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Buying Tips

Before you Start

Decide on what you are looking for in terms of:

  • Budget – what you want vs. what you can afford
  • Fuel economy
  • Petrol vs. diesel
  • Distance to be travelled – to work and back vs. on the road all day
  • Safety – for yourself and your passengers
  • Insurance costs
  • Service costs
  • Do you have to sell your current car?

What to ask

Helpful Hint – Make a check list of the questions you want to ask and the things you need to look out for. Taking along an objective friend is also a good idea.

  • Ask to see the full service record / history for the car
  • Find out if it has been in an accident or not
  • Check to see if it has been checked and ask to see the report
  • Ask if there is a warranty

Inspecting the Car
Helpful Hint – Inspect the car during daylight! 

Outside Check

  • Cracks or chips in the windscreen
  • Ripples in paint – panels should be smooth and uniform
  • Contour lines of the car should be straight
  • Make sure the gaps between body panels are consistent
  • Misaligned panels
  • Panels of different colours
  • Wear pattern of the tyres
  • Signs of rust
  • Check the licence disk – is it current? 

Inside Check

  • Does the mileage match the age of the car?
  • Indicators
  • Radio / CD player
  • Air con / heater
  • Lights
  • Windscreen wipers
  • Hooter
  • Alarm / immobiliser / gear lock / steering lock
  • Spare tyre, jack and spanner
  • Instruments – are any warning lights showing
  • Handbrake
  • Seat belts
  • Is the car clean inside?
  • Is the upholstery worn?
  • All the doors and their locks open properly
  • The windows work
  • Look out for excessive air freshener. This could be masking damp, a smoker’s car or something else

Inspect the Engine

  • Look closely at the all the hoses to ensure they are not cracked or worn
  • Check the battery terminals for build-up
  • Check the V-belt / fan-belt for cracks
  • Ensure the engine is not leaking oil
  • Remove the oil dip stick and look for tiny droplets of water (clear liquid) - if you can see any, the means in the engine gasket is worn / leaking. This usually occurs when the engine has previously over-heated.
  • Watch / listen to the engine when it is idleling. It should have a smooth steady sound and not fluctuate in speed or noise levels.
  • Get a friend or AA Autobay consultant to start the car and rev the engine slightly while you look at the exhaust. If black or blue grey smoke is produced, this means a bit of oil is leaking into the combustion area of the engine.
  • Are the numbers misaligned? If so this could indicate tampering.

The Test Drive

Taking a car for a test drive is probably the best way to determine if the car is in good condition. But don’t be swayed by emotion once behind the wheel – remember to look out for telling signs that this is not your dream car.

Helpful Hint – Drive with the radio off and windows open to listen for anything that doesn’t sound right! Try and drive in the city and on a highway to get a feel for the car and ensure gear changes are smooth

Ensure Safety
Individuals are exposed to a certain level of risk when test driving a car with a stranger.  We suggest always test driving a car under supervised circumstances.  At AA Autobay the risk of test driving a car with a stranger is minimised.  An AA Autobay consultant will always accompany you on your test drive.

Vehicle Handling
On a quiet or empty road, swerve the car from side to side in order to feel if the car responds promptly to your steering and doesn't lean too much.

Vehicle Braking

  • Travelling at a fair speed on a quiet road, execute an emergency stop - brake as hard as you can.
  • Make sure the car doesn't wobble or shudder to a stop. If the car has ABS, try testing the system. 
  • The braking pedal should vibrate when the ABS is active.

Vehicle Steering (Power steering)

  • When the car is at a complete stop, turn the steering wheel completely to the right and then completely to the left.
  • Doing this when the car is not moving places the most pressure on the power steering system.
  • Ensure the steering column does not click or kink. A quiet whine is normal when doing this.

Vehicle Steering (Manual steering)

  • When travelling in straight line, turn the steering wheel slightly to the left and slightly to the right.
  • Try test how much 'play' there is on the steering before the car actually starts to steer to the left/right.

Engine Health

  • During your test driving, try accelerating the car from a complete stop at different speed i.e. slow acceleration, medium and full acceleration. 
  • Look out for any dips in power or 'flat spots'.

What to do if you find any problems

  • Make a list of the problems you experienced
  • Suggest that the seller goes to the car manufacturers’ workshop, to get them to check / quote on how much it will cost to fix the problems.
  • You can then make an informed decision whether or not to buy the car as is at a re-negotiated price or insist the seller repairs the vehicle prior to the sale.

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