Checking a car before buying?

VonLuck

I was just wondering what is the norm for people buying new cars. I had a look at the stickied guide and saw some great advice. But one thing it never mentioned is actually getting the car checked by a mechanic.

I would not be the most knowledgeable in the car field so would not know a bad engine from a good one. Do you think its worth spending however much getting it checked by a mechanic or are the checks that they do easily done by a novice like myself?

If you factor in the cartell car history check, plus the mechanic check, there could be a big bill before you even buy the car!

Henry Ford III

Better than an even bigger bill if you'd bought a lemon.

VonLuck

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Better than an even bigger bill if you'd bought a lemon.

Yes but is it really necessary. What sort of checks will the mechanic do that someone like me wouldnt be able to inspect?

Depends on what you're buying and where you are buying it from really. At a glance under the bonnet a decent mechanic could spot signs of front end crash damage. As they are dealing with cars all day everyday a test drive and a listen to the car would tell them a lot more than someone who has little to no knowledge.

-Corkie-

VonLuck wrote: »

Yes but is it really necessary. What sort of checks will the mechanic do that someone like me wouldnt be able to inspect?

Inspect for hidden oil leaks etc. A good one will know if it may have been crashed or painted..

bob50

Youll also find if you get a mechanic to inspect the car before purchase

They have a non commital attiitude to commiting to say yes buy it or dont buy it

This has happened to on 3 occasions with different mechanics

I had to make my own decisions wheter to buy or not and then pay them their fee

LAM89

I would use MyWheels.ie - 7 euro for a full history check including finance history..Cheaper than Cartell.

You can check alot of things yourself without a mechanic. Make sure all panels allign i.e. if a car was crashed and put back together things like the boot and front bumpers would be off line.

Check has the car been re - sprayed. Easiest place to check is open the front doors and look along the inside of the wings. When a car has been crashed and re-sprayed mechanics RARELY spray both sides.

an easy way to check an engine on a Diesel is rev the car. Watch for an excess of black smoke from the exhaust. A little is aloud but not too much.

You can get a good impression of how the car was kept by the owner. Ask them for service history logs ect.


Remember if you are buying a car privately you still by law have Three months to come back to the Seller if you have an issue with the car in that time.

Hope this helps

Anan1

bob50 wrote: »

Youll also find if you get a mechanic to inspect the car before purchase

They have a non commital attiitude to commiting to say yes buy it or dont buy it

This has happened to on 3 occasions with different mechanics

I had to make my own decisions wheter to buy or not and then pay them their fee

That's true. Although quite understandable, it can be offputting if you're not expecting it and don't understand the reasoning behind it.

Dtoffee

I would use the following guidelines ...

1. Observation ..... if it has low milage it must have good upholstry and very little wear n tear on the gearstick, pedals and steering wheel. It should have matching glass in all windows so look for the etchings to match up. Do all panels / bonnet match ..... is their any signs of new / cleaned areas under the bonnet or boot?
2. Test drive .... will it start from the key turning, braking should be smooth n steady, rev it loud in nuetral and listen for any misfires etc
3. Check lights indicators etc then try rocking tyres and if it rattles or does not feel tight ... run
4. ALWAYS know who you are buying from and ask for ID if its a private sale as proof of ownership is vital .... NEVER part with you money until you have checked the logbook / cert is an original.
5. Go look at as many cars as possible before you buy as you will learn every time .....

I've never used a mechanic and bought many cars, only caught once and luckily I had the guys details ..... I challenged him about the dud he sold me and after a frank exchange of views he realised the error of his ways and offered me another car (it helped that I look like Harry Molloy and had my angry head on )
Theres plenty of advice online and window shopping is a great way to learn, best advice I was given was to stick to the japanese cars and if you have chosen your model go check it (year of car) at the 'honestjohn' website ..... I have found them the most reliable for issues.

VonLuck

I probably would be best getting a mechanic to check it out I think. Even if I performed all the usual checks there is probably something I would miss that a mechanic wouldn't. How much would they usually charge?

Wats_in_a_name

LAM89 wrote: »

Remember if you are buying a car privately you still by law have Three months to come back to the Seller if you have an issue with the car in that time.

Private Sale = No comeback.