Checking the car body before buying. Check before buying a car

Hello dear car enthusiast!

When buying a used car, you always want to choose the best, hard-earned and carefully collected money. You inspect car after car in search of a truly perfect option, sometimes forgetting that perfect cars can only be found in the windows of dealerships. I will open your eyes to why cars 5-7 years old are half the price of their modern counterparts. I will tell you which car you need to give up immediately, and which one you should take a closer look at so as not to miss your ideal option.

When inspecting the car you like, do not forget to grab a notebook in which you will write down all the minuses of this instance found, not only so as not to forget them, but, first of all, in order to conduct a reasoned bargain.

So what is the most important thing in a car?

This is a body. That's where the inspection should begin. The body is very important, because all other parts can be changed by investing certain funds, and the body will remain with you until the car is sold or scrapped. So that the latter does not come soon and not with you, carefully inspect the body of the proposed purchase.

What can hurt the body of a used car?

Most often, the disease is called deformation, in second place is the diagnosis of rust. Sometimes there is poor quality paint.

The deformation of the car body appears as a result of the mechanical action of external forces on it. This can happen in an accident, in an accidental collision with a solid immovable inanimate obstacle or collision with it. Sometimes the deformation leads to a rollover of the car in various emergency situations.

You need to figure out which deformation immediately lowers the value of the car below the plinth, and which only indicates its operation in the past and slightly affects safety and driving performance.

It is no secret that the physical parameters of the body are calculated by designers taking into account a huge number of requirements, the main of which include safety requirements and safety margins. Then they look at weight and aerodynamics. Making any independent changes to the body structure is fraught with various unpredictable consequences. For example, straightening and welding of spars damaged in an accident - power structures bodywork can subsequently lead to their fracture at the repair site in the next accident. In this case, the car will not hesitate as beautifully as during crash tests in the laboratory.

If the spars were damaged, slightly, and they did not straighten them or did not straighten them to the end, it is possible that a skewed car stubbornly does not want to go straight, but it yaws along the roadway.

How to check body geometry? Yes, very simple. Try to open and close all the doors, they should close with the same effort and sound. At closed doors look at the width of the slots around the doors, they should be the same width. The doors themselves should be equally recessed into their openings. If the body is skewed, the door on the impact side may protrude slightly outward or sink deeper than the others.

Let's look at the color of the car. inspect appearance car, of course, you need with sufficient lighting. This should be done either on a bright day or in good artificial light. The car must be well washed, otherwise, under a layer of dirt, you can not see rust the size of a palm. If you are offered to buy a dirty car, inspect it at night or in a dim garage - something is wrong here!

So what should you look for?

You need to look for all traces of non-factory painting. They will tell us about the accidents the car has been in and where it might have rusted.

Inspect the surface of the hood, roof, doors, trunk, fenders. All of them must have the same shade of color, if any part of the car is different from the others, it has been painted. Write this down in your notebook. We continue. Approach close to the car from the side, sit down so that your eyes are at the same height with the middle of the side. Look at him along the car. Any flaws in the painting and whether the surface - dents, bulges, abrasions are clearly visible at this angle. All of them can be places of repairs.

These places can be checked out with a souvenir fridge magnet. It is necessary to compare how it sticks to unsuspicious parts of the surface and to suspicious ones. If it sticks much worse to suspicious ones, then there is a large layer of putty under the paint, which may be sealed through hole. Through holes from rust appear most often above the wheel arches, on the ends of the doors or in the bends of the wings. If the magnet does not hold in these places, then the holes were sealed with putty and painted. The paintwork will also be visible. Such repair of rusted places is a temporary measure, after a year or two the paint will burst and fall off, and the rust will take its toll.

Painting a car after an accident is never as good as factory paint. When painting may not be respected right conditions environment, or low-quality materials are used - primers, car enamels, varnishes, etc. Accordingly, such a coating will be worse to resist corrosion. If the manufacturer gives a guarantee of corrosion resistance for 5 years, then when re-painting, the service life can be divided in two.

Look under the door and trunk glass seals, corrosion likes to climb from there.

Cars win in terms of corrosion resistance European brands: AUDI, Volkswagen, Volvo. Their bodies are galvanized (at least they used to do this before). Less resistant to rust Japanese and american cars. If there are sufficient funds, bargain there will be a three-year-old used car from Germany, there should be no corrosion on it at all. But most people only have enough money for 5-7 summer cars, which, due to sky-high customs duties, is unprofitable to import from abroad. When choosing 5-7 summer car, operated in the conditions of our megacities, it is simply unrealistic to find a completely stainless one. You will have to put up with some amount of rust when buying, but after buying it, you can’t put up with it. Need in without fail make anti-corrosion.

If you look at the car from below, you can usually notice this picture: the bottom looks normal, but hinged parts- muffler, resonator, exhaust pipe, gas tank protection are absolutely rusty. This picture is normal, because the bottom has a factory anti-corrosion treatment, but attachments are not always. They still sometimes have to be changed, so the manufacturer does not spend money on their anti-corrosion treatment.

So, the most unpleasant rust on the car body appears in problem areas or as a result of an accident. Problem areas are wheel arches, lower ends of doors, thresholds. Why are they the most susceptible to corrosion? The answer is simple - these parts contain internal cavities into which moisture enters and destroys the metal from the inside. Usually, if paint begins to swell in these places with bubbles, then there is already a through hole under it. The rust has gone through and the paint is peeling off. This is the worst option. Such a car is not worth taking, as well as having traces of repair of these places. Repair will not last long and rust will take its toll.

After an accident, the structure of the metal changes, protective covering. If you have to use welding in places of repair, then welds appear, which, perhaps, are the most unstable places for corrosion. The paintwork of a restored car may not be as good as a factory paint job. You need to carefully inspect the body of such a car, and, of course, it is potentially less resistant to corrosion, which means it should cost less.

It is quite another thing, small chips of paint, as a result of falling stones that have flown out from under the stake, they can be processed, primed and painted. If everything is done correctly, there will be no more rust in these places.

Sometimes many people are frightened by the rusty appearance of brake discs and drums. Don't pay attention to it, they consumable and require replacement due to natural wear and tear before they can rust.

Selling wrecked cars is a serious business, and for some it is a piece of bread with red caviar. Because it's profitable to trade them. emergency vehicles they buy cheap, repair and pomade so that the phrase "new condition" does not hurt the eyes. The price tag is set accordingly.

Inexperienced buyers often peck at a beautiful candy wrapper, and the classic trick adds excitement: “I wanted to sell for 450, I’ll give it to you for 420 ...” And here the desire to buy a nice car outweighs common sense.

But there is an honest option nearby, but its body is chipped, the paint has faded, and the price is higher ... But inside there is healthy iron, but how do you know about it?

Usually, restored cars are sold through car markets by professional resellers, but an ordinary private seller can slip a beaten one, and even an official dealer. Distinguishing an emergency copy is actually not difficult, and it’s worth learning how to do it, at least in order to bargain well. In addition, not every broken car is a reason to refuse a purchase, and you need to be able to distinguish between serious “body work” and cosmetic repairs.

Suspiciously good condition paintwork

WITH market car dealer Andrey we approach the black Lada-2110, and from a distance of 10 meters he concludes: “Don't look at this one. The whole "muzzle" is painted.

Even with careful operation chips appear on the car body: they usually concentrate on front bumper, grille and bonnet. In “vases”, the thickness and strength of the paintwork are small, so the hood “pockmarked” from chips is a normal phenomenon. The specimen in question, with a claimed mileage of 75,000 kilometers, has an amazingly black hood and bumpers and, most likely, was recently repainted.

Pay attention to the thresholds - they are usually covered with a grid small scratches from shoes. If there are none on the one hand, this is an occasion to take a closer look at the thresholds: perhaps they were painted.

Uneven body gaps

Semi-handicraft repairs often give out the “curvature” of the body, which is especially noticeable at the junction of the panels. “It is not so much the absolute value of the gap that is important, but its uniformity along the length and the difference with the gap on the symmetrical side of the car,” says body shop master Vadim Bestemyanov. – U Russian cars the gaps are usually more crooked already from the factory, but if somewhere it fits into the finger, and just below the parts are almost overlapping, this is a broken copy.

Look at the photo: a walking gap between the edge of the hood and the grille Ford Focus- an unhealthy phenomenon. Our suspicions were later confirmed.

A broken body can give out fuzzy closing of doors, so experienced buyers must check their functioning: are there any jamming, squeaks, fuzzy operation of locks?

And in the photo below is a Chevrolet hatchback, which has rear light find inconspicuous cracks. A closer inspection shows that these are traces of the fifth door, which, when closed, hits the plastic fasteners of the brake light, damaging them. The cause was established a minute later: the back of the car was being repaired.

Taillight chevrolet car

Crooked gaps or "opened" panels sometimes indicate the use of cheap Turkish or Chinese spare parts, the geometry of which often does not match the original.

Treacherous fasteners

Trade-in specialistFord Center Vostok Vasily Martyanov he used to work in a body shop, and now he is responsible for receiving “Treydin” cars, so identifying broken copies is his bread. It was he who helped us evaluate the Ford Focus in the video below the article.

Vasily shows one of the bolts on the car door: "See?" To be honest, I don't see it. I don't even know what to look for.

Fifth mount Ford doors focus 5d

“He is unpainted,” says Vasily. - And on the other hand, it is clear that at the factory it was covered with enamel along with the body. This clear sign that the door was removed, most likely for repair.

It is worth clarifying that not all the bolts of the car should be painted over: at the factory, some of the elements are installed after painting work.

Vasily advises to give Special attention fasteners for body parts and upholstery. "At body repair the car is dismantled, some fasteners are lost or broken, for example, caps for fixing interior panels. If you notice an under-tightened, unpainted or non-standard bolt, as well as a lost or broken piston, this is an occasion to study the element more carefully. Compare the fasteners of suspicious elements with similar parts on the other side of the car or on a new car. Check if the upholstery is “walking”: after a body repair, they are often not fastened properly, or they become loose or fly off.

Even door handles can give out "body work". "Small details like door handles they don’t change during budget body repairs, so their unexpectedly poor condition should lead to thoughts about problems with the car, as is the case with this Ford Focus,” says Vasily.

Hands at the seams

At the factory, car bodies are welded from individual parts mainly by spot welding, after which the joints are sealed with a special sealant. The method of applying the sealant is different: at the Nissan plant near St. Petersburg, workers do this with the help of special pistols, and in the Hyundai Solaris and Rio workshops, robots do it. Subsequently, the sealant is heat-fixed and the body is painted.

Factory sealant looks neat, well dyed and often almost invisible. In body repair, it is applied more knotty, often smeared, and the consistency is sometimes similar to dried paint.

Vasily Martyanov draws attention to the rough seam around the Chevrolet fifth door bracket, the very one that caught our attention with the split stoplight housing. “It is immediately clear that the sealant here is non-factory, and on both sides, which means, most likely, there was a blow to back– because the trunk lid now does not close as it should, ”he concludes.

Sometimes the sealant is laid quite carefully, and if in doubt, Vasily advises looking at the seams of a new one or guaranteed not broken car mobile the same model.

Welds are more difficult. When repairing, two methods of welding are used: spot and seam (including in an inert gas environment). Spot welding is also used at the factory, so it would seem that the fact of repair should not be noticeable. However, Vadim, the master bodybuilder, insists that this is not the case. “Here, look,” he runs his finger along the lower part of the thresholds of a car hanging on a lift. - On the one hand, there are factory points from welding, and here are traces of the work of the workshop. The points are not so even, traces of burns are visible, which means that the threshold was welded anew.

It is not always possible to use spot welding for repairs. At the factory, the parts are connected in a certain sequence, and in the workshop it is not always possible to crawl with welding tongs to each joint or get the desired overlap. Then use welding with a continuous or intermittent seam, which is easy to distinguish by eye.

If in some place you did not find traces spot welding, although they are on the other side of the car, most likely the car has undergone major repairs.

“But there are little tricks,” Vadim shares. - Craftsmen often close up the welding spot with putty, and then make marks with the back of a pencil with an eraser that look very much like traces of spot welding. Then the site is primed, painted over and looks like a factory version.

At the Nissan plant, some parts are cooked with such tongs

cavities

First of all, the client is concerned about the appearance of the car. Therefore, bodybuilders spend the lion's share of time and effort on restoring the basic geometry and "smoothing" the panels visible to the eye. This means that hidden cavities can tell a lot of interesting things: bowels engine compartment, spare wheel well and trunk floor, inner door ends and so on. Experienced appraisers take a screwdriver for inspection and do not hesitate to remove the trunk lining to look at the rear fenders from the inside: if the car was run over from behind, as a rule, there are a lot of evidence in these cavities.

Vasily Martyanov shares another subtlety: “When finishing the paintwork, polishes are used, which are washed off from the outside of the body, but often remain in hidden cavities. Outwardly, the polish looks like a chalky residue, which is easily washed off with water and erased with your fingers. Sometimes craftsmen are too lazy to completely disassemble the element before painting and seal adjacent parts with adhesive tape, but not always “hermetically”, so traces of paint remain on interior details and seals. It is useful to bend the rubber elements with your finger and look at the places where they adjoin the painted parts: if there are traces of paint on the rubber bands, the painters had the car.

By the way, the boundaries of the painted zones often lead to secluded places, for example, in the Ford Focus in question, we found a rough color transition inside the doorway.

The color transition of this Focus is located in an inconspicuous place, but is processed roughly

What will tell the gas tank hatch

Reseller Andrey, approaching the next "victim", first of all opens the gas tank hatch, squats down and looks out for something in its depths.

“In many cars, by attaching the hatch, you can immediately see whether it was filmed or not,” Andrey comments. - Non-standard or damaged bolts, "left" rivets - all this indicates that the hatch was removed. And they shot, most likely, for the sake of tinting, that is, color matching.

The gas tank hatch is convenient for tinkers, because it is compact and its absence does not interfere with movement. True, in some cars (for example, the Ford Focus), the hatch can be removed imperceptibly. Again, the very fact of tinting does not indicate any serious problems, but this is a reason to ask the owner what exactly was painted. Many answer on duty: “Yes, it’s me bumper about snowdrift split, so they repainted it. But is it really so?

We are looking for spots and joints of color

In good workshops, the damaged area is painted with the so-called transition, that is, the enamel is applied, including on adjacent fragments of the body, so that the color contrast between the factory painting and the repair was not so sharp. For example, after replacing a door, not only it is usually painted, but also the adjacent wing and the adjacent car door. If the repair is “budgetary” and only walked along the door, the difference in shade can be very noticeable, since it is rarely possible to ensure a perfect match in color. Even two new cars from different batches can have a different shade.

To distinguish the painted areas, you need bright lighting, a clean body and good color sensitivity of the beholder. Usually the difference is noticeable at certain angles, so it is worth walking around the car or asking the owner to drive in a circle, first in one direction, then in the other.

To my question, is it possible to paint so that even a professional would not notice, paint shop foreman Yuri replies: “In theory, probably, in reality, practically not. An experienced eye sees not only the difference in color, but also different quality surfaces: granularity, shagreen. To ensure a perfect match with the factory paint, too scrupulous and expensive approach is required, so in most cases the trained eye immediately sees the tinted areas.

Paint thickness measurement

A more accurate way is to determine the thickness of the paintwork using a special device, which is often called a "thickness gauge" in workshops. Vasily shows us the operation of the Automation Dr Nix device using the Cadillac as an example. He applies the sensor to the wing of the car, and the thickness of the coating in micrometers is displayed on the screen. “310... 175... 110...” says Vasily and concludes: “Such a spread in thicknesses indicates that the wing was painted. The factory paint layer is usually thinner and much more uniform than the repair. If putty was used, then the sensor readings will be even higher. And in cars different manufacturers their own standards for the thickness of the paintwork: for Japanese and Russian they are thinner, for American ones they are usually thicker.

Such a device is available in almost all body shops and dealer centers, so if in doubt, drive the car to specialists. Surely in your city there are mobile teams of experts who can evaluate the car directly on the market or in a place convenient for you.

To take or not to take?

A broken car, and even more so a painted one, is not a reason to refuse a purchase. Firstly, the mere fact of repair does not mean that vital organs are affected: perhaps there was a minor accident. A painted bumper with no other signs of repair is most likely the result of an unsuccessful parking or an attempt by the owner to repair the chips. Minor injuries during operation are almost inevitable.

Secondly, even if the impact damaged the supporting elements of the car, displaced the suspension attachment points or deformed the power structure, after quality repair the car can still serve. The main thing here is not to overpay for it too much, but being beaten in itself is not a sentence.

It is worse if the repair was done poorly: an abundance of putty, poor coloring, especially cracks in the paintwork, lack of fasteners - signs of a tyap-blunder-repair.

It’s really bad if you couldn’t restore the body geometry: then you can rake a whole bunch of problems from bad closing doors to the inability to set the recommended wheel alignment values. And it's not safe anymore.

“It is very difficult to determine the change in body geometry by eye, but there are indirect signs,” says Vasily. - I recommend paying attention to the uniformity of tire wear: if they are worn differently or their individual parts wear out faster, the camber angle is most likely knocked down, and this may be a sign of a critical violation of the body geometry. If the car comes with a second set of wheels, for example winter ones, check that one as well. A car with unevenly worn wheels should be checked doubly carefully, and before buying, be sure to check whether the camber and toe angles are set in principle. If not, don't rent a car.

Instrumental measurement of body geometry

If you want and prick - do not spare money for instrumental measurement of body geometry: dealers or serious services have such equipment. We were shown the operation of a contact measuring complex at Ford Center Vostok. It determines the mutual position of several vital points on the bottom of the car, making it possible to judge the preservation of the factory geometry.

A hint for the master at which point the next measurement should be taken

The process is simple: on the laptop screen, the master is shown a hint with a photo of the next point for measurement, he touches it with a probe with a sharp tip, and the system determines the position of the point in the coordinate system tied to the car. Then the coordinates are compared with the database, and it is concluded whether the body geometry needs to be corrected. In general, this equipment is used in the repair of heavily damaged cars, and the computer along the way gives hints in which direction and how much to pull the body. But you can also use it to diagnose whole-looking machines: the cost is about 4,000 rubles.

“According to the standards, the displacement of points should not exceed 2-3 mm - each point has its own value,” explains the stand operator. - If the body "left" by 4 mm, most likely, repairs will be required. If the client does not want to pay 4,000 rubles for instrumental diagnostics, we offer a visual inspection - it costs about 1,000 rubles. It will not be difficult for an experienced master to find problem areas and determine how well they were repaired.

There are machines that are better not to mess with: say, welded from halves of two emergency vehicles. Such "centaurs" in the next accident are often torn in half with fatal consequences. Naturally, such a car may look good: fresh paint, a new interior, a lively engine ... but only for the layman's eye, to whom such "constructors" are addressed.

Another way to play it safe is to buy a car at a Trade In car dealership from official dealer: such cars are diagnosed before acceptance, so their background is known to the future buyer in advance. Usually, Trade In car dealerships do not take broken copies for sale at all.

What not to focus on

Small dents without damage to the paintwork usually do not threaten with anything other than a loss of aesthetics, and in some services they are corrected by the Paintless Dent Repair in-place method (for example, marks from “enemy” doors on the sides of a car).

Chipped bumpers and scratches also do not affect functionality. In cramped European cities, hewn bumpers are normal. A crooked bumper or torn aerodynamic aprons under it often indicate an unsuccessful off-road sortie, but if the rest of the elements are intact, this is not critical.

A network of micro-scratches on the surface of the body appears in the first months of operation after washes - this is an almost inevitable evil.

Local tinting of elements is most likely not a problem, and in case of doubt, check the area with a “thickness gauge”: is there a thick layer of putty under the paint? In any case, this is an occasion to bring down the price a little (if the seller did not report damage in advance).

Body repair technology

Let's briefly talk about how cars with serious damage are restored.

First, the injured part is disassembled, the “dead” parts are rejected, and body elements are subjected to meticulous scrutiny. Sometimes it is more profitable to pull out the spar, sometimes - to change to a new one.

In serious centers, systems are used to measure the geometry of the body. They are different: laser, template, mechanical, but the meaning is the same - to determine the displacement of the key points of the body and the direction in which it needs to be pulled.

body puller

Pulled on a special slipway: the car is attached to its base by the thresholds with clamps, and the force is transmitted from power device(for example, hydraulic lever type) through special chains with hooks. The slipway provides a system of rulers and templates, with the help of which the master determines exactly how much to extend the element.

Body panels are also defective, and if the damage is not critical, they are straightened. Beforehand, enamel and zinc coatings are removed from them, which, in theory, then need to be restored.

When straightening, an incredible number of tools are used: anvils, hammers, mandrels, trowels. Sometimes a special tool is used, for example, spotters or reverse hammers: temporary fasteners are welded to the surface, and the dent is, as it were, pulled outward (tapped in the opposite direction).

It is not uncommon to restore a too wrinkled surface to perfect condition impossible, and putty is used - a plastic material that is given the desired shape. The abundance of putty usually indicates a low quality of repair, and its presence can be determined, for example, using a device for measuring the thickness of the paintwork - it measures the depth to the metal.

If the load-bearing structure is severely damaged, some of the elements are cut out and new ones are welded in, entirely or with the help of insert fragments. Cooked with tongs for spot welding or seam welding.

Surface preparation for painting in the paint shop

After restoring the geometry, the parts are sent to the paint shop, and here are many of their subtleties. The surface is prepared for painting, primed, while the tinkers select the color, mix the paints. After applying the enamel, the body is sent to the drying chamber. And then - to the reinforcement shop for the final assembly.

The work of restoring the body requires great scrupulousness, and a good bodybuilder or painter is almost a man of art.

Worse than a bat...

The worst thing that can happen to a buyer of a used car is buying a mortgage car. There are plenty of precedents. A person buys a car, registers it, drives for a year or two, and then the bailiffs seize the car, because, for example, it is pledged on a car loan or other debt that was not paid on time by the previous owner. The last owner remains the last owner - the car is confiscated through the court and sold at auction in favor of the bank. There are chances to return at least the money, but there will be many obstacles on the way. Fraudsters who sold a pledge car face criminal penalties, but this does not make it easier for the victim: as a rule, the money is not returned to him.

The paradox is that there are practically no guaranteed ways to protect yourself from such a situation: there is no single register of pledged cars, as well as special marks in the registration certificate or title. When buying a car on credit, the title usually remains in the bank, but it is not difficult for the owner to get a copy from the traffic police due to alleged loss. Some banks either intentionally or “accidentally” accept copies of the TCP for safekeeping.

How to reduce risks? There is no absolutely reliable way, but a car that was recently purchased and immediately put up for sale should cause suspicion; which instead of the title has its duplicate, issued in connection with the loss (see the column "Special marks"). Ask the owner for payment documents that can be used to judge whether the car was purchased on credit or for cash (however, this does not prevent you from remortgaging the car later to receive a new loan). And of course, don't ignore your gut instinct: if the seller seems suspicious, sometimes it's better to refuse the purchase than to lose both money and car.

Algorithm for searching for traces of body repair

1. Check to see if the fuel cap has been removed. If yes, check with the owner for what purpose.
2. We are looking for chips and micro-scratches on the body: if the car has been in operation for several years, but the body is perfect, it may have been recently repainted.
3. In good light, look for a color mismatch between separate details, shade transitions or color spots, for which we go around the car around.
4. In suspicious places, when looking along the surface, we determine the presence of shagreen. (micro-irregularities of the paintwork), we check whether the surface “plays” in the light.
5. We carefully study the uniformity and symmetry of body gaps.
6. We check the ease and sound of closing all doors, trunk lid and hood.
7. We evaluate the quality of welds (points) and the accuracy of sealant application.
8. We check the fasteners: bolts, rivets, caps. Are there damaged, replaced, non-standard or unpainted parts? Are interior upholstery loose?
9. We pay special attention to hidden cavities, for example, engine compartment, bottom luggage compartment And reverse side rear wings.
10. We are looking for traces of polishing paste or paint on non-painted parts, especially on rubber seals.

In case of doubt, we require instrumental diagnostics of the car. Ideally, it is worth checking the geometry of the body, the functionality of the chassis, the condition brake system and steering, diagnose the engine and check information about the operation of security systems.

You can choose a solid used car using the Auto Advertisements service on our website.

We thank the specialists of the trade-in department and the body shop of the Ford Center Vostok company for their help in preparing the material.

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Before buying, it is important to check the body geometry of a used vehicle. A serious accident can lead to deformation of the car body elements, which, in turn, leads to a change in its operational properties, as well as worsening controllability and reducing passive safety. The autocode will tell you what the check of the geometry of the car body is.

What is body geometry

The geometry of a car body is understood as a certain set of distances between special control points. The latter allow you to determine how accurately the body elements, components and mechanisms of the vehicle are located in relation to each other. The location of the control points is indicated in the data sheet of the manufacturer. When determining the correct geometry of the car body, first of all, you need to pay attention to:

• front and rear track width;
• distance between the front and rear axle (wheelbase);
• the distance between the spars, as well as their length;
• trunk and engine compartment dimensions;
• dimensions of door and window openings.

From proper observance These dimensions affect not only the appearance of the car, but also the comfort and safety of its use.

Where to check body geometry

There are several ways to detect deformation of used car body parts. It can be done:

• on one's own;
• in a specialized technical service center;
• using the all-Russian Internet service "Autocode".

Let's take a closer look at each of the above options.

Checking body geometry

This can be done both by indirect external signs, and with the help of special measuring tools. We pre-close the doors, as well as the covers of the hood and luggage compartment of the car. At the same time, we look at how easy it is to perform these actions. If there are difficulties during closing, this is already a sign that the geometry of the car body is broken (for example, problems with slamming doors can be caused by deformation of the pillars).

visual inspection

First, check the glass. The presence of horizontal cracks is one of the signs of a violation of the body geometry. Then, squatting down, we carefully examine the body of the car. You need to look along the side: bumps and gaps between body elements are better visible this way, which can also indicate a violation of geometry. Then we move on to measurements.

Checking the geometry of the body with special tools

We will need a special caliper and a scale rail. The first is necessary to check the correct location of the wheels relative to each other. It is also suitable for comparing the location of control points on different sides oh TS body.

First, we measure the distance between two points on one side. Then we fix the position of the legs of the compass with the help of special fasteners. Next, we take measurements between similar control points on the other side of the body. If the results do not match, the geometry is broken.

By the same principle, you can check the presence of deformation of the body using a scale rail. It has a telescopic design and height-adjustable pointers, which makes it possible to take measurements in the presence of various obstacles between the control points. Also, the scale bar allows you to calculate the exact distance between the control points on the body and frame of the vehicle and compare them with the data specified by the car manufacturer.

How to check the geometry of the body with a regular tape measure

It is less accurate, but it can be used to get a general idea of ​​the violation of the geometry of the vehicle body. First of all, we check the front track: we measure the distance from the middle of the tread of the front left wheel to the middle of the tread of the right front wheel. Then, in the same way, we check the rear track. We compare the received data with the information of the manufacturer. The discrepancy between the results will serve as evidence that the geometry of the car body is broken. Similarly, we check the length of the wheelbase (measurements are made between the center of the front wheel hub and the center of the rear wheel hub). Also, using a regular tape measure, we check:

• trunk;
• engine compartment;
• doorways.

There is another fairly simple way to check the geometry of the vehicle body. To do this, on a flat and straight road, we accelerate the car and release the steering wheel for a few seconds. If the car starts to pull to the side, there may be problems with the geometry of the body. To get a more accurate result, you need to check the car at different speeds - 50 and 90 km / h.

We check the geometry of the body in a car service

Specialized technical centers use modern computer equipment to detect deformations. The car is partially dismantled and placed on a special stand. Attached to control points electronic sensors. The readings are transmitted to a computer, which creates a kind of three-dimensional model of the vehicle and compares the original data with the information obtained during the test.

The advantages of this method include high measurement accuracy. Among the disadvantages: time and financial costs. Checking the geometry of the body on a special stand will cost the owner several thousand rubles. Nevertheless, experts recommend that owners check the vehicle in this way at least once every 12 months, arguing that the cause of body deformation can be not only an accident, but also ordinary driving on broken Russian roads.

Things to Remember

If there were no violations of the geometry of body elements before buying a vehicle, this does not mean that the car has not been in a serious accident. It may have just been refurbished. However, even if the restoration of a broken car is done at the proper level, it is no longer 100 percent reliable in operation. Therefore, to make sure that you are not buying a pig in a poke, use another simple and affordable way to check the vehicle on the Autocode website.

Here you can indirectly check the geometry of the car body. To do this, just enter in the search field state. number or VIN code of the vehicle. After a few minutes, the system will issue a report with detailed history used car. If you are primarily interested in information about the geometry of the body - pay attention to the section on the participation of a car in an accident. It contains data on the date of the accident, the region where it occurred, the type of accident (for example, a collision), as well as a diagram of the damage that the car received.

As you can see from the example above, this car was in an accident, where the front right and rear left parts of the body were damaged, which means, most likely, the geometry of the body parts was violated. Buy such a car or not, it's up to you.

Data on the participation of vehicles in traffic accidents is sent to the service directly from the traffic police, so they can be completely trusted.

In addition, using the Autocode Internet service, you can easily check the quantity before buying former owners Vehicle, car mileage, the presence of traffic police restrictions (arrest, bail, etc.) and get other information about a used car.

After receiving an online report, it is necessary to conduct a quality inspection of the car. If you are not sure of your knowledge and want to entrust the inspection to a professional, use the services of an on-site inspection. The master will arrive at the place and carry out diagnostics using special equipment, and then issue a full professional conclusion.

Checking the car body is the main part of checking the car before buying as a whole, since the body is not an excellent part of the car. The engine, gearbox, suspension can be replaced, repaired, of course this requires no small investment, but this is another question and this is not about him. Body repair after an accident is a serious matter and it can affect the safety of you and your family. In addition, any body work significantly reduce the cost of the car.

Visual inspection of the body

Inspect the vehicle for clean daytime day or in the presence of good artificial lighting. Go around the car from all sides, see if there are any differences in shade between the body elements, pay attention to the presence of dents, scratches, check for corrosion problem areas such as arches and sills, the lower part of the doors. If on relatively new car, rust is already appearing in some places, this may indicate poor-quality body repair. Open and close all doors, they should work with the same effort and sound.

Carefully inspect the gaps between all body elements - they should be even along the entire length and synchronous on different sides of the car.

Inspect the car along the length on both sides, the presence of light overflow indicates the presence of a large amount of putty on the body. You should also pay attention to the condition of the paintwork: shagreen, smudges, dust inclusions, traces of sandpaper.

If you have a thickness gauge, check the bodywork for secondary coloring of bodywork. When you find such a detail, you can already study it in more detail. There was coloration due to a scratch or there was more serious damage.

See if the body elements have been unscrewed, if all the glasses are factory.

Inspect the engine compartment for replacement of plastic elements, a radiator. After all, they often suffer from frontal impact. Look for any traces of non-factory welding, whether the sealant is even.

Pay attention to the headlights, they should be equally worn, without soldering broken fasteners and be factory-made.

Also inspect the trunk compartment, check the originality of the welds and sealant. On some car models, body parts have stickers with VIN number. Check the numbers and originality of all stickers.

Checking with a thickness gauge

If you have a thickness gauge, this will simplify the task of finding traces of an accident on the car body, but remember that a thickness gauge will not save you 100% from buying a car that has been in an accident. Firstly, the blow can be on the lower part of the car, in which the geometry of the body is violated and the airbags are triggered, but the outer body elements remain intact and in the factory paint. Body elements can be replaced and painted in the factory layer, moreover, Taiwanese iron is already sold for some models already painted in the desired color and having a factory layer of paintwork. Also, body elements can be installed from another car of the same color, that is, bought at auto analysis.

Use only high-quality instruments that display readings in microns, you do not need to order cheap thickness gauges from aliexpress. We recommend using

To start measuring, you need to know the factory thickness of the paintwork, which can range from 80 to 200 microns, depending on the model.

The most common coating layer thickness is 120 microns on average. Take measurements from the outside of the car along the entire body. Analyze the result. The car roof is usually painted 10-20 microns thinner than the rest of the elements. On one body element there should not be a difference of more than 20 microns. There shouldn't be any between adjacent elements. sharp drop in thickness, the paintwork layer can vary along the body, but the changes must be uniform. If the average thickness is 120 microns, and one of the elements is 200 microns, this already indicates a second layer of paintwork, if there are places over 200 microns, this indicates the presence of putty, or several layers of paint. If there are places of 1000 microns, this already speaks of a putty layer of 1 millimeter, and if there are many such places, you need to turn around and leave. If, with an average coating thickness of 120 microns, one of the elements turned out to be 80-90 microns, it should be carefully studied, since this element could be replaced, because the non-factory color is usually thinner, I personally came across external body elements painted at 40-50 microns .

After taking measurements of the exterior of the body, check the doorways and pillars, they are painted in a smaller layer, which is usually 60-90 microns.

Open the hood and trunk. Measure all available elements of the engine compartment and luggage space. The paint thickness of the spars, mudguards, TV, glasses should be in the region of 40-60 microns. Remember the engine compartment is the main part of the inspection of the car body, since it is there that you can find hidden traces of an accident. Remove everything if possible. plastic elements, inspect the mounting bolts, welds, sealant application. The part of the wings that is under the hood should not differ significantly from the thickness of the paint layer of the entire engine compartment, if the paint layer on the wing is closer to the indicators of the outer layer, this indicates that the wing is painted separately from the body, the mounting bolts can also be painted to hide traces of unscrewing.

When buying a used car, check technical condition car is an obligatory stage, which in no case should be neglected. It can be very difficult for a non-specialist to check the condition of the car, but, nevertheless, no matter how the seller or car dealership manager assures you that the car is in good condition, you need to verify this yourself.

Assessing the technical condition of a car is a complex, complex process, and there are several tips to make it easier and structured.

Most car defects can be identified with a simple visual inspection, so always start your car inspection from its body. Remember that every damage to the surface of the machine, that is, a scratch or chip, is a potential source of corrosion.

Be sure to inspect the pre-washed car from all sides when daylight. If you notice differences in body color, this indicates that the car has been painted, which means that an accident in the past is quite possible, and the technical condition of the car may not be ideal. Minor body defects are often hidden under stickers.

To check the technical condition of the cars on the body, you have to look under the hood and in the trunk, paying special attention to the junction of parts and the quality of the seals. You should definitely check how the doors open and close - this should happen effortlessly and smoothly.

Checking the condition of the car is unthinkable without engine diagnostics, at least by ear. To do this, start the car and listen to how it works. The smooth rumbling of the engine indicates that the car is in good condition, while all sorts of noises, taps, whistles and interruptions in the operation of the internal combustion engine indicate the presence of malfunctions.

It is unrealistic for a beginner to determine how serious the problem is, however, in fairness, let's say that the elimination small defect under the hood of a car can be an easier and faster solution than finding another car in perfect condition.

Buyer note. Even a stretched alternator belt is enough reason to lower the price a little, so pay attention to every detail visible to the eye and feel free to bargain.

If your car has air conditioning, make sure it works. Repairing a non-working air conditioner is a very costly business, so even if you are not going to use it in principle, feel free to ask the seller for a discount of at least 10 thousand rubles.

If they try to convince you that the air conditioner just needs refueling, do not give up your demands: you cannot personally verify when buying that the system works in principle.

If the car is in good condition, its engine should start the first time, even in the cold. In addition to diagnostics ICE operation by ear, pay attention to the mounting nuts and bolts under the hood. If they were unscrewed, and this is visible, then it is unlikely that the car is in excellent condition, as the seller is trying to assure you: it was not out of natural curiosity that the owner climbed into the engine!

Oil stains and smudges, “decorating” the components and assemblies, testify to the leakage of the nodes. During the operation of the machine, the lack of tightness is fraught with leakage lubricant and related problems.

The next step in assessing the condition of the car is the color of the smoke from exhaust pipe. A car in excellent condition (at least in terms of engine performance) will have a light gray smoke color.

Black smoke from the pipe indicates excessive fuel supply or increased oil consumption. In both cases, engine adjustment will be required, for example, replacing worn nozzles, valve stem seals or piston rings, and this is an expensive pleasure.

An important parameter of the technical condition of a car with automatic transmission is the color of the oil. If the probe of the machine is available, it is not difficult to determine the condition of the machine, more precisely, its most important and expensive part to repair.

To do this, drip liquid from the probe onto a piece of paper or white linen. Clear liquid without the smell of burning and impurities, slightly smelling synthetic oil, - an indicator of the health of hydraulics. This means that the car is in excellent condition, and the previous owner really followed it: he did not overload the transmission and carried out maintenance in a timely manner.

What should alert the buyer of a used car with automatic transmission:

• Opaque oil that smells of burning (testifies about the merciless operation of the machine and the need for urgent replacement of filters and oil)
• A new oil, which has a pronounced smell and color, and is also quickly absorbed into the fabric (perhaps the replacement was made before the sale itself in order to hide serious problems automatic transmission)
• Dark liquid with the inclusion of metal particles (the condition of the car is critical and does not allow further operation without major, expensive repairs)
• cloudy liquid (testifies about the ingress of coolant into the filter, which does not allow further operation of the machine without overhaul automatic transmission and radiator replacement)

We offer you to watch a video, how to check automatic box car gears:

After you have checked the condition of the car on the spot, it's time to test the car on the road. To do this, scroll through flat road with a gradual increase in speed. Car in excellent condition does not lead on the road and can be controlled at any speed. At the same time, the engine noise remains smooth and the wheels do not emit unnecessary knocks.

An important step in checking the condition of the car before buying is the assessment of brakes and suspension. To do this, it is advisable to test the car by driving over bumps, but since a rare seller will allow you to do this, it is better to go with him for diagnostics to a car service and ask the masters two or three specific, substantive questions. Such a double check of the condition of the car will give the best results.

If the seller of the car, under various pretexts, tries to evade a visit to a car service, this is a direct confirmation that the car is by no means technically ideal.

Finally, please note that any defect that causes the vehicle to be considered to be in a different condition from that declared by the seller is a reason to reduce the sale value of the car.