Has that car been wrecked? A couple of weeks ago we discussed the difference between CarFax and Auto Check. We also discussed how they can miss things. How can you tell if the vehicle you are looking at has been in an accident? Here are some tips: 1. Check for prior paint work. Few paint jobs are flawless. If you are looking at a black car with a perfect paint job, chances are it was repainted. The first thing you should ask yourself is, “Is the paint age and mileage appropriate?” Check for fisheyes in the paint (little bubbles in the clear coat.) Look for overspray (paint in places that it should not be). The most common places for overspray is around the vehicle’s trim, taillights, grill, insets in the lower front bumper, and even the black trim around the finders . Check the edges, doors, the hood and the trunk to see if there is a variation in the thickness or a little “lip” on the underside. 2. Check to see if the bolts have been broken on the front fenders. 3. Check the gaps in the vehicle’s body. For example, where the doors close, are the spaces consistent? 4. Look under the car. Are there any creases in the metal that did not come from the factory? These areas are almost never repainted and will often rust. 5. While inspecting the car, look for parts that have a number handwritten. They will usually be in white or yellow. Parts with this type of writing are often from salvage yards. 6. Feel the steering wheel airbag cover. Is it overly soft? Is it smooth? 7. Lastly, check the spare tire area. Has the trunk been leaking? Is the leak from just a poor gasket or rear spoiler, or do you need to inspect the area further?
Posted on: Mon, 02 Sep 2013 13:21:14 +0000
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