How to know what a used car is worth in minutes – The secrets no one will tell you

Only a short period of time is enough for an interested party to understand if the used car in front of him is really worth owning.

Buying used undoubtedly requires special attention from drivers looking to find their next car.

Certainly the presence of an expert when examining a used car can save the driver’s hands, but it is something that is impossible if he has a list of models that could be a good buy.

Whatever the first stage of “recognition” of a used car can be done even by someone who has no particular connection with cars as long as they keep in mind and pay due attention to the checkpoints that follow.

Checking the specific points does not require more than 10-15 minutes of your valuable time and applies both during your visit to a dealer and if you are dealing with a private person.

The first thing to look at is the car’s maintenance book. The book should be correctly completed by the workshop or workshops even if the previous owner did not go to an authorized one. Also, the kilometers indicated on the last service that has been done should be in line with those on the odometer. A car without a maintenance book should be rejected.

Next comes the bodywork, which will take the most time. The paint of the metal and plastic surfaces should have the same consistency in all places, while there should be no unevenness in the joints of the metal surfaces of the body.

The doors parallel to each other, the doors to the front fenders and the front fenders to the hood should have the same gaps at both ends, while in no case should the gap be greater at one end against the other.

The doors should too fit properly when closed and open and close smoothly, as does the trunk and hood. Also check light fixtures by applying light pressure. They should have little or no movement.

Under the hood is the next point we should focus our attention on. The engine room should be “clean” even if it hasn’t been cleaned and by that we mean that there should be no splashes of oils or other liquids around the engine, and no oil should have flown from the engine. Also, all fluids should be at the correct levels and the correct color.

Closing the hood, we proceed to the tires. Tires should have uniform wear throughout their treadwhile they should be the same make and model on all wheels and have the same dimension and “age”.

Also, if the car has few kilometers (20,000-30,000) and has been registered in the last 2-3 years the tires should be the original ones. Otherwise, ask for an explanation.

It is possible that repairs have been made to the car, which is perfectly normal, especially for older cars. However, these repairs, which usually involve minor crashes, should be recorded.

If the seller tells you that no repairs have been made, ask them to sign a statement confirming that the model you are interested in has not received any repairs on its mechanical parts and has never been involved in a traffic accident in the past.

Next is the car’s cabin where the linings and the image of the plastic surfaces should keep up with the age of the model in front of you. Also check all seat belts by unrolling them completely from their reel.

Notice especially the part of the belt that is not usually unrolled. If you spot mud then you should abandon the idea of ​​getting that particular model as the possibility that it has flooded and the water has entered the interior is very high.

Then ask to start the car’s engine and go for a short drive even if you’re not the one behind the wheel.

If the car you are interested in passes the above tests successfully then you can proceed to the next step and see it again with the help of an expert, while requesting, finding and photographing the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).

With the specific number and the help of an authorized workshop you can refer to the history of work carried out in the past and certify that the kilometers shown on the odometer correspond to reality. With the VIN you can also verify the car’s… origin if the first country of registration is Greece or if it is an imported model.

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