Used car market
The ideal case in the process of buying a used car is personal acquaintance with the owner of the car and preferably being aware of the storage conditions, operation and history of the car you like. A necessary requirement for the process of selecting a car is a thorough diagnosis, an impartial assessment and a real picture of the car's condition.
As for the documentation of the car purchase, the rules differ depending on the country where the car is located. And many nuances of paper document flow can be studied on specialized sites. For example, at mister-auto.ru car registration can be done according to Russian rules, and they will also offer you contracts that are concluded between the seller and the buyer. There are also similar sites for car purchase and sale in many other European countries popular among our motorists.
But let us return to the technical part of the issue. When buying a car, even without starting to diagnose the technical condition of the car, any potential buyer has the opportunity to use online resources to check some important data that must be verified.
First, check the seventeen-digit 'VIN' code of the car, which is absent only on old Soviet cars and cars produced in the Land of the Rising Sun for the domestic market. The date of manufacture of the vehicle is most often indicated in the 'VIN' code and is often located either on the car's glass or in the seat belt anchor points.
Be sure to check the engine number for tampering, and also clarify its modification. Each digit must be clear and easily readable. If this is not the case, this fact must be accompanied by a conclusion from the State Traffic Inspectorate confirming this factor. Otherwise, this fact will be recorded by the internal affairs bodies as an attempt to falsify the license plates.
For off-road vehicles, it is important to pay close attention to the chassis and frame numbers, as these cars have an increased likelihood of corrosion not only in the area where the numbers are located, but also on all body parts. The body number is most often located in the engine compartment or under the passenger seat. Pay special attention that the body parts directly in the areas where the numbers are located have not been repainted.
When directly familiarizing yourself with the condition of the car, do not make hasty decisions immediately after a test drive of even a car you really like, and when conducting a test drive, pay attention to the factors listed below.
Pay special attention to unusual noises, both while driving and while stationary with the engine running. The condition of the 'CV joint' (if the car is front-wheel drive) is checked by sharply turning the steering wheel all the way to the right and left while driving. There should be no knocking. Extraneous noise effects of the engine are best detected at two to two and a half thousand revolutions per minute. Also pay attention to the color of the exhaust gases.