Buying A Car - External Checks
When you have decided exactly what car you are looking for then it is time to go and look at some of the cars that are available on the market in your price range. Whether a car is being sold by a dealer or private sale they will vary in price but also in condition. This is the first of four articles that will discuss what you should be looking for when viewing a prospective car and what factors could effect your car insurance premium.
Firstly if possible arrange to see the car in daylight hours and on a dry day. When you pull up at the place of sale for the advertised vehicle the initial check that should be made on the car is that of first impressions. Does the car look good to you with first sight? Obviously this is not going to be the sole reason that you purchase the vehicle but a car that gives off a good first impression suggests that the owner has looked after it well.
The next check to make is to spend time to look all around the car. Look at each panel of the car individually and make sure to take your time so you don't miss anything. The main things to look for are:
Dents/Damage - large dents and damage will be obvious but smaller dents are harder to see in certain light so look at each panel from a few angles. Check for scratches and scuffs on the paintwork from every angle as well.
Chips - These are usually found on the bonnet due to stones flying up and striking the paintwork. Stone chips can also be a good indicator of the how far the car has been driven, if there are lots of stone chips the car will have traveled a good distance so check this theory matches the miles on the speed-o-meter. The stone chips in themselves are not a major problem as they can be touched up with paint but check that they haven't started to rust because this will be more expensive to remedy.
Check the colour - One way to check for things such as accidents is to make sure that the colour on all panels of the car match up. Look at each panel in turn and compare it against other panels on the car, if they don't match up it could be a sign of poor repair work. If the colour match is slightly off don't automatically write the car off, talk to the owner and ask them about the miss match, there might be a good explanation.
Panel Spacing - While checking each panel individually look at the spacing between the panels, if they seem to be a long way apart check the same panel on the other side of the vehicle. Checking the opposite panel can be a good indicator of abnormalities. The reason for checking the panels is because if the panels don't fit as they should it could be a sign of replacement due to accident, again if this excessive spacing is found talk to the owner. It is very important you determine if the car has been in an accident as cars that have been written off and repaired can cost more to insure with your car insurance company.
Modifications - Modifications to any of the bodywork should be checked as poor modification can detract from the vehicle. Remember that some modifications will result in your car insurance company increasing your premium.
Rust - Finally on the bodywork make sure you check the car for any signs of rust as this again can be very costly and time consuming to remedy.
Tyres - Make sure that you have a good look at all four tyres on the car and check the condition. Check each tyre carefully to make sure that they are free from any bulges, cuts or other abnormalities. Also check the tread on the tyre, the legal minimum is 1.6mm, make sure that the tread is well above the legal limit as a set of new Tyres can be very costly depending on the vehicle. Also if the police stop you and and find the tread to be below the minimum they can fine you and issue you with 3 penalty points for every tyre found to be under 1.6mm. This can then lead to an increase in insurance from your car insurance company because of the penalty points.
Lights - Check each light and light cluster in detail to make sure that they are not damaged. Small chips in the lights can result in water gathering inside so be sure to have a good look inside each of the lights as excess water in the lights can lead to electrical problems. Check they all work properly and if not then check the bulbs, a blown bulb is cheap to fix electrical problems are not.
Wipers - have a good look at the blades on the wipers to make sure that they are in good condition because poor blades can result in poor visibility and put you at a higher risk of accident. Also check that the wipers actually work along with the washer jets to stop any reduced visibility. A simple procedure like this could prevent accidents and lead to cheaper car insurance.
Exhaust - Take a good look over the exhaust as new sets can be expensive, if possible have a good look under the car and check all pieces of the exhaust are secure and free from rust. Remember after market performance exhausts must be declared to your car insurance company and can raise you car insurance premium.
With these few simple checks you could avoid purchasing an over priced poor example of a car. Remember that some checks have a direct impact on the price of your car insurance so be sure to take your time and be thorough.
