First of all, figure out what you want. If you need comfort, buy a luxury car, and if you want your money to be worth it, buy an American "cruiser", especially since its price will not scare you, and its high fuel consumption will be compensated by low operating costs. If you are a fan of long trips and family vacations in the bosom of nature, a station wagon is what you need, and believe me, your choice will not disappoint you. It is comfortable, roomy and modern.
The best choice is a mid-size car with a body type "LX"/"GL", they are well equipped and in demand, but do not get too excited and do not shell out extra money for various additional equipment, of which the only really valuable ones are power steering and a sunroof. Automatic transmissions can cause a decrease in resale value, especially in smaller cars.
So, you have decided on the model. Now, without rushing, proceed to inspect the car.
First of all, carefully study the registration documents: how many owners there were, do the registration and identification numbers of the car match the numbers in the documents? According to the vehicle passport, make sure that technical inspections were carried out and this is noted by the corresponding warranty seals. Check the authenticity of the identification plate (bent ends of the plate and new and clean rivets are a signal that not everything is in order, and it is better to refuse further inspection). If everything is in order, feel free to move on and begin an external inspection.
Inspect your car in natural light, rather than in a garage or showroom, so you can spot many of the color differences.
The main question is whether the car has been in an accident. If it stands on all four wheels, there are no poorly fitted panels, differences in paint shades and traces of putty, the side members are not bent, the centering of the bumper and headlights is not disturbed, there are no traces of the old license plate, then the car has avoided an accident, and no repairs have been done before.
If you bend the window seals and compare the color underneath them with the color of the car, you will know whether the car has been repainted. Also pay attention to traces of paint under the arches, doors, and suspension parts.
Painting the electrical wiring and hoses in the engine compartment to match the body color is a sign of a careless repair.
The fact that the car has been looked after is indicated by fluids and clean engine oil filled to the correct level.
Small items like worn tires or bent rims can be quite expensive to replace.
Sagging seats in the cabin, worn carpets and upholstery, creaking, knocking and strange smells, rust and dampness in the trunk are easy to give away. All these are signs of a long life, and getting rid of them is quite expensive.
Don't forget to check the operation of the central locking, fog lights, electric windows. You don't need expensive repairs of small things.
By rocking the wheels vertically and examining the wear pattern on each tire, you will check the wear of the bearing part of the wheels and learn a lot about the condition of the suspension and steering system.
Rock the car from every corner. This will check the condition of the shock absorbers and the stability of the car on all four wheels, especially if it is a station wagon or a car equipped with a towing device.
After the external inspection, proceed to checking the main mechanisms.
Engine
When the engine is cold, check the automatic air damper and the engine start with fuel injection. Any engine, including diesel, should not make noise and quickly switch to a quiet run.
With the engine warmed up, moving at low speed in high gear, check the wear of the crankshaft and bearings. There should be no rattling. Check the wear of the cylinder surface and valves by operating the throttle valve. If blue smoke appears, a serious engine overhaul is required, black smoke is a sign of worn injectors and problems with the fuel mixture.
The temperature sensor must work reliably under any changing conditions (for example, during idling). Be sure to ensure that the electric fan switches off in time.
Once warmed up, the engine should run quietly and smoothly, even a diesel. Light knocking indicates wear of the valve train or camshaft. With the engine hot and idling, remove the filler cap and check for smoke and carbon deposits. Also check for leaks. The oil pressure warning light should not normally be on. If it is not, it indicates wear of the crank mechanism or oil pump.
Transmission
First of all, check the clutch. Try to start off in a high gear with the handbrake firmly applied. The engine should stall immediately. Then check the clutch engagement. If it occurs at the very end of the pedal travel, this indicates wear of the clutch.
Gear changes should be confident and the transmission operation should be quiet.
Automatic transmission should work smoothly and very precisely: if the gearbox does not want to shift up smoothly, it is likely to be worn out or poorly adjusted. Check if the switch from normal to sport mode works correctly. Gearboxes on all-wheel drive vehicles should work especially smoothly when driving, although some "sagging" should be expected on some models. Check the oil level in the automatic transmission. If it is low or the box is completely dry, we advise you to stop further inspection of this car. Repair of automatic transmissions is labor-intensive and expensive.
It is necessary to drive at least 30 km on different roads to identify all the vehicle's shortcomings.
Be careful: if the car sways or goes to the side, at best it is an incorrect wheel alignment, at worst - the suspension or steering parts are bent.
When checking for play, rock the steering wheel from side to side. If you have power steering, make sure it is reliable at different speeds and loads. On front-wheel drive vehicles, turn the steering wheel to its maximum angle to check the wear of the constant velocity ball joints, which is determined by a clicking sound.
A rumble or float indicates wear of the shock absorbers and springs. Check the electronic adjustment of the shock absorbers in different modes.
Check the brakes carefully under different loads. If the car pulls to the side, it could be a sticking caliper. A pedal that jerks indicates worn discs. Also check the anti-lock brake system (the indicator light should not light up when driving, and vice versa when starting).
Having checked your chosen one in this way, think carefully whether your impressions correspond to the indicated mileage and, having weighed all the pros and cons, make a decision. A qualified, conscious choice is a guarantee that the car will become your assistant and friend.
(The article is taken from a web resource: ToyotaMAN.ru)
A few more tips
Once upon a time, all car buying guides pointed out that pedal rubber wear was a good indicator of mileage. These days, this defect is too well known to be trusted, since pedal rubber is easy to replace.
The upholstery in modern cars is much more durable than that installed ten years ago, but the driver's seat still wears out first. Inspect the outer edge (it rubs when the driver gets in and out of the car) – it is by this that the age of the car is determined.
Check the operation and condition of all lamps and other electrical devices. Cracked headlight lenses are especially important - some of them can be very expensive.
The condition of the tyre is a good indicator of mileage - the stated 40,000 km with odd tyres is highly suspicious! You can also consider the cost of replacement, especially in the case of low-profile and other special tyres.
From the driver's seat, check the operation of the instruments and controls - loose handles, as well as a smooth surface of the steering wheel rim, indicate high mileage.
Re-punched numbers
Re-punched numbers can be "identified" by characteristic features. When buying a used car on the market, especially by proxy, it is easy to get a car with re-punched numbers. Expert advice will help you avoid such trouble.
Theory. If you decide to buy a used foreign car and have chosen a specific model, try to collect as much information about it as possible in advance. The best way to do this is to inspect a similar model in a showroom that sells new cars. First of all, find out where the identification number (VIN) should be located. The car may have additional VIN stickers (are made as transfer pictures), - Find out where they are located.
Practice. So, you start inspecting the selected car. It is worth starting with checking the condition of the paintwork near the identification numbers. It should not differ in color and texture from the coating on the inside of the trunk, hood, engine compartment. Soft surface (there remains a trace of deformation even from a nail), paint drips and uneven application - all this indicates that the place where the identification number is located has been repainted. And repainting hides either the consequences of an accident or traces of a change in the number. The coating near the number can be rubbed with a swab soaked in solvent: if the paint dissolves at least partially, this is a sure sign that it is "not original".
Now about the numbers and identification plates. If the number is re-punched, the characteristic signs of this operation remain: the metal surface is most often deformed, slightly convex or concave. With a homemade method of re-punching, a double outline is often noticeable; the signs are not on the same line, but "jump", they have different depths of indentation; between letters or numbers - intervals of different sizes. Pay special attention to identical signs. They should not differ from each other in shape or size. Another important point: if you notice any characteristic feature on identical signs in the numbers - be sure that these signs are not factory. The company number is applied with a single stamp, the "artisan" uses a separate stamp for each number or letter and repeats the characteristic "mistake".
It is more difficult to detect a "criminal" car when the number has been replaced together with the part or part of it on which it is stamped. As a rule, in this case the number is the factory number. Therefore, it is necessary to inspect the places where this part is attached to the body. A simple way to detect such a replacement can be tapping. You should be wary if the sound when tapping is dull, "wooden" or rattling. It is worth remembering that in cars, individual parts of the body are attached using contact welding. The joints are usually points with a diameter of 5-6 mm. If there are traces of another type of welding in the places where the "numbered" part is attached to the body, and their surfaces are also deformed, then the part is not attached to the body in the factory way.
When inspecting the engine, pay attention to the platform with the number: it should be flat, and the signs on it should be clearly and brightly stamped, without double contours. By the way, the platform itself is turned on a milling machine, which leaves traces in the form of semicircles. They are clearly visible even with severe corrosion.
The described signs are quite easy to detect even for a non-professional. There are others, but they can only be detected by specialists. It is worth contacting them if you have any doubts.