Paint damage and others when buying a car
If you have decided to buy a new car, you should take a specialist or consult him from the outset. Also, you should spend the 50-80 euros for a TÜV examiner who looks at the car.
Nevertheless, one can also discover some damage to the car itself by means of some small aids, e.g. also paint damage to the car.
Just take a not-too-strong magnet (such as a fridge magnet) with you, peg it to the car, and slowly guide it over notorious (bearing) parts and surfaces, such as glass. Mudguards or car doors. Where the magnet is suddenly easier to move - although this should not be the case - it was probably filled, because the magnetism is not so strong there.
Furthermore important: pay attention to the gap! The distance between car door and fender, bonnet and grille or tailgate and car roof etc. should be uniform throughout the line. If this is not the case, a part is either crooked, warped and / or suggests a possible earlier accident.
Also to be considered: painting. The paint should of course be the same color everywhere. Otherwise, it is over painting or even a spare part. Of course, also make sure that the paint feels the same everywhere! Often it is painted along a line or light edge, as these repairs are less recognizable, yet the fingers can not be fooled by a courageous empathy. Otherwise the TÜV expert has an infrared density meter.
First of all check all gaskets and car interior sides - especially there rust accumulates. And if the first is there, there are only fogged windows and on leaks and accompanying mold in the car you can also adjust schonmal.
Also pay attention to noises when testing. Do not let the car salesman turn up the radio just to cover up something. Quite obligatory also a brake test!
Also look into the engine compartment, even if you - like me - do not know very well. Are there loose parts, unoccupied connections? Pay attention to engine washes: Although nice, but also reduces the chance to find leaks, so the test drive should definitely be a little longer, so you may discover something.
While you're at it, sometimes check the cooling water on Newtonian rings (oil rings) - if that's the case, most likely a cylinder head gasket is broken, which can later turn into a total damage to the engine.
So:
- Previously e.g. Inform DAT or TÜV about known damage
- are spare parts easy to get, how high are average repairs?
- drive with magnet over hood, fenders, etc. - is the magnetism weaker somewhere?
- are the gaps everywhere the same?
- Is the paint the same, even and feels that way? Especially at light edges check!
- Check seals and car interior sides for rust!
- Pay attention to untypical noises when driving!
- View into the engine compartment - Leaks, loose cables, oil in the water tank?
This should be the first covered, I hope I could help you.
