Buying a used car can be a very intimidating experience. How do you know the dealer is telling you the truth? After all, his job is to get as much as he can for the car and get it off the lot so he can make room for new inventory.
Most people simply don't have an eye for what to look for in a used vehicle so they end up taking a bigger chance than they need to.
As a result, unsuspecting buyers often get stuck with a vehicle that has major problems because the vehicle history was incomplete, fabricated or simply nonexistent.
While not comprehensive, the following list of tips will help any buyer identify red flags that could indicate whether or not a car has been in an accident.
Look at the paint. Many shops that offer cheap paint jobs do so by cutting corners, which can be evident if you know where to look. A really nice paint job is expensive, which is mostly due to the time it takes to prepare the car for painting. When a cheap paint job is performed the shop will cut corners by eliminating a lot of the prep work. This tends to leave the following evidence:
Paint lines where tape had to be applied to hold the paper or plastic that was used to protect the parts of the car that were not being painted.
Mismatched colors. If certain parts of the car have a slightly different tint of hue then that most likely indicates an aftermarket paint job. Focus on the bumpers since that is where most damage occurs. After the bumpers would be the quarter panels.
Overspray. This happens when certain parts are not sufficiently covered to protect them from the paint when it is sprayed over the car. Check the windows and windshield for evidence of overspray, as well as the headlights and taillights. You may also see it on trim pieces and side view mirrors. Finally, open the hood and check engine components for overspray. Overspray can usually be removed from exterior parts fairly easily using certain materials like a clay bar and mineral spirits.
Check the spaces (seams) between body panels to ensure they are straight. You can do this by stepping back and observing the seam, or by running your finger along it and sensing if it widens or narrows. If it does then the car has most likely been in an accident. Common seams to check are the ones between the doors and quarter panels, the hood and fenders, and the trunk.
Open the hood and look at the headlight assemblies. Front end damage usually smashes not just the headlights, but also the support pieces inside the engine bay. While it may be easy to replace the headlights, it can be difficult to find the right replacement parts for the support pieces, so you may find cracked and broken plastic inside there.
Check to make sure that matching parts really do match. For example, make sure the headlights and taillights match, and that they appear the same. If one of them appears to have much less wear than the other then that's an indication that it's been replaced.
While there are other things you can do to assess the condition of a used car, the tips above should be enough to give you sufficient peace of mind. Beyond this, trust your instincts as you would with any large purchase. If the deal appears too good to be true then it probably is, so never be afraid to walk away from a vehicle. Take your time, do your research, and if possible take someone with you who can provide an objective opinion so you don't make a big mistake.
