Taking your time to check and observe the physical appearances of the cars can pay off well, and save your wallet. Stone chips, dull paint, and minor scuffs are quite common occurrences, especially for cars that are a few years old. Furthermore, if the car is meant for heavy usage, like an SUV or 4×4, expect more of those aesthetic imperfects. These are problems that can be solved for around RM3-5K at a detailing shop. What you SHOULD be looking out for is damages to the chassis, or evidence of accidents. You can easily do this by observing alignment of body panels. Irregularities in gaps and height could mean that the car has been involved in a collision. Dents, bumps and bruises are less serious, as they can easily be fixed at the body shop. These damages and repair works can be used as a solid negotiation tool.

Determining the condition of a used car is like putting a story together, chapter by chapter. And in the second chapter, we explore the interior. It is an excellent place to check how carefully, or brutally the previous owner has cared for this car. In our used car division, we’ve encountered low mileage examples that have interiors that look legitimately abused, and have had the opposite happen, where a high-use, high-mileage car looks like it has barely seen any use.

Check for tears (in fabric seats), and creases and wrinkles (in leather seats). Common points of wear and tear are also the steering wheel, dashboard, gear knob, and arm rest. Do a quick check for the roof lining to make sure it’s not collapsing.

The heart of the car. Without stating the obvious, the powertrain is one of the most important parts of any car, and one of the most expensive/risky to fix.

Check for any traces of oil leaks around the engine. Bring a flashlight for this, or simply use the flash on your phone.

Listen to the sound of the engine during start up & idle, any abnormal noises such as screeching could be a bad sign. Lastly, watch for the exhaust. Any white smoke, or blue smoke could spell disaster if left untreated.

The mileage of a car doesn’t tell the whole story. Use the current mileage as a reference point to evaluate the other pieces of the puzzle.

In fact, high mileage examples with no exterior, interior, engine and undercarriage problems could serve you so much better than a low mileage example that is falling apart. Worse yet, it could mean the odometer has been tampered with and rolled back to give buyers a faux first impression.

Papers, service history, and repair receipts are solid assets to both the buyer and seller, so make sure that you have these updated and filed away for when the day comes you’re looking to trade in your car for something else.

The undercarriage of a vehicle can be inspected easily at a trusted Auto Service Centre cough Western Motor Sports cough. Our rule of thumb for buyers is to arrange a trip to a repair shop in order to get the vehicle checked out by a credible technician. Most used car dealerships won’t let you do this unattended because, well, they have something to hide, and will try to sweet talk their way out of it. Call their bluff.

Once the vehicle is jacked up, you and the technician are able to inspect for rust, suspension, leakages, exhaust systems, bumper and replaceable/ repairable items. Simple, yes, do people do it enough? Not even close.

Just like you wouldn’t buy a house without a site visit, nor would you buy a watch without seeing or touching it, nor would you buy a car without a Pre-Purchase Inspection, you have the right to test-drive any car prior to purchase. If any dealer or seller refuses a test drive without a valid reason, you should walk away from the deal.

During a test drive, be keen on observing & listening to these crucial parts:

• Brakes
• Acceleration
• Knocking noises during bumpy roads or speed bumps
• Gear shifits

These are important aspects of a car that will either serve you well for years to come, or be a recurring trip to the workshop.

Beware of deals that are “too good to be true”, which tells us immediately to proceed with extra caution. The dealer or seller might have extra incentive to get rid of a car when its’ priced well below market value- they know something you don’t or are withholding important information.

Similarly, don’t be afraid to squeeze out the budget a bit for a good car, as those will serve you well compared to the cars that you “chose to live with” because of the cheaper price. From our experience, those deals end up to be the most costly in terms of overall ownership due to the frustrations of frequent workshop visits, and cars in poor conditions are always a difficult thing to get rid off.

Always do due diligence when it comes to prospecting your used car purchase. Often times, the dealer or seller themselves have yet to properly identify the car, you see this most commonly with Brands & Makes with a high degree of customization or trim options. Some manufacturer’s make it difficult to properly evaluate the value. Porsche, for example is customizable down to the seats and stitching, you almost never see two of the exact same Porsches.

Most commonly, you see dealers advertising and pricing cars of the highest spec/trim with the assumption its’ too much trouble for you to do a Google search or cross check against a manufacturer’s brochure.

Always do due diligence when it comes to prospecting your used car purchase. Often times, the dealer or seller themselves have yet to properly identify the car, you see this most commonly with Brands & Makes with a high degree of customization or trim options. Some manufacturer’s make it difficult to properly evaluate the value. Porsche, for example is customizable down to the seats and stitching, you almost never see two of the exact same Porsches.

Most commonly, you see dealers advertising and pricing cars of the highest spec/trim with the assumption its’ too much trouble for you to do a Google search or cross check against a manufacturer’s brochure.

Always do due diligence when it comes to prospecting your used car purchase. Often times, the dealer or seller themselves have yet to properly identify the car, you see this most commonly with Brands & Makes with a high degree of customization or trim options. Some manufacturer’s make it difficult to properly evaluate the value. Porsche, for example is customizable down to the seats and stitching, you almost never see two of the exact same Porsches.

Most commonly, you see dealers advertising and pricing cars of the highest spec/trim with the assumption its’ too much trouble for you to do a Google search or cross check against a manufacturer’s brochure.