You’ve found a sweet deal. It’s a car you want to own, but you’re worried about what you don’t know. Paying for an inspection is costly, but how can you buy a used car without one? Scotty Kilmer offers a DIY inspection process that can help you buy with confidence.
What does Scotty recommend for inspecting a used car?
- Check out any computer codes with the vehicle
- Take a look at the underside
- Check the body of the car
- Look at the tires
- Go for a road test
- Have a pro take a closer look
Scotty Kilmer is a well-respected mechanic. He’s worked on cars for over 40 years and, that aside, has helped countless people with his over 3.7 million subscribers to fix their vehicles. In this video, he gives us some valuable tips.
We will break down those tips here and give you the insights you need to make sure you buy with confidence. Before doing that, check out the pre-owned car’s Vehicle History to learn more about the quality of that vehicle.
What Should You Do Before You Buy a Used Car?
In this video, Scotty tells us exactly what to do to find out if a vehicle is worthy of purchase. You can check out the car on your own. Here’s what he did.
Read the Computer
The first step is to obtain an OB2 reader. These are small hand-held devices you can plug into the car’s computer. It reads the computer on the vehicle to tell you which errors or concerns are listed. These devices cost about $40. They work on all cars from 1999 onward.
They are cheap and a very important tool. You can usually find the computer input area under the dash and steering wheel. Usually, this is lower on the car’s driver’s side. The plug looks like a series of dots or connections. You just need to plug it in as it fits.
Once plugged in, start the car. Choose “read codes” from the device’s screen. If any codes pull up, that means there is some type of problem with the car.
Next, check the “drive cycle monitor.” The device will pull up any concerns. You really want to see that there are no problems pulling up on the device before you buy. If the owner has the computer reset but didn’t fix the problem, those would show up here.
Check the Underside of the Car
Park the vehicle on a flat surface. Leave it there for a bit. Then, look under the car to see if there is any type of oil or other fluid leaking from the car.
Consider jacking up the front end of the car to check things out a bit further. Scotty says to look at the underside to see if there are any areas that are worn or damaged. That includes:
- The CV joints
- Bottom of the engine
- Bottom of the transmission
Pull on the tires as well. You want to ensure the tires do not move back and forth. That could indicate a problem with the suspension.
Check the Car for Body Damage
The car Scotty is looking at is only about a year old. He knows the engine and other features are probably in good condition. However, to find out if it has been in any type of accident, there are several steps to take.
Open the hood. Then, slam it shut. Does it line up properly along the edges? Make sure the seam on the hood is equal on both sides.
Do the same thing on all of the door seams. They should all be smooth when you run your finger along the seams.
Pop the trunk to see if the car has been rear-ended. Do the seams align properly here? Move the carpets and other materials in the trunk. Do the factory seams located under the cardboard and carpeting look still intact? If so, you know the car hasn’t been hit.
Next, look at the sides of the car at an angle. Look for any areas where there are reflections in the paint. That pinpoints areas of dents. It’s hard to see small dings on the car because the paint is designed to hide them.
Look closely. Those small dings can help knock some money off the cost.
Look at All Four Tires
The last thing you need to do before you decide to buy the car is to look at all four tires. Don’t just stand there, get down on your hands and knees, and really inspect them. They can tell their own story about the car.
Specifically, look for any cuts or gouges in them. Those can indicate a problem with the wheels. Look at the wear marks on the car. The best situation is when it is clear that the wear marks are flat and evenly worn. That means the car is being driven in proper alignment.
Take the Car for a Good Road Test
It’s always important to take the car out for a road test. Scotty recommends driving the vehicle for at least 10 minutes in town. Then, drive it for a good 10 miles on the highway.
While driving it, listen to it. Do you hear humming, clicking, or buzzing noises? These noises all mean something, and they need to be carefully considered before buying.
You also want to see how the vehicle tracks when going highway speeds. Does it pull to one side? Does the steering wheel go straight? Does the vehicle shake at all when you’re driving it at those high speeds?
If you are serious about buying the car after these steps, don’t skip the most important step. Bring the vehicle to a mechanic you trust. No matter what you learn about the car on your own, have a pro check it out before you buy.
Know as Much as You Can Before You Buy
Don’t stop at this point. Make sure you learn about the car’s history and any problems with it. To do that, check out its Vehicle History.
