Invariably involves spending large sums of money. It is not surprising that the future car owner does not want to waste his money by taking low-quality vehicle.
Among other things, the car buyer must be able to understand whether the car being sold has a deplorable past. In this article, we will share the secrets on how to check if a car is broken or not.
How are used cars sold?
After a car gets into a serious accident, the car owner, as a rule, decides to sell it. He can give it away in the form in which it is, or take it apart for parts and sell them separately. To increase the proceeds for the sale of a car, the owner can also. If this person is unscrupulous, then, having received a car with a guided "marafet", he will try to sell it under the guise of a whole.
Therefore, you need to be on your guard. A car that has been recently repainted and beckons you with the glossy sheen of its body may well not be as beautiful on the inside.
Where can you "stumble" on a broken car?
It would be useful to talk about where it is easiest to accidentally "stumble" on broken car, which is given out as a whole.
If the vehicle is sold by its owner, then he will most likely act via the Internet or through specialized magazines. There he will place ads with photos of the repaired car. Moreover, in the "biography" of the vehicle there will not be the slightest mention of its difficult fate.
If a broken car is sold by resellers, then they are more likely to put it on the car market. Such people make money on the difference that remains after buying a broken car and selling it in a repaired form.
If a used car is offered by some firms or, then you need to be doubly careful. Such craftsmen and craftsmen work with them, who can hide almost any defect in the car system without eliminating it.
What is the risk of buying a used car?
When a car gets into a serious accident, many elements of its device suffer. Meanwhile, a car is a well-coordinated organism in which all parts are interconnected. Even if the car was damaged exclusively by the body, this is already threatening trouble.
The fact is that it is almost impossible to return the car to the form in which it left the factory assembly line. Therefore, its shape will change in any case and will not correspond to the clear calculations of the manufacturers.
Violation of the geometry of the body can lead to the following problems:
- The camber/toe of the wheels will be broken. Because of this, the tire tread pattern will wear unevenly. Recall that driving on tires with varying degrees wear is dangerous. It is unlikely that it will be possible to eliminate the defects of this node at a service station.
- You may notice that the doors, hood or trunk do not close tightly enough, which adversely affects the safety of transporting people and parking the car.
- If the geometry of the window openings is violated, the glass of the car will begin to crack. The reason will be hidden in their growing inner tension.
Also, after an accident and subsequent repairs, the car may begin to overcome corrosion. It is extremely difficult to fight her. It is believed that it is completely impossible to eliminate it from the part. If you decide to replace the corroded part with a newer one and weld it on, remember that such an automotive "organ" will resist rust about five times worse than the factory one.
Major accidents have a negative impact on the mechanical strength of the car, and on the condition of its individual units. Because of this, the owner of a broken car can never be sure of the serviceability of its technical condition.
But these are only prerequisites that can lead to more sad consequences.
- a broken car is much more dangerous to drive than a whole one;
- the life of a broken car is much less than that of a whole;
- the cost of using and repairing a wrecked car will soon make you forget about the discounts received when buying it.
Therefore, if nerves and money are dear to you, you should not buy a broken car for driving. Only people who are somehow connected with a car service are interested in such a product, but a rare buyer turns out to be one of them.
Now that we know the reasons why you should not buy a wrecked vehicle, it's time to talk about how to recognize wrecked car.
Find out if the car is broken
To begin with, the simplest answer to the question of how to find out if a car is broken or not sounds very concise: “ask the seller.” However, as we have already said, not every owner of a broken car in this case will be honest and tell you the truth.
So it's a good idea to have those skills that will help you visually determine if a car has a sad road history.
To begin with, let's make a reservation that if you want to determine whether the car is broken or not, meet the seller only in daylight hours days. It is desirable that during the inspection the car was clean.
So, now we will talk about specific ways to determine a broken vehicle.
1. Reviewing the Appearance
Well, if nature has endowed you with an excellent eye and high-quality color perception. In the process of checking a car, these qualities will be very useful to you.
Inspect the car from a distance of a few steps. Try to catch if there is a difference in the shades of some of its body parts. See if the proportions are respected, if the car looks symmetrical in front and behind, or if its parts are located at different levels.
It should be noted that if the car is in the shade, and not under the sparkling sunlight, the difference in shades of its parts will be much easier to see.
But at the same time, the sun glare helps to see small defects that would be invisible on a monochromatic car cover in the shade.
The car, which has never been repainted in individual parts, must be all the same shade without any deviations. Violations in its geometry should also cast doubts on a potential buyer.
Experts believe that the presence small dents, cracks, chips or scratches on the car is a good sign. This means that the owner did not try to hide his defects through automotive cosmetics. Such a vehicle looks less suspicious than one with flawless paintwork.
Anyone who decides to approach the purchase of a car with maximum level scrupulousness, we recommend purchasing a special device called a thickness gauge. He will determine what thickness of paint is applied to different parts of the car body. If these figures differ, then the car was painted.
2. We look into the cracks
We continue to check the correct geometry of the vehicle body. To do this, check the gaps.
You should inspect the gaps that are located between the lowered trunk lid and wings, as well as at the closed trunk and closed doors. All these gaps must be the same width.
If the gaps are not the same, then the shape of the body has changed. This could be due to the repositioning of the tin after the accident or the replacement of some parts. In any case, remember that this seemingly trifling error after some time of operation of the car will make you regret buying it.
By the way, welded parts can also be unevenly docked.
If you are not sure about your eye, take a ruler with you for inspection.
It is recommended to check the gaps not only between behind closed doors. To be sure, open them. Check the hinges and the gaps formed next to them. It is recommended to even shake the car a little when open doors to see if the parts are shaking.
If the doors creak when you open them, beware. They may just be asking for lubrication, but they may have been reinstalled. When replacing doors, they are often placed a little unevenly, which is why parts of the hinges rub against each other more tightly and emit unpleasant squeaks.
Also unevenly installed doors leave small defects on the body. Inspect the areas next to them for tiny dents and scratches.
3. We look into the "eyes"
Of course, in order to understand whether a car is broken, sometimes it’s enough just to look into the eyes of the seller. However, most often these people are able to perfectly disguise deception. What can not be said about cars.
5. Look at the tires
As we have already said, if the geometry of the body of the tire is violated, the tires wear out unevenly. Therefore, evaluate their tread pattern and draw your own conclusions.
True, it should be noted that for the appearance of a visible difference between the degrees of tire wear, some time must pass. If the owner of the car, after repair, drove it to the parking lot and no longer operated, it will be almost impossible to see inaccuracies in the degrees of wear.
But it's still worth checking out. For greater accuracy, you will need to measure the distance from one center point of the front suspension to the other. Find out what distance is provided by the manufacturer. If the result obtained differs from the original by at least half a centimeter, then the shape of the body was still slightly changed. Moreover, most likely, this happened after a strong blow.
6. Testing fasteners
Now it's time to check the age of the fasteners. Installed new fasteners may indirectly signal that the car has undergone cosmetic repairs.
If the car is sold to you in its original configuration, it must have factory rivets and caps.
Why are new fasteners installed when painting? Yes, because the old ones simply break.
The point is that when you restore paintwork car specialists often remove its individual parts. At the same time, old, battered fasteners do not withstand and become unusable. They are replaced by new, but not factory elements.
But let's make a reservation that the presence of new mounts only indicates that the car was dismantled. For what purpose this was done, we can only guess.
7. Inspect the gas tank cap
This part does not affect the driving process in any way and, if its geometry has not changed, can be painlessly removed and reinstalled.
These properties encourage specialists to automotive painting in order to remove this small door to select a shade. This is done after the car owner orders the procedure for painting the car in its native color.
The hatch is removed and the desired shade is selected from it, which would be most suitable for the native.
True, when installing the mount, the doors can also fly. They will be replaced by new ones. This will signal that the car, most likely, was painted before the sale.
8. Getting into the salon
After external examination sit in the car. Take a good look at its lining. If necessary, remove the plugs. Check how old the bolts are used for fixing.
If the bolts are new and, moreover, not covered with enamel, then some parts, such as doors, were removed and repaired. And then they were returned to their place, but secured with new bolts.
9. Studying the seams
To carry out this check, you need to know how the manufacturer assembles the machine parts. Most often this is done by spot welding. Then the remaining space is fixed with a reliable sealant. It hardens when exposed high temperatures. After that, paint is applied to the body.
Sometimes these works are not even carried out by people, but by special robots.
Such a seam looks very neat and does not catch the eye.
In most workshops, there is no possibility of repeating the same seam. Therefore, there most often the parts are fastened by continuous welding. Such a seam is striking and looks unaesthetic.
But the point here is not even beauty, but the fact that such welding screams about the replacement of some parts of the car, which, most likely, was once broken in an accident.
10. Dive into the rich inner world of cars
Resellers and representatives of various companies involved in the sale of used cars know what the buyer is looking at first. Of course he enjoys the picture. Therefore, all external body defects are carefully masked and eliminated.
However, they periodically save on internal defects, hoping that the eye of a naive client will not get there.
Disappoint them. Remove the trunk lining, look deep under the hood, inspect the end sides of the doors. If the car is broken, there you will find traces of dents that will immediately dot the “i” in your head.
So let's recap
If you doubt your own memory or quickness, write on a piece of paper a list of actions to follow when checking a car for body repairs.
This list is:
- Visually evaluate the symmetry of the body and its uniformity.
- We compare the gaps at the hood, doors and trunk. They must be the same.
- Compare the headlights, which should be the same.
- We are looking for smudges of paint under the seals.
- See if the tires are equally worn.
- We are looking for new, not factory fasteners.
- We examine the gas tank cap, find out if it was removed.
- We are looking for new unpainted screws in the cabin.
- We are looking for non-factory welding seams.
- We are looking for traces of dents on the inner surfaces of the body.
After such a thorough inspection, you will surely be able to answer for yourself the question of whether the broken car is in front of you.
We wish you not to "run into" broken cars and not beat your own. Good luck on the roads!
Are you an ordinary car enthusiast and do not know all the intricacies of the 'four-wheeled' business? Want to buy a used car, but are afraid to get caught on a "broken" option? We will help you make the right choice and tell you what methods of recognizing a broken car exist.
The secondary Russian car market was formed immediately after the legalization of private car ownership in the USSR, in the second half of the 50s. To date, more than half of the cars on it have been restored after a serious accident. And the saddest thing is that their repair is most often performed poorly.
Where are we heading from?
In order to understand what the market situation is, let's look at the statistics. For example, in Germany, where the lion's share of used cars comes from, for every fifth car there is one broken. This is especially common among private ads for the sale of cars. Of course, such studies have not been conducted in Russia, but one can imagine what the situation is like in our market.
The used car market is perhaps one of the most dangerous. It is unclean there both from the point of view of the law and from the point of view of morality. Needless to say, what a whirlpool is the market for broken cars? Five to ten years ago, used broken foreign cars were exported mainly from America and Europe, there were small deliveries from Japan. Now most of those cars that have undergone a post-accident recovery procedure have been involved in an accident in Russia.
In the capital alone, an order of magnitude takes place every day. two thousand accidents. Of course, most of them are minor accidents, but about a quarter of the cars are broken 'for write-off'. However, no matter how broken the car is, especially a foreign car, the owner is unlikely to throw it in the trash. Where does the broken rubbish go? A call to the first available advertisement for buying cars in any condition is the first step towards getting rid of a broken car. However, this step is not always correct ...
The fact is that if for some reason decent car services that offer decent price for your car, then unscrupulous buyers immediately appear on the horizon, who flock like flies to honey in search of a cheap freebie. They, as a rule, are not inferior in price and take the car for nothing. It is also curious that literally the very next day the car is resold without any investments. In turn, other buyers resell it again. This can happen indefinitely before the car gets to the service. And here the saddest thing happens - there, as it turns out, he is also not particularly happy and, restoring the car, they do not care about the quality of the work.
What happens after an accident?
Injured in serious accident cars end up in a parking lot, usually a police one, sometimes - in a parking lot from an insurance company, less often - in a private one. That's where they hang out. Sometimes, it is even difficult to determine the brand and model of the "victims" - they are so damaged. It is much more difficult to believe that they will ever be ridden again.
Cars that are not subject to any restoration, of course, do not take. All the rest become clients of medium and small car services - those whose repair zones are empty. So it turns out that the only way to keep the employees of a dysfunctional car service center busy when there are no orders at all is to repair and restore a broken car. After the car is restored, it is sold through classifieds. Can you imagine the quality of this "restored" car? It is definitely not a masterpiece.
Trying to sell the timed in car accident, craftsmen most often resort to publishing ads for sale in newspapers and the Internet.
Insurance
It is worth considering especially if the car has a CASCO insurance policy. The main thing in this case is not to rush and think it over carefully and, only after analyzing all the options, take any action. Probably the best option in this case would be to receive payments according to an agreement with an insurance company, and the damage will be paid at the prices of a branded service, which is important. And then sell the car, restoring it under insurance. A potential buyer, in this case, will obviously count on less money and will give the car for restoration to those auto repair shops that have an acceptable price tag, and therefore semi-legal.
Having got rid of the restored car, the repair of which was carried out with the money of the insurance company, you just have to buy a pretty decent car with the proceeds, the main thing is not to get caught by a broken one. In order to avoid this, check the option you like for accidents based on the insurance company. Broken cars, as a rule, are insured under CASCO, which means that all accidents are included in the register of the insurance company. But this is far from the only option definition of a broken car.
How to identify a broken car?
There are a number of ways to determine whether a car has been in an accident or not. To get a rough idea of the past of the car you are considering, you first need to pay attention to general state body. Inspection is carried out only when daylight, in no case do not get fooled by meetings in the evenings, at dusk, when a car polished to a shine will inspire deceptive confidence. So two mandatory conditions when inspecting a used car: 1 - daylight hours, 2 - the car must be washed.
Inspect the car should be at a distance of several steps. Examine the body carefully, take a look at it as a whole and try to detect the difference in shades in its various parts. A fender, for example, could be painted a different shade of black with a different code or paint from a different manufacturer than, say, the hood. It is easier to inspect in the shade, as in bright sunlight it is more difficult to notice the difference in the color of different panels. Look at the same parts from different angles - this will help determine that the car was painted. Best of all, defects are detected at the moment when you catch a glare from the sun. If you notice a difference, be sure that the car is 'not clean'. Any defect in the paintwork means that the car has already been repainted. Then you should ask the owner for what purpose.
The main sign that the car was in an accident can be considered the difference in the width of the gaps. There are certain gaps between the hood and the fender, and if they are different parties are different, then this is a sign of poor-quality repair. To check the gaps, open the doors and shake them vertically - this way you check the hinges and the presence of gaps in them. Glass and headlights can serve as other evidence of a past accident. Optics play an important role. Dark spots on the surface of the reflectors indicate that some optical elements in the headlight should be replaced, and this, as you know, is not a cheap pleasure.
You should also pay attention to the manufacturer's stamp, which is usually placed in the right bottom corner windshield. Most factory glasses have a special marking, but if there is no logo, then this is another reason to doubt the "innocence" of the chosen car.
If you want to understand thoroughly, then you need to learn the names of the supplier companies that supply the conveyor of the plant that produced the vehicle inspected. Thus, this will allow you to know for sure which parts are original and which are not. This applies to both glass and optics - any headlights, lights, turn signals, etc. - everything has its manufacturer. If you see the logo Chinese company on Mercedes spare parts, you can be sure that this is a consequence of poor-quality repairs.
windshield seals and rear window can be folded back and checked for characteristic smudges and steps on the paint. The color of the paint that will be under the seal may well be slightly different from the color of the main surface of the body - this is acceptable, but there should not be frank drops of paint.
To facilitate and simplify the procedure for checking the paintwork, there is a special indicator device that determines whether the car is beaten or not by the thickness of the coating. This is both faster and more accurate than the definition "by eye". It is enough just to attach the device to the surface of the body and hold it over it. The indicator readings should be approximately the same in all parts of the body. Deviations in some places indicate a thick layer of putty in its respective areas. This is a sure sign that the body has been repaired. It could be repaired in two cases: either after an accident, or after corrosion. A similar test can also be arranged using a magnet. Where there are thick layers of putty, the magnet simply won't hold.
Also check the tightness of the doors, and at the same time how tightly they fit to the seal. If a gap remains after closing them, then this can also be a sign that the body has been deformed. Doors must close and open with the same effort. Do not forget to open the trunk lid and check the condition of the bottom inside. In addition, it is highly recommended to check the areas of the body reinforcements - where, as a rule, a jack is installed. If there are dents there, then this may indicate that there was corrosion on the thresholds and the bottom.
And if, when examining the roof or the tailgate, you find certain abrasions, then you can rest assured that the car was used as a taxi, which means it is “shaken” and probably needs repair. These characteristic abrasions are left by the magnetic bases of the antenna.
Now look under wheel arches. Take a look at shock absorbers. If they are dry, then everything is in order, but if oil smudges are visible in that area, then keep in mind that the shock absorber will require an early replacement. Pay Special attention on the anthers of the shock absorbers - are they torn. If they are torn, they will have to be urgently changed, otherwise the shock absorber will soon will fail.
The function of a shock absorber is to dampen body vibrations. Try rocking each of the four corners of the car, just lean on the car and then let it go and see how it reacts. No, not the owner… of the car. The car should rise smoothly, this indicates that the shock absorbers are in good condition. It is bad if the car begins to smoothly rock up and down by inertia and stop only after some time.
After turn out front wheel inside and look at the front of it to check the condition of the drive boot. Everything is like with shock absorbers - if it is dry, then it's good, with oil smudges - it means it needs to be replaced. Carefully examine everything you see for damage: suspension elements, brake hoses And so on.
Conclusion
To play it safe, buy a used car from a reputable car dealership with a name and position in the market. So it will be at least someone to ask, in which case. It is clear that the price in such places, as a rule, is too high and differs from the options offered by private traders, but a pig in a poke can be excluded. The difference in price sometimes reaches 50-100 thousand rubles, but believe me, it's worth it. There are practically no 'killed' cars in car dealerships. And if the cars are imported, then even more so - usually in Finland or Germany, broken cars are not restored. If the car has been in a minor accident, which in principle has no practical significance, then you will be informed about this and offered an attractive discount.In the event that the car was seriously beaten, it is likely to be sold for parts. In general, having overpaid a certain amount, you will be sure that your car is reliable, moreover, it also comes with guarantees from a car dealership.
When buying, you just need to pay attention to whether the car was leased from a private owner. In this case, you should think about buying, since such machines are often used in harsh conditions, which affects their operational life.
Masters who can restore a car to factory condition after an accident are akin to unicorns, which many have heard of, but no one has seen. The consequences of a blow can be found in absolutely all cases. The only question is the qualifications of the person examining the car. Consider how to identify a broken car, even if it was restored very well. The latter in our time, alas, is a rarity, which simplifies life when buying a used car.
Not all broken cars are evil
If you choose a fresh car, say, not older than 5 years, then the probability of finding an unbeaten copy is still quite high. Every year, the probability of participating in an accident adds to the age of the car, so you should be mentally prepared for this. You will be lucky if you manage to find an unbeaten car older than 10 years or more, which is also in good condition. technical condition. But in practice, you often have to choose the best from the worst. What cars should be avoided:
- changelings. The power structure after somersaults through the roof inevitably loses its rigidity. We have already considered it earlier, so we will not discuss the risk of buying such a car here;
- sunken cars. This is the name of a car after an accident, which, according to all conceivable and inconceivable laws of morality, should not be restored. Unfortunately, this does not stop those who want to earn money, who buy up such auto junk, and then restore it for resale as cheaply as possible.
You should also be wary of cars after severe accidents, the restoration of which requires complete replacement quarters, the entire stern or front. Such shocks will inevitably affect power structure body. Designers lay down special zones of deformation and reinforcement, which, after drawing and in the event of a repeated accident, will no longer work properly.
Do not be afraid of minor accidents or cosmetic coloring of individual body elements. At the same time, it is important to determine the quality of the repair, so as not to subsequently get cracked putty, peeling varnish and other attributes of handicraft restoration. You can even buy a car after light blow, requiring a slight stretching of the side members, straightening the panels or replacing the "TV". But this is only on the condition that airbags were installed after the repair, the front body panels were replaced, and not straightened with big amount putties. The price, of course, must correspond to the actual condition of the car.
Signs of recolouration
What moments give out a painted car:
It is not recommended to inspect the car when buying in the rain and at dusk. Dirty car also reduces the chances of distinguishing traces of secondary coloration. If technical part, the condition of the interior suits you, do not skimp on the sink in order to inspect the condition of the paintwork well and not buy a broken car.
Would a thickness gauge help?
The accuracy of the readings directly depends on the cost of the thickness gauge. If you buy the most a budget option for 1500 thousand rubles, then you should not expect accuracy of readings from such a device. If the car has a cosmetic secondary coloration, and not a consequence of a severe accident, then you cannot determine this only with the help of a thickness gauge. With the help of such a meter, upon purchase, you can easily establish only the presence of putty on the part. Despite such a drawback, a budget paintwork thickness gauge is better than the absence of such a thing in principle. After all, in 99% of the traces from welding of body panels it is impossible to disguise without putty, which will help you accurately identify shifters, broken cars with replaced quarters. 
When replacing a damaged part with new element a qualified painter will easily adjust the thickness of the paintwork to the factory. Therefore, even the most expensive thickness gauge will not be able to help you identify a broken car in this way. Therefore, be sure to consider all signs of secondary coloration in the complex.
Mandatory rules that will help identify broken cars:
- the detail is measured in several places;
- the surface must be clean;
- measure the planes near the bends and edges, since it is almost impossible to remove them without putty. Make sure that the thickness gauge sensor is firmly attached to the surface.
We bring to your attention a detailed article about.
Indirect signs
A number of features that give out broken cars:
Inspection rules, diagnostics, database check
If you suspect that the car being inspected is broken, it is advisable to remove easily accessible elements with the permission of the owner cabin plastic to view the condition of the airbags. Also, with the permission of the owner, you can partially remove the door seals in the places of the pillars and at the bottom of the doorways. In broken cars, the repair of which requires the replacement of body panels, it is in these places that welding seams are most often located.
Don't overlook when buying computer diagnostics with which you can detect error codes passive systems security. Sellers of broken cars do not always burden themselves with "cleaning" control units, putting elementary snags. Therefore, the light bulb dashboard even with missing airbags, it does not signal an error, but information about the operation is stored in the block.
Sometimes you can identify a broken car without even leaving home. To do this, you need to know the VIN number or government number car, with which you can "punch" the car in the databases of the traffic police and insurance companies. An example of such online services is Autocode, with which you can find out the number of previous owners, information about an accident,.
Buying a car is a very responsible process and requires large financial costs. When making any large and expensive purchase, there is a huge risk of running into inveterate scammers who will not hesitate to rob the buyer to the skin. Among motorists there are such unscrupulous individuals who, when selling their car, which has been in several traffic accidents, without a twinge of conscience will try to hide the traces of damage so that a gullible buyer would not be able to notice these traces, would not reasonably bargain or would not abandon the original intention buy a car. Therefore, let's consider in this article, so that you can avoid mistakes when.
After the accident, the car is being repaired. When repairing, the body is puttied to even out roughness, dents and bulges, and then the car is repainted. After the repair, the car looks brand new and shiny, but the damage received during the accident cannot but affect the normal functioning of the car.
When buying from unfamiliar sellers, you must first study all possible documents: seller's passport with surname, name and patronymic, information about the place of residence, vehicle passport, where the seller must be indicated as the last authorized owner of the car being sold and information about last place car registration in the state inspection department traffic territorial (city or district) body of internal affairs Russian Federation. It is better not to buy cars brought for sale from other regions of the Russian Federation, especially from remote ones. Then compare all license plates of the car with the data of the vehicle passport, pay attention to the color indicated there and the actual color. If you have special knowledge, you can see signs of a forced change of the original content or recognize a fake car registration certificate and vehicle passport. Sometimes it happens that cars with modified identification numbers are put on and off the register in some divisions of the state traffic inspectorate. It is better to refuse to buy such a car so that in the future you will not be banned from operating it.
We advise you to inspect the car after it, so that you can easily see possible disadvantages, dents and scratches. Perform the inspection while sitting by the headlights, first inspect the left, and then right side. Don't miss the fenders, hood, trunk and roof. The presence of putty is easily checked by a magnet, which is attracted only to the metal. Particular concern should be caused by uneven gaps and cracks at the joints of all car parts. After accidents, not all doors will make the same sound, because the body geometry is damaged. Sealers are good signs of trying to hide damage from road traffic damage, which will report the fact that the car has been repainted. In the case of repainting, all parts may have paint that is different in shades. To identify different shades paint on details requires good lighting.
To detect corrosion, it is necessary to carefully examine the fender liner and thresholds, which should not have scratches, which allow corrosion to penetrate deep into and destroy the metal. Corrosion is the most important and terrible enemy of any automotive parts. The seams of semi-automatic welding will eloquently say that welding was not carried out in the conditions of the manufacturer or service centers Maintenance, since it applies spot welding, which in artisanal conditions is not possible to produce.
When you inspect, carefully examine the covers, driver and passenger seats, check the quality of the adjustment of the seats, which should keep straight without swaying.
Complete vehicle inspection at . To find out about leaks in the shock absorbers, press the wing hard and release it sharply. If the car staggers, then there are malfunctions in the operation of the shock absorbers. Don't forget to check the quality brake system, hand and foot brakes, to do this, test the car to enter and stop on a hill.
On examination engine compartment it is necessary to check that all pipelines are free of cracks and do not allow oil or other liquid to pass through. must be dry and free of oil. The presence of corrosion demonstrates the constant overheating of the engine, which is strictly not allowed and indicates defective operation. The engine itself must run smoothly, smoothly and without extraneous suspicious noises. Be sure to arrange a test drive for the car to find out the features of the car's behavior on the road and check the quality of the adhesion of the wheels to the canvas.
Now you are aware how to determine if a car is broken or not. Happy shopping!
Buying a car for secondary market- It's always risky. There is always a chance to buy a car not in the favorable condition that the seller describes, but somewhat worse. One of important points- this is an understanding of whether the car was a participant in the accident. This often determines the life of its new owner, and in the future its condition will affect the sale price.
Regardless of whether the previous owner confessed to the restoration work, whether this confession was complete, or whether the person is simply deceiving, there are several ways to independently determine the condition of the car based on the following simple tips:
Look only clean car . Even a minimal layer of dust can hide flaws. Explanations of the owner about the continued operation of the car should not be taken into account.
Inspection of the car must take place on the street V daytime or with good artificial lighting. In sunlight, it is easier to find the difference in paint tones and waves on the surface.
When in doubt, compare similar places and connections on the other sides - left and right, front and back. punches and restoration work are rarely symmetrical.
If the machine dyed piecemeal, then the difference will be noticeable in terms of the level of gloss, the dimension of the shagreen (uneven laying of paint, similar to an orange peel), the presence of craters and dust inclusions on the paintwork.
If any doubts arise after an external examination, you can check the car on the lift from below. Usually invisible places are not completed and it is possible to determine the scale of disasters suffered by a car from them.
If the car survived a strong blow, then most likely there were several parts replaced. Such work can be identified by their color inside engine compartment. In production, for painting internal surfaces, they usually use a cheaper paint, which is slightly different from the external one. In local repairs, on the contrary, no one will match the color to normally invisible surfaces, and it will coincide with the general painting.
Majority serious damage located at the bottom of the vehicle or hidden from a cursory glance. At the same time, things that are available for a quick inspection can be in perfect condition.
Options "dressing" of the body or when one is assembled from several machines, they are typical for the periphery, where cheap repair work. The consequences on such cars do not “come out” immediately, it can happen in a month, or even in a year in the form of a frayed wiring harness, leaks in the cabin, etc. Diagnosis by all the above methods is quite simple, since the work is most often performed poorly.
Andrey Medvedev, Head of Sales Department of Formula 91 Superautomarket
When shown to the buyer, the car must be brought to full order. The owner should be asked if the car has painted parts. An honest seller will show and tell everything himself. The dishonest will begin to talk about what he does not remember / does not know about such details.
Whether the part is painted or not, you can check with a thickness gauge. In this way, iron or aluminum parts can be checked. Check plastic, unfortunately, nothing will work. We cannot say the exact values, and it is unlikely that it will be useful to the layman: the device is too expensive. It is easier to turn to specialists in technical Center, they will clearly show you what happened to each part, whether the paint was factory, the part was painted without repair or using putty. Such a check is relatively inexpensive - 2,000 rubles, but it gives you full information about a future purchase and a reasoned bargain with the seller.
Unfortunately, at daily operation in the city, the car body inevitably suffers. This is usually limited to the bumper and fenders, doors. This is not fatal, the main thing is that the repair be done with high quality. Another thing is a car after a serious accident, or even worse, a constructor car assembled from several parts. In this case, in addition to external parts, the load-bearing elements of the body are also subjected to deformation. Rarely repairs are carried out according to the rules. They try to invest less in repairs, and sell at market value. Such a car can be dangerous in the event of an accident, problems are also possible in correct adjustment chassis.
The main recommendation to buyers is as follows: when buying, try to use car diagnostic services, including checking the paintwork. This will allow you to acquire a new reliable friend who will not disappoint you immediately after the purchase and does not require significant investments immediately after you leave the dealership gates.
Evgeny Dyubakov, Head of Service "Independence CARFIX - Body Repair Center"
If you are buying a used car, there are many ways to check its actual condition. For example, go to any dealership and carry out diagnostics on specialized equipment. Diagnostics is necessary not only to detect any damage, but also to assess the wear and tear of the car as a whole. The car must be inspected as a whole, because it could be broken from any side, for example, there are cars with roof repairs.
Of course, there are some signs by which you can determine whether the car was repaired. You should be alerted, for example, by bulging glue or the fact that the vehicle is sold with significant mileage, it is not one year old, but it shines like new, and there are no signs of operation on it. This is the main indicator that the car has been repainted. In order to confirm this fact, there are special devices that allow you to measure the thickness of the paintwork. During diagnostics, the indicator where the thickness of this coating will be minimal is taken as a standard. There may be a discrepancy of 10-15% maximum. Exceeding the indicator means that the car was either painted or repaired.
Please note that the device does not work on aluminum and plastic parts. Accordingly, attention should be paid to such exterior elements as doorways and hatch openings. fuel tank. In these places, you can determine the imposition of a second coat of paint or varnish. This can also be installed on removable parts: front fenders and hood, trunk lid. Pay attention to the attachment points - it is not always possible to re-screw the bolt exactly according to its imprint. If the trace does not match, then the part was removed - and, as a rule, this could be done for repair. Therefore, it is necessary to understand why the owner needed this repair.
All modern technologies body repairs are aimed at preserving the pre-repair appearance of the car. Therefore, a person who is not a specialist in this field will not be able to independently determine whether the body has been repaired. As a rule, this can only be detected by a specialist who himself knows well how to “hide” traces of body repairs. If you want to be sure about the car you are buying and decide to carry out diagnostics, it is better to contact a specialist in body repair vehicles to a specialized center.
Alexander Sotnikov mechanical engineer, technical director of a private service
“Any car repair is bad and it would be better if it didn’t exist. When inspecting a car, you need to evaluate its entire condition as a whole, and sometimes the general “fatigue” of the car can be a reason for refusal. It is better to look at things soberly and wait for the appearance of a similar, but more “live” candidate, or invest a little more money in the acquisition. You should not count on a subsequent restoration, which will often cost more than the money allegedly saved when buying. Better a rolled car than a wrecked one. Even a specialist is difficult to predict his future behavior.
It's not always a good idea to turn down a car that has had minor repairs and has been honestly reported by the seller. It is not always necessary to listen to a familiar specialist who, in order to demonstrate his knowledge, will tinker and criticize to the last screw. When searching the perfect car you can skip good car, which is worth the money that the seller asks for it.
