying cars cheap and selling them for a profit. There
will always be people that have to sell their cars and people that need
cars. Let this guy show you exactly how he does it.
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You are now ready to start your search for a good used car. This is the
same procedure that I have been using for forty years, appraising cars
that we buy or trade in.

THE INSPECTION

Carry out the inspection in the same sequence as outlined in this guide.
Tell the dealer that you want to check out the car without interruptions
and that you will take some time doing it.

The dealer may distract you when he realizes that you are going to find something that he does not want you to see.

The car that you are interested in should preferably be parked in the
shade as this will highlight any body repairs and dents the best.

Make sure you take this guide and checklist, a pen or pencil, a rag and
a piece of cardboard the size of an envelope with you when starting your
search for a good used car.

Make notes of all faults as you uncover them.

EXTERNAL INSPECTION

Guide and pen or pencil in hand start with the wheels. Write down the
make, size and condition of all four tires. Check the tires for uneven
wear, as the tires could have been rotated it will not be possible to
pinpoint where they were mounted.

My recommendation is to have the wheel alignment checked and the
wheels balanced of any used car that you buy. By the time that you
notice that the tires have worn down on the inside or outside the
damage has already been done.

Check the rims- are they the same, do they have any visible damage,
dents or cracks?

NEXT

Move to the front of the car, bend your body forward so that your eyes
are on the same level as the mudguards and the bonnet, look towards
the back of the car, any dents and body repairs will be visible. Do the
same with the roof.

Move to the back of the car and repeat the inspection from the back of
the car.

Look down both sides of the car, from the back to the front and check
for dents and body repairs. Make notes of any that you have found.

Check the rear window sealing rubber for paint overspray and any
signs of rust around the edges of the rubber.


Check the rear window glass, the tail and indicator light lenses for
chips, cracks or signs of overspray.

Check all chrome strips, insignia, boot locks and the rear bumper for
rust or overspray.

Open the boot; check out the general appearance of the luggage
compartment and the condition of the carpet. Lift the carpet and
look underneath for signs of rust.

Check the spare wheel, take it out and inspect the tread and the
sidewalls for cuts or knobs, are the rim and tire make and size the
same as the ones fitted to the vehicle.

Is there a working jack and wheel spanner.

Close the boot, does it close easily the first time?

The above may seem unnecessary but you will be surprised to see
how many times these items turn out to be faulty.

Start with the rear passenger side door, open and close the door
twice, does it close easily the first time?

Check the door rubbers and the striker plates for wear and
overspray.

NEXT

If the car does not have electric windows, wind the window up and
down twice to check the window winder mechanism. When winding
up or down it should not slip.

Check the condition of the rear seat upholstery, if it has loose seat
covers, remove them to check for cigarette burns or other damage.

If there are loose rubber mats on the carpet, lift it and check the
condition of the carpet.

Repeat this operation with the remaining doors.

NEXT


Go to the front of the vehicle.

Check the wiper blades for tears or sun damage.

Check the windscreen, the headlights, the park lights and the
indicator lenses for chips and overspray, the windscreen rubber, the
grill, the front bumper, insignia and all chrome strips for rust or
overspray.

Open the bonnet and check the engine compartment for signs of rust
and overspray.

The reason for checking for overspray is that it will highlight any
repairs and also if the car was resprayed, if it was, it will have an
adverse effect on the value of the vehicle.

Open the bonnet and check the engine compartment for signs of rust
and overspray.

Check the radiator for leaks or corrosion, remove the radiator cap and
check for signs of oil or rust in the water. The water should be green or
red if anti freeze have been added to the water.

Visually inspect the radiator hoses for signs of being cracked or
perishing, press the radiator hoses between your thumb and first
fingers, they must not be hard to compress.

Visually inspect the fan belts, they must not show any signs of
cracks or fraying.

Check the battery box, the hold down and the terminals for corrosion
or rust.

Visually check the electrical wiring for signs of open wires or different
colored insulation tape, open the fuse box, if there are visible signs of
melting around the fuses, beware, electrical repairs can be very
expensive.

Check if the air cleaner is securely mounted to the carburetor or if there
is a rubber hose leading from the air cleaner to the carburetor or the
fuel injection air inlet, the connection must be secure and free of cracks



or tears and show no signs of being perished. If any of the above is
positive, dust could have entered the engine, which would have caused
rapid engine wear.

Check the windscreen washer, the power steering, the clutch and brake
master cylinder reservoirs for leaks or missing or cracked lids. Check
and test the spark plug leads between your two fingers, they should not
feel hard or rigid, if they do, they will have to be replaced.



Look on the top and the sides of the engine for water or oil leaks.

Pull out the engine oil dipstick, there should be no sludge on it, check
the color of the oil, if it is black or dark brown the oil and filter should be changed, if the color is grey or white there is water in the oil.

Remove the oil filler cap and check for a grey/white froth on the bottom
of the cap which will indicate the presence of water in the oil.

Close the bonnet. Does it close easily?

Go and sit in the driver’s seat

Check the roof lining for tears.

The sun visors.

The rear view and side mirrors.

The dome or roof light.

The clutch and brake pedal rubbers for wear.

Search in the glove box, door pockets and the centre console for the
service and warranty books, if they are still there you can check to see
if the car was serviced regularly.

If the previous owners address or phone number is in one of the books
write it down so that you can contact him and try to find out why he
traded in this car also ask him what the odometer reading was when he
traded the car in.


All odometer readings can be altered.

Check the centre console compartment lid as the hinges are often
broken.

If the car has a manual transmission and a hydraulic clutch, place your
left foot on the clutch pedal, move the pedal down halfway, hold this
position for 60 seconds, if there is a leak in the system the pedal will
lose resistance and move towards the floor.

Repeat the previous procedure with the brake pedal, but move the pedal
down until it won't go down any further, hold this position for 60 seconds.


If there is a leak in the system the pedal will move to the floor.

If the clutch is operated by a cable, pump the clutch pedal a few times
and feel if the cable works smoothly and that the pedal returns to the
same position every time you release the pedal. If the operation of the
cable is jerky or hard the cable must be replaced.

Carry out the same test with the accelerator pedal to check the cable.

Switch on the engine but do not start the engine at this stage.

Check the operation of the following.

The safety belts and the seat adjusters, the reason that these two items
are included now is that some cars have electric seat adjusters and
warning lights on the safety belts.

The headlight switch.

The dim and bright switch.

The indicator switch.

The wiper switch.

The windscreen washer.

The sun roof, check its operation and also the sealing rubbers as they
are prone to be leaking water.

The electric operated side mirrors.

The electric window switches.

The horn.

The warning lights.

The cigarette lighter and ashtray.

Check the radio and CD player now and switch it off before you start
the engine. If you don’t, you will not hear any tell tale noises when
starting the engine or later when test driving the car.

Turn the steering wheel rapidly left and right for plus minus 2 inches
(50 mm) a couple of times, feel if there is any play on the steering. If
there is play then the steering box may have to be adjusted or repaired,
or the steering joints could be worn and will have to be replaced.

Start the engine.

The starter must kick in the first time, if you hear a grinding noise and
the engine does not turn, the bendix drive and or ring gear could be
faulty.

If the engine starts the first time, let it idle for a minute or two, if the
car has an oil pressure gauge make a note of the indicated oil pressure.
If it only has a warning light the light should not take longer than 3
seconds to go out.

Apply the hand or parking brake, select first or reverse gear, and try to
pull away, if you can, the brake will have to be repaired or adjusted.

Select top gear and try to pull away with the hand brake still on, if the
engine stalls the clutch seems to be ok. If the engine speed increases
and the car does not move then the clutch and or pressure plate will
have to be replaced. If you hear a noise when applying the clutch and
the noise go away when you take your foot off the clutch pedal, the
release bearing will have to be replaced.

Ask the dealer if he has a car lift, ramp or pit, if he has, ask him if you
can use it to check the underside of the car, you can then inspect the
following.

Signs of accident damage or rust, all dustcovers on tie rod ends, ball
joints, and steering arms.

Check the universal joints and slip joints of the driving shaft.

Check the rubber hangers of the exhaust system.

On front and four wheel drive cars inspect the constant velocity joint
rubber boots for tears and leaking of grease.

Visually check the engine sump, the gearbox, rear axle and shock
absorbers for oil leaks.

The road test.

If the dealer won't allow you to do a road test or complain about the
way you carry out your test, take your business somewhere else, there
are thousands of used cars for sale.

You must drive the car yourself. Make sure there is enough fuel in the
cars fuel tank to do at least 15 to 20 kilometers, do this before you leave
his premises.

The best way to test any car is on a quiet stretch of road where you can
reach the highest possible legal speed.

When driving the car check the rear view mirror when accelerating for
signs of smoke, black smoke is an indication of excessive fuel usage,
blue smoke indicates oil usage, white smoke, very seldom but can be
due to brake fluid leakage in the brake booster that is being drawn into
the inlet manifold.

If you let go of the steering wheel, does the car pull to one side?
If it does, the wheel alignment will have to be corrected.

Do you feel any vibrations of the car or the steering wheel? If you do it
can either be the tires or the drive shaft that is out of balance.

When braking, do you feel the brake pedal vibrating under your foot? If it
does the brake discs will have to be skimmed and the disc pads
replaced.

When braking hard, do you feel the car shudder or vibrate or does the car

pull to one side?
If any of the above happens the brakes will have to be repaired.

Listen for a high pitched grumbling noise, if you hear one, turn the
steering wheel first to one side and then to the other side, if the noise
subsides while the wheel is turned, one of the wheel bearings is worn
and will have to be replaced.

Do you hear a whining sound at a certain speed? If you do, it most
probably is the differential; it will have to be overhauled.

Check if the heater and air conditioner is working. Do you hear the fan
running when you have switched it on?

Check the heat gauge; it must indicate normal operating temperature
after you have done about 3 kilometers, if it does not, the thermostat
may have been removed. Running an engine without a thermostat will
result in excessive engine wear.

When you have stopped the car and have turned back to the dealers
premises, does the clutch judder when you pull away? If it does the
clutch will have to be overhauled.

On the return trip the differential and transmission oil should have
warmed up enough and any problems should be easier to detect.

MANUAL TRANSMISSION:

Pick up speed fast and do a couple of fast up and down gearshifts,
change the gears rapidly, there should be no grating of the
gears when changing them up or down, if they do, the synchromesh
rings and or bearings are worn.

If the gearlever kicks out of the selected position under acceleration
or deceleration the gearbox will have to be overhauled in both cases.

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION

Check the operation of the kick down switch and adjustment by
stomping on the accelerator pedal. There should be no hesitation to
select a lower gear and when accelerating the gearbox should change
back to a higher gear when easing back on the accelerator pedal.


If you hear the engine speed increase but the cars speed does not
increase at the same time, the gearbox is slipping and will have to be overhauled.

FRONT WHEEL DRIVE CARS.

Look for a place where you can do a couple of full circles with the car.
Stop the car; turn the steering all the way to the left until it won't go
any further. Hold the steering wheel in that position, pull away and
complete two to three full circles, if you hear a clack, clack sound, the
constant velocity joints will have to be replaced.

FOUR WHEEL DRIVE CARS AND OTHER VEHICLES.

On four wheel drive cars and other vehicles, check if the two wheel
and four wheel drive selectors operate. Also check if the hub and
differential locks still work. The gear levers should not kick out of the
selected gear under acceleration or de - acceleration, if it does, the
gearbox will have to be overhauled.

As four wheel drive cars and other vehicles also have constant
velocity joints, check them in the same way as described for front
wheel drive cars.

When you return to the dealers premises, park the car but do not
switch it off, let the engine idle. If it has a oil pressure warning light
and it flickers on and off or if it has an oil pressure gauge and the
indicated pressure is now less then two thirds lower than the
pressure when you started the engine the first time, the engine
bearings and or oil pump is worn and the engine will most probably
have to be overhauled.

Open the door and listen if you hear a grumbling noise from the
gearbox, if you do, apply the clutch, if the noise disappear, let out the
clutch, if the noise re-appear, the lay shaft bearings in the gearbox is
worn and will have to be replaced.

With the engine still idling, get out of the car and go to the rear of the
car, take the piece of cardboard and place it against the exhaust tail
pipe, covering the pipe opening, if you hear exhaust gas leaking
underneath the car, there is a hole some where in the exhaust system,
which will have to be repaired.


Check the color of the inside of the exhaust pipe, if it is black and
shiny the engine could be using oil or the fuel mixture could be very
rich, if it is brown, beige or white there does not seem to be any
problems.

Move to the driver side of the car, place your one foot on the
accelerator pedal, the other foot on the floor or ground next to the car,
raise the engine speed to about 3000 rpm, hold it there for 60 seconds.
If the engine uses oil blue smoke will start appearing from about 40
seconds, if it does the engine will have to be overhauled.

Switch off the engine, remove the key and check the following.

The steering lock.

The gear lock, if it have one.

Get out of the car and check the central locking, test the key to see
if it can lock and unlock both front doors.


The alarm system,

Open the bonnet and check for water and oil leaks.

Pull out the engine oil dipstick and check the color of the oil again, if
the color changed to white or gray, water is leaking into the engine,
there can be several causes for this.

If the car has an automatic transmission, pull out the transmission
fluid dipstick, sniff the fluid on the dipstick, if it smell like burnt oil, it
can be an indication of slipping inside the transmission causing the transmission fluid to overheat.

Close the bonnet.

Look underneath the car to check for any oil or water that may have
leaked since you have parked the car.

Start at the front of the car and press each corner of the car down and
release when you reach the bottom, do this rapidly a couple of times,
when you stop, the bouncing must stop immediately on the first up stroke,
if it does not, that particular shock absorber will have to be replaced.

We have now completed our test, if you have found any faults of the
following, the engine, the transmission, and the differential or if the
car was resprayed or show signs of previous accident repairs, do not
consider buying this car.

Now it is time to put up your poker face, do not appear over eager, you
are not shopping at a supermarket with low profit margins. The profit
margins on used cars are much higher than those on new cars. The
dealer can afford to play around with the price.

The best tactic is to let him give you the price that he offers for your
trade in and the discount he will give you with no trade in when paying
cash.

If you have found a few minor faults, hand him your list, tell him you
want him to fix the faults first and that you want to sleep on the deal
and you will inform him the next day about your decision.

He may say that he has another person that is also interested in this
car. Usually it is sales talk to try and close the deal, don’t fall for it.

Get a couple of insurance quotations on the car that you want to
purchase. If you have found the previous owners phone number or
address contact him and find out why he sold this car.

If the insurance company, demand that you must fit an alarm system
or tracking device to the car try to negotiate that the cost must be for
the dealers account.

If your car is still under a hire purchase agreement, phone your
financial institution and ask for the settlement amount.

You now have all the information to make the right decision. I am
not implying that all used car dealers will do you in, but be wide awake
and check out every aspect of the proposed deal BEFORE you hand him
any money or sign any agreement.

REMEMBER YOU WILL BE PAYING A LOT OF MONEY EVERY MONTH FOR
A COUPLE OF YEARS, YOU WILL BE BLED DRY IF YOU BUY A LEMON.

I wish you all the best in your search for the best used car deal.

Pieter le Roux

For reprint rights see introduction page. Non compliance will lead to prosecution.

Take a few blank pages with you to make notes as you check the car.
When you have completed your inspection, make a copy of all the faults
that you have found and hand a copy to the dealer.