Buying a good pre-owned car is a fairly easy thing to do if you know what you are doing. There are a several things to look for and a couple of checks to be made and you should be well on your way to reasonably priced motoring. With so many choices, finding that one right car for you will be easy. Here is a list of steps to help make finding and buying your perfect used car a breeze.

Step 1: Picking a Peach

The first step is often the hardest; don’t fall in love with a car. For a used-car dealer, a smitten customer makes for easy pickings and they will easily sell you a rolling disaster. It could be the vehicle you dream’t of owning as a child, the car of your first kiss, or that sports car you loved when it came out… don’t think with your heart. Traditionally the best 2nd hand buys come from brands like Toyota and Honda. However, more recently, brands like Kia and Hyundai increasingly make a lot of sense because they are reliable and have excellent manufacturers warranties of 5 years and more. Make a list of the cars that interest you and then dive a little deeper and do a bit

of research on what prices to expect and what to look for in terms of potential problem areas with the models you have in mind. Two internet sites that will get your research started are www.book-value.co.za and www.honestjohn.co.uk for model history and possible issues.

Step 2: Keep it simple

If you’re buying new, by all means go berserk and purchase something exotic but if you’re searching the second-hand market, mainstream is safer. Here’s why; You may have minimal or no factory warranty so the cost of maintenance will come straight out of your pocket. An oil filter for a Toyota Corolla can cost as low as R60 but for a Renault more than R200. This escalates if you own a high-performance model. As a rule of thumb, the pre-owned car buyer would do well to stay away from high-performance cars because it is unlikely that a little old lady bought it for a drive to the shops. Performance cars also cost considerably more to insure.

Step 3: Dr Phil for cars

Watch the seller while you talk about the car. Shifty behaviour is usually a sign that

there’s something dodgy with the car. Walk around the car and point out any-thing of concern. Watch the sellers body language. Look for signals that the seller is uncomfortable and follow your gut. There’s no harm in walking away, rather than being stuck with a lemon.

The car itself can give you clues about the type of owner it had. One of the great tell tale signs of how the previous owner treated the car is the condition of the mag wheels. Mag wheels that are in perfect condition are usually the sign of a careful and fastidious owner that more than likely treated the rest of the car with the same care.

Step 4: Due diligence

Get the seller to talk about the car’s good points – and be sure to check the things he doesn’t talk about. Specifically, check brake discs for uneven wear and check the oil filler cap. With the engine cold remove the oil filler cap to inspect for brown milky goo that has collected on the bottom of the cap. This is an indication that coolant is leaking into the oil. This leakage could be generated by a cracked cylinder head, block or a leaking intake manifold (in some cases) the in-take gasket is also prone to this kind of failure. Battery terminals should be clean, tyres should be in good condition with even wear, and the body should be straight. Check the body seams in the engine bay and boot to see whether it was repaired after a smash.

While the handbrake is up, give the car a mighty heave. Of course it should not

move. Watch out for paint on body panels that may appear to be a different shade to the rest of the vehicle – this indicates the car has been in a crash. Find out when the car will need a cambelt service and if they have been done according to schedule. If a cambelt service is due, bear in mind that it is a vital but very costly job. Either walk away or negotiate a discount to help pay for the service.

Step 5: How to test drive

Let the vehicle idle. Walk around the car and test the wipers, lights and listen to the engine noise. Once it has been at idle for awhile, switch it off. Attempt to start the car with the headlights still on. If it doesn’t start immediately there may be an electrical problem. Check all light, aircon, electric window and mirror switches. During your test drive, make sure you test all the gears, and include some kind of incline on your route. Feel for any “flat spots” in acceleration. (Flat spots are where the acceleration momentarily stops, and picks up again. It could indicate ignition or injector issues). Listen for strange noises. Grinding sounds when you brake or change gear may indicate a serious mechanical fault and it’s best to walk away from a car that makes those sounds. There should also be no high-pitched squealing from V-belts.

Take a couple of minutes after the test drive to see if any fluids have leaked onto the ground. Oil or coolant could indicate a serious issue with oil seals, engine or cooling system. Finally, does the vehicle “feel right” to you (this is where your gut comes into play)? If yes, do the deal.