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Used Car - Buyer's Check List (ver.: 08/01/2002)

PAPERS

  • Check the database of stolen cars.
  • Check the previous owner - Used Vehicle Information Package (UVIP).
  • Papers validity, police records.
  • The Safety Standards Certificate (the technical state), the emission test.
  • Compare the motor number and the bodywork number with papers.
  • The service book - bigger repeairs, km records.

BODYWORK

  • The crash checking - the different color of doors and the body, a paint on the rubber washer, the different paint under the carpet in the trunk, no fitting doors and the hood.
  • The rust - doorsills, mudguards, the bottom of the doors, under the carpets, under the carpet in the trunk, under decorative slats.
  • Washers - wash the car and check the interior for water, check also the trunk.
  • Kilometers checking - the windscreen wiper tracks, worn down pedals, the oversat drivers seat.

MOTOR

  • The oil leakage - control the motor block surface, bottom of the motor. Very cleaned motor signify attempt to cover oil leaking.
  • Oil - metal dust in oil (check the oil gauge).
  • The exhaust - block end of the exhaust, if the exhaust is without gaps, the motor must go out. Check fumes - musn't be black or blue.
  • Cooling - liquid has to be clean, wihout oil and rust, it mustn't bubble by running motor. Check rubber hoses.

CHASSIS

  • Joints - turn wheels to the end position, slowly turn them back, when homokinetic joints are worn down then they are crackling.
  • Joints - lift the front part of the car with a jack, twitch with the wheel towards you, it mustn't move.
  • Control - turn wheels to the straight position, move slowly with the steering wheel, the shift of the steering wheel till tyres have moved must be on your palm width maximum (DANGEROUS!).
  • Tyres - deep of grooves has to be 4 mm, check the geometric wearing down - when not it's a bad geometry. Check side damaging of tyres. All tyres have to have same brand and size. Size has to fit with the technical certificate record. Check the spare tyre - the same parameters.

  • Buffers - press the car down in the point over tyre, release. The car can move 3 x maximum. When the car moves more times - the buffer is damaged. Check the buffer surface - has to be without oil and water.
  • Brakes - press the brake pedal down and hold, wait 15 sec. When the pedal will fall down there are untightings in the brake system (VERY DANGEROUS!).

DRIVING

  • Start - smooth cold start, smooth running on the freewheel, smooth hot start. Try add gas (to 3.000 turns) on the freewheel and release the pedal, the motor mustn't go out.
  • The clutch - smooth run-up without twitching.
  • Sounds - there haven't be strange sounds - knocking, bangs, shooting.
  • The motor running - has to be smooth without turns oscillation.
  • Gearbox - smooth gear changing without strange sounds. When the car wails during slowing down with the gear on high turns there are damaged cog-wheels.
  • Drive - try to find horizontal flat road, release steering wheel, car hasn't deviate from the straight way. When yes, then there is the wrong wheels geometry or chassis geometry (the car could be crashed).
  • Braking - drive straight away, car has to hold the straight direction during intensive braking.

Others

  • Level of liquids - oil, brake liquid, cooling liquid, acid in accumulator.
  • The accumulator - switch on headlights and backglass heating and start cold motor.
  • Electrics - bulbs, signal lamps, the backglass heating, the horn. Bulbs - the parking light, short, long, tail, revers, brakes.
  • The windscreen wiper, the sprayer.
  • The ventilation - switching between modes, intensive blowing on windscreen, heating, stink checking.
  • Side mirrors controlling.
  • Side windows - smooth moving, holding in top position - try to push them down from outside of the car.
  • Door locks, child locks, the trunk lock, the tank lock.
  • Seats - moving front seats, positioning, reclining rear seats.
  • Check safety belts.
  • The Radio, the antenna.
  • The trunk - smooth cover moving.
  • The jack, the spanner for safety nuts.