When buying a car from a showroom, detailed inspection and mechanical knowledge are usually not needed. Such vehicles are covered by the manufacturer's warranty, thanks to which its owner can be sure that in the event of any faults, they can count on its removal in the service. The problem, however, begins with the purchase of a used car. In this case, it is worth knowing what elements to pay attention to in order to avoid costly repairs.
First of all - technical condition
Although Norwegians care more about their cars than Poles, it is always worth assessing their technical condition when buying. First of all, you should pay attention to the condition of the engine, body and verify whether the vehicle was involved in a crash or an accident.
Find out more about how to complete the formalities after purchasing a car in Norway.
The condition of the engine
The condition of the engine is most easily verified by the amount and color of the smoke emitted. However, it is worth remembering that cars equipped with a diesel engine will always “kick” a bit. However, too large a cloud behind the vehicle during acceleration should raise the buyer's doubts. It is worth remembering that:
- if there is a lot of black smoke coming from the exhaust - this may indicate a defective turbine
- if there is white smoke, especially when firing, it may be due to problems with the warhead
- if blue smoke is emitted - it may indicate excessive wear of pistons and cylinders
When buying a used car. Body and accident assessment
When assessing the condition of the car body, it is not only worth paying attention to whether the rust is visible, whether the paint is scratched, etc. First of all, you should also pay attention to such issues as:
- whether the gaps between the individual sheet metal elements are equal
- the thickness of the car body is the same everywhere (the paint gauge is used for evaluation - it is worth measuring the roof, fenders, hood and doors in particular)
- whether individual elements do not have a different shade of color
- the body under the upholstery and the filler are in the same color as the other elements
It is also worth paying attention to the glass, especially the manufacturer's markings. Cars not involved in the accident will have the same factory markings with the same production date. If we notice differences in them, it means that it has been replaced. This is most often the case when the car viewed was involved in a collision or other road incident.
Second - the mileage and efficiency of the equipment
In addition to the engine and body, it is also worth paying attention to the mileage of the vehicle. It is crucial for many reasons. First of all, a large number of kilometers driven causes a high risk of failure of such a vehicle. It is also crucial in terms of typical faults specific to individual models - for example, in the case of Opel 1.6 petrol engines from 1996, 200 thousand. after driving, it is typical to replace the head gasket.
Equipment efficiency
One of the key steps in assessing the performance of equipment is checking the controls. After turning the ignition, they should all light up. If any of them do not light up at this point, it could either indicate a problem with the sensor or that it was physically disconnected because it indicated a malfunction. This situation is typical of, for example, for the engine icon.
It is also worth checking the efficiency of the air conditioning and the efficiency of the electrical system. These are elements that are often neglected, and their repair can be on the one hand cumbersome, and on the other quite expensive.
Buying a used car is attractive from a financial point of view. However, it is worth checking its technical condition carefully. First of all, this applies to those elements whose repair is associated with high costs. This primarily applies to the engine. You should also check the condition of the car body, which will help us assess whether the car was involved in the accident. It is equally important to verify the efficiency of the air conditioning and other equipment.