Leave 10–15% for repairs and unexpected expenses. They will definitely be there, even if the car is a year old and under warranty. Otherwise, the family budget will quickly begin to collapse.

2. Don’t choose a car based on the principle of “something for 400,000 rubles”

Determine for yourself 2-3 models that you will look for. This will help you not to get scattered and make a rash decision based on emotions. Plus, you can study the selected models on the forums, find out what they are typical problems, maintenance periods and understand the intricacies. All this will make the search much easier.

3. Calculate the average price for the car you are interested in

Most accurately, this can be done manually, remembering fifth grade mathematics, or using the “Price Statistics” tab on the Avto.ru website. Knowing the average price, it will be easier for you to think sensibly, bargain and not fall into the hands of scammers and resellers.

4. Don’t expect someone to sell a good car at a price below average

If a person urgently needs money, he sells the car through intermediaries and instantly receives money. All other cars that are sold at a reduced price are damaged or have legal problems. Or this ad is from scammers.

5. The first conclusions about the car can be drawn from the advertisement.

If it contains disgusting photographs and a two-line description like “All questions by phone”, “All maintenance is on time, the car is in perfect condition“and so on, you don’t even have to call. In 95% of cases it is a reseller.

6. Talking on the phone gives a lot of information and saves time

Ask specific questions that cannot be answered generally. For example, which dealer did the car undergo maintenance? When was the last time the oil was changed? What's new in the car? Is the PTS original? How many owners are registered in the PTS? How long has a person owned a car with a title? Is the person you are talking to an owner or helping someone with a sale? Is there service book, work orders and receipts? And so on.

7. Always check the documents before inspecting the machine

This can be done on the traffic police website or avtokod.mos.ru, if the car is from Moscow or the Moscow region. You can find out whether the car is pledged on the website of the Federal Notary Chamber.

8. Monitor new offers

The best cars sell in a few days or even hours. Therefore, if you want to get the best possible car at the most attractive price, subscribe to updates on the model you are interested in in the Avito or Avto.ru mobile applications and constantly monitor them.

9. When buying a car at a car dealership, carefully read all clauses of the contract

It should not take more than 5-6 pages. If they brought you a contract, then took it away and brought it again, read it again: there may be changes that are unfavorable for you. If you buy a car on credit, read the terms and conditions with triple attention. Unofficial dealers are very fond of including hidden fees in the price and charging a commission for refusing a deal.

10. To inspect the car, rent a thickness gauge

Look on the Internet to see what thickness of paint a particular car model should have, and measure it when inspecting it. True, the thickness gauge is not a panacea, since sometimes cars are painted specifically for the device or minor damage is repaired under CASCO.

You need to look to see if the gaps are the same on different sides of the car, if the paint is knocked off the bolts, if there are traces of paint on the seals and moldings, if the shagreen and paint tone on different parts are different, if the stampings fit together, if the headlights and windows are the same, if they are symmetrical tires are worn out.

11. Don't trust the odometer readings.

The best indication of a car's mileage is the condition of the interior: the driver's seat, steering wheel, armrest and gearshift lever.

12. When test driving, pay attention to all the little things

Check whether the steering wheel is level, whether the car is moving when accelerating and braking, whether something is knocking in the suspension, whether the air conditioning and electrical equipment are working.

13. Before purchasing, take the car to a service center

If you like the car in all respects and you have no doubts, before concluding a purchase and sale agreement, be sure to go to a service center and at least have the suspension diagnosed. Ideally, there would also be an electric motor. This will cost a maximum of a couple of thousand rubles, but will save you from buying a car in poor condition. In many cases, diagnostics allows us to identify those problems, due to which you can bargain well and certainly recoup its cost.

14. You can enter into a purchase and sale agreement and make changes to the PTS yourself

The main thing is that with one pen and one handwriting. It is better to transfer money to a pre-opened account through a bank cash desk. This will protect you from fakes and fraud.

Nowadays, a car has no longer become a luxury item, but a necessity. Every day a huge number of cars are purchased in the country. Thanks to class A and B cars, perhaps every second family can afford a car. Of course, the amount of 7 thousand dollars is large, but quite realistic for the average family.

Since buying a car is a very serious procedure due to its specificity, it must be approached with great attention and vigilance. Know that the seller always needs to sell his goods, so you should not take all the seller’s stories at face value.
Before buying your first car, you, of course, have a huge number of questions. Next we will give full instructions on choosing and purchasing a car.

The material will address the following questions:

1. Analysis

You need to choose a car based on the amount you are counting on, and from this you will base your choice of car class, brand, power and configuration.

Please note that after purchasing, you will need to register the car, so you must set aside at least $400 additionally for this procedure. We would also like to note that if there is an option to buy another car, but a little more expensive, it is better to save up a little or re-borrow than to regret it later, because the amount is not small and you need to buy a car that you will not regret purchasing in the future.

Pay attention to the power and volume of the engine. The fuel consumption and acceleration dynamics of the car will depend on this. The weight of the car, when fully loaded, must correspond to the engine. Otherwise, with a full cabin of passengers, it will be very difficult for you to drive up the mountain, and acceleration will be painful; if you still have air conditioning, then the car will be a “snail.”

As for converting your car to gas, first think about how much and how often you will drive. HBO must be installed if you drive every day and a lot. Otherwise, the payback period for this installation will be more than three years.

2. New car or used?

Once you have determined the final amount for purchasing a car, you need to decide which car to buy: new or used. Let's look at the advantages and disadvantages of both options.

A new car means a new one. If you approach its choice scrupulously, then for the next 3 years, except for changing the oil, refueling and inflating the wheels, you will not need to do anything. This is the main advantage of the new car. Among other advantages, it can be noted that driving in a new car is comfortable, nothing rattles or knocks, the car flies, and there is a pleasant smell of newness in it. New cars have no disadvantages, well, the break-in period can introduce a couple of nuances, but this is not even worth focusing on.

A used car has only one advantage - it low price. That is, you can buy a car of the same brand as a new one, but pay 10% less, depending on the mileage. Or, for an amount equivalent to a new car, you can buy a better car, but a used one.
There cannot be a priori a correct answer here, since both options have the correct logic, and here you need to focus on your preferences. Let us only note that with a new car you will have fewer problems both during purchase and during operation.

3. Selecting the first car

Many people advise buying an inexpensive first car, citing the fact that you won’t feel sorry for it if you hit it somewhere, due to your lack of experience. This is partly true, but good car will force you to drive carefully and take care of it from the very beginning, and if you buy a cheap old car, it will be easier to learn to drive it.

Choosing new car, focus on the amount and personal preferences in brands and models of cars. If you want a used car, then of course, focus on the desired brand, but as practice shows, in this case you need to choose from what is on the car market.

4. Selecting a car brand

The car brand must be selected based on:

Personal preferences;
reviews about it;
configurations;
cost and availability of spare parts;
fuel consumption;
price adequacy;
number of seats.

You may want to decide to buy one make and model of car, and when you arrive at the showroom or market, buy a completely different one, so when driving to buy a car, you don’t need to be categorical, consider all possible options.

When buying a new car at a dealership, wait for a promotion to save on your purchase or receive some kind of bonus. Buying a car in the spring is very profitable, as car dealerships offer discounts on model range, released last year.

5. Buying a car

First, let's touch on the general selection and purchase criteria, and then consider in more detail the features of buying a new and used car.

When you drive a car, you should already determine for yourself the priorities of its configuration. We recommend that your car includes:

Power steering – so that the steering wheel turns easily, without any effort;
ABS - this system provides stepwise braking when you press the brake pedal;
Air conditioning - in order to regulate temperature regime inside your car;
Electric windows – in order to raise and lower the door windows using buttons without turning the handles;
Central lock– when you lock the car door using the button;
Electrically heated seats – (for an amateur) this option heats the seats in the cold season.

This is the most significant list of functions of the first car. Can I mention a few more words about automatic transmission gears, which will greatly simplify driving, but this is optional, and a car with an automatic transmission costs much more than an analogue with a manual transmission.

Choosing a new car

When buying a new car, inspect it externally and check for scratches and bumps. The paint on the body, doors, hood and trunk must be the same. Check the glass markings, they should be the same everywhere. The body clearances must also be identical. This is necessary in order to externally inspect the build quality and check for repair work, since the car could have been damaged during transportation, which could have been hidden later.

Take a look inside the car. The lack of cellophane on seats and other places should alert you. Perhaps this car was purchased but returned, or it was taken for a test drive. The speedometer reading should be no more than 10 km. If the number is higher, then either the car was driven under its own power, or someone has already ridden it.

The bottom of the engine and the wheel rims will help determine whether the car has been on the street for a long period of time; if there is rust on them, then the answer is obvious.

Start the engine, it should start the first time. The motor should run smoothly and evenly, without twitching, howling or jerking. Then we move on to the gearbox. Gears should change easily, without much effort.

Car rental. Warm up the engine and take it for a ride on the site. Check your work brake system: hand and foot brakes. When driving, be sure to pay attention to gear shifting. There is no point in accelerating too much. While the engine is running and driving, nothing should rattle in the cabin, especially plastic.

These are the basic aspects for those who are not very knowledgeable about cars. Of course, take it with you experienced driver with experience, and best of all, a familiar auto mechanic who will test the car not only from the outside, but also from the inside. Such a person is especially necessary when buying a used car.

Choosing a used car

When you decide to buy a used car, try to buy it from a person who has taken good care of the car and.

When buying a used car, carry out an external inspection of it, check for scratches, dents, straightening and putty on the body. You can take a magnet and wrap it in soft cloth. If the magnet is not magnetic in certain places, then most likely there is putty there.
Next, agree on the price and start the engine, listen to its operation. At this time, find out from the owner the history of the car, what problems there were with it, what was replaced, whether it was involved in an accident. Say that it is better to tell everything as it is, because if you like the car, you will check it at the service station.

Then take a ride in the car. If it does not cause any particular complaints, then go to the station maintenance for a complete diagnosis (you pay). If the car does not hide secrets, then the seller will agree to drive it to the service station, since he has nothing to hide. If the seller says that the car is in perfect condition, but refuses to go to the service station, say goodbye.

Why go to the service station? At the service station they will show you full diagnostics car and tell you what faults it has, what parts are worn out and require replacement, then they will give you an approximate amount of repairs. As a rule, any new car requires investment cash. You can negotiate this amount with the seller. But most importantly, the service station will be able to ventilate the so-called body geometry, which will immediately show whether the car was involved in serious accidents, which side received the impact and what exactly was damaged.

After all this, if the car has not been involved in an accident, reach a consensus on the amount and go to finalize your deal.

We would like to say a few words about searching for cars on websites and newspaper advertisements. When viewing ads, pay attention to phone numbers, since these two resources are home to a large number of resellers who buy cars from owners and resell them at an inflated price.

6. A car for a woman

Most ideal option for girls it’s a minicar or small car in which:

Can accommodate children comfortably;
Consumes little gasoline;
Has large trunk;
You don't need to invest a lot of money in renovations.

Maybe one of our readers frowned, asking why they were being put in a “small tower.” You can buy any other car of a higher class, but what's the point? A minicar has very low gas mileage, which means you can drive it more. This car is very convenient to park and is easy to drive.

7. Car color

The color of the car must be determined at the place of purchase, when you see it not in the picture, but with your own eyes. As often happens with many people, they go for one color and buy another. Try not to buy a car in a bright color so that it doesn’t stand out too much from the crowd and doesn’t catch the eye of inspectors. Please note that the darker the color of the car, the more dirt and dust will be visible on it. I highly recommend this car for those who love cleanliness. dark color, since dust lives on the car all the time and you will either have to wash it often, or get very angry. In general, the main thing is that you like the color, the rest is trivial.

9. Is it worth staying under the service warranty?

Each auto center offers its own services for a new car, this is the so-called guarantee. If before a certain mileage or period of time (as established by the manufacturer) any breakdown occurs in the car, not through your fault, then repairs will be carried out free of charge. In this case you must go through service only in special networks of this center. If it is established that the car was repaired or a part was replaced outside the network centers, then you will be denied warranty claims.

The disadvantage is that you will not be able to install this or that part yourself. All this must be done by the warranty provider, at the auto center’s service station, which is not always cheap, since the prices for their services are much higher than those of ordinary service stations.

The advantage is that your car will be repaired free of charge if it breaks down, this is especially good during the break-in period of the car. We still advise you to put the car under warranty and drive it for at least a year or 10 thousand kilometers. Usually during this period the car goes through a break-in period and breaks down, but this happens extremely rarely.

Another advantage of a branded service station is that they always have spare parts for your car in stock, which you won’t have to wait long for. Also, the masters specialize specifically in your car brand and have great experience working with her.

10. Car on credit

If you are confident in the stability of your job and salary, and you do not plan any serious expenses in the next 5 years, then you can take out a loan for a car, but this is highly undesirable. At your leisure, you can visit the website of any popular bank and use their calculator to calculate a car loan. You should be interested in the figure for the amount of overpayment. It will be around 40% of the cost of the car. Why is this and what does it mean? The bank will not work at a loss - on altruism, so it takes a reward for its work, which means that when you buy a car on credit, you will pay for it as for one and a half cars, and sometimes for two. For our part, we do not recommend that you take out a car on credit.

How to choose a used car? What you need to know and what to follow to do right choice? What should you pay special attention to during the inspection, and how to carry it out correctly? How not to fall for the bait of resellers or an unscrupulous owner? You will find answers to all these questions in this article. By following the recommendations given in it step by step, you can choose a car that will not disappoint you.

Decide on your budget and purpose of purchase

First, decide what you need a car for: for trips to the country, hunting or fishing, or a simple city car to get to your place of work. It depends on your goals and needs what characteristics and additional options the car should have, ranging from body type, stuffing under the hood and gearbox type to various gadgets such as air conditioning and cruise control. Once you have decided on these parameters, you can start searching for a car. To do this, make a list of models that interest you and read reviews from owners. Check all the options that you are not happy with. After sifting, you should get a small list of 5, maximum 10 models.

Secondly, find out the average price of the selected cars on the market and compare them with your financial capabilities. Draw appropriate conclusions. After this, the search circle will narrow down to a couple more models, and the list will take its final form. But keep in mind that during your search you may come across better options and at a more reasonable price, so you don’t have to choose exactly from the list.

Let's start the search

You can search in different ways:

1. Advertisements on the Internet. This is a very convenient way to search. Without leaving home, you can find suitable car, get acquainted with its characteristics, look at photographs. It is better to look for ads on those sites that specialize in selling cars.
2. Through friends. Buying through friends is a good and reliable option. In this case, you will know exactly what the car has experienced, who drove it and how. Of course, the chances that your friends will have the car you need are very small, but it’s worth asking around, and it will be much easier to negotiate.
3. Used cars in a car dealership. Many car enthusiasts use the program when buying a new car. Ask around at car dealerships, they may have good used cars at reasonable prices.
4. Car market. It is convenient because there are a large number of models presented there, and there is always plenty to choose from. If you like a car, you can immediately inspect it and talk with the owner. True, the disadvantage of this search method is that, as a rule, there are resellers in the car market who cannot always please the buyer with a high-quality used car and give full information about his past.

Criteria for selecting a used car (inspection):

1. First of all, ask the owner to provide documents for the car: PTS, registration certificate. Study them carefully. It is desirable that the PTS is original and does not contain any additional marks. If there are problems with the documents, it is better to refuse to purchase such a car.
2. Start your inspection with the body. Inspect it carefully: the presence of chips, increased gaps, uneven seams, differences in the color and texture of the paint itself - all this indicates that the car has been in an accident. A car that has been in serious accident, he may not be able to withstand the second one. Buy broken car not worth it. Many owners mask body defects with various moldings, overlays and stickers. Be careful.
3. Inspect the engine. There should be no leaks, no extraneous sounds - the engine should literally whisper. The wiring must be intact. Inspect, if there are ash deposits on them, the engine is faulty. Look at the color of the exhaust - it should be almost transparent and dissipate quickly.
4. Look around the salon. The upholstery must be clean and free of stains. Look under the rugs, there shouldn't be any moisture there. Check the serviceability of the seat belts and seat adjustment mechanism. Inquire about serviceability additional equipment: air conditioning, music and other electrical equipment.
5. Check the operation of the vehicle's chassis. Pay attention to whether the machine is loose. Make sure the brake system is in good working order: with the engine off, press the brake pedal: its travel should decrease. Check the operation of the shock absorbers, see if there are any oil stains on the struts. If they are present, then the stand is broken, and this is already a reason to bargain.

If you have friends or acquaintances who are knowledgeable about cars, ask them to take a look. As they say, one head is good, but two are better. It is advisable to visit a service station before purchasing a used car and conduct a full diagnostic of all vehicle systems.

When inspecting cars, make notes in a notepad. This will make it much easier for you to navigate and make choices.

Video on how to check a used car before buying:

Naturally, when purchasing, the main attention should be paid to the condition of the body, because, as you know, it is the most expensive part of the car and an error in assessing its condition when buying a car can in the near future greatly darken your joy of owning your own car.

Often motorists, having bought another car, say: What’s wrong with the fact that the car was once slightly dented, but then made better than a new one? The most harmless trouble that a damaged car can cause is the inability to adjust the wheel alignment angles due to a violation of the body geometry. Since it is not possible to check the geometry of the body when inspecting a car (special equipment is required), there can only be one piece of advice: NEVER buy damaged cars!

When purchasing, you may well not notice that the car, for example, is guilty of pulling to the right. The caring seller pumped up the right one in advance front wheel, and lowered the left one a little, and now the car is perfectly on course! Until you pump up the tires. Windshield, which cracks a month after the next replacement for no apparent reason is also not the biggest nuisance caused by a crooked body.

The seller can swear to you that after the impact, body repairs were carried out with due care. highest quality, and the car became better than new. But the use of expensive equipment that allows you to bring the body geometry to zero. So here everything depends on the qualifications of the tinsmith. Even if we assume that everything was really done wisely and the geometry of the restored car is normal, another problem arises. Body parts are connected to each other mainly by welding. Without going into technical details, we note that the technology of this process in a car service center, to put it mildly, is very different from that on a factory assembly line. In practice, this is manifested in the fact that, despite all the measures taken, the corrosion rate of repair welded joints is on average five times higher than that of factory ones. Simply put, broken car will rot much faster. You can argue that you don’t intend to drive it for the rest of your life, but expect to sell it in a year. But, firstly, after just a year, external manifestations of corrosion can greatly affect the sales price, and secondly, for example, after just six months, the extension bracket can unexpectedly come off along with the recently welded repair pad.

To paraphrase Henry Ford, we can say: “The best car is an unbeaten car.”

Therefore, when buying a used car, the main attention should be paid to this aspect.

How to determine whether a car is undamaged? Search for options.

To select candidates for the role of your future car, there is

several ways:

Buying from friends

Private advertisements (newspapers, internet, etc.)

Commission shop

We will not consider the first option, because... it does not involve any choice, but is often the best.

Of the remaining ones, at first glance, the market is preferable; you can inspect many cars at once, make a purchase on the spot, and strong competition contributes to better compliance of sellers. But let's look at the problem from the other side from the seller's point of view.

Unless he is a professional used car dealer and sells good car for a real price (this is exactly what we are looking for), then there is no reason for him to stand in the market all day long, paying entry fees and wasting precious time. The very first advertisement in a popular newspaper or at a popular party on the Internet usually solves his problem. Of course, it’s worth going to the market mainly to find out the price ceiling for the option you’re interested in and try to put into practice the knowledge you’ve gained in the field of used cars.

Thrift stores mostly sell cars that the owners are desperate to sell in any other way.

Although, in fairness, it should be noted that both here and there sometimes you come across very worthy specimens, just imported from Europe.

So, we choose the last option - advertisements.

Writing an ad for selling a car is also a kind of science. The main purpose of such an ad is to attract the attention of as many potential buyers as possible. Therefore, try to highlight in ads only objective information that cannot be embellished with the year of manufacture, color and contact phone number, without paying attention to phrases like excellent condition, sat down and drove, mileage 23,000 (honest). It is not for nothing that the mileage value is mentioned in this list - you can write what the buyer wants to read, but it is impossible to verify this information.

Example. One of the cars, say (black eight, 1990), had a mileage of 370,000 km, while the odometer on the low dashboard, naturally, showed 70,000. The buyer, after a short thought, decided that this was the first round, expressing this thought aloud. The car at one time suffered a strong frontal impact, the consequences of which were eliminated very carelessly, had many superficial dents and scratches, a completely rotten rear panel and terrifying-looking sills, wisely covered with plastic covers. In addition, three days before the show, the car was hit from behind (the right side member collapsed) and the body repair was carried out in 1.5 hours (including reinforcement work) using the pole towing method. The color black was used as a distraction, alloy wheels, sunroof, the above-mentioned plastic sills (very decent by the way), a perfectly running engine (colleagues did their best), as well as the phrase in the ad main couple 4.13, which caused a flurry of calls at the stated price of $1600.

The above example once again confirms the well-known axiom. Each car has its own buyer. But from a purely human perspective, this buyer was a little sorry.

In general, one is always surprised by the ease with which people believe, for example, that a six-year-old car has covered, say, 50,000 km. Well, this can’t be the case and that’s it! If these data correspond to reality, it means either the car sat for most of its life, which in no way helps to improve its condition, or its owner was an old pensioner who only went to the dacha, but in this case it is he who should show it to you.

Returning to the topic of plastic thresholds and other similar accessories (muzzles, cut-offs, headlight covers, spoilers, moldings, stickers), it should be noted that they are an excellent means of hiding a wide variety of body defects (including through holes and serious dents, as well as outright rottenness). Therefore, if you are a fan of this kind of tuning, it is wiser to carry it out after purchasing the car, completely focusing on your taste, and avoid inspecting the car with already installed gadgets of this kind. This is especially true for not very new cars (over 4 years old).

Contacts for selected advertisements.

Having selected advertisements that are suitable from your point of view, we proceed to the next stage of communication with the submitters. In a telephone conversation, it seems to me, it is necessary to clarify the following points:

Number of vehicle owners since its purchase

Presence of dents, scratches and brown metallic inclusions (rust)

Country of original purchase of the car

Place of last registration (there are situations when, upon arriving for an inspection, you find a car registered in the Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Okrug)

General condition of the car (from the seller's point of view)

What is the reason for such a small amount of mileage for such and such a period, if the ad indicates an implausibly low mileage (this question demoralizes the seller to some extent)

Availability of technical inspection for next year

Possible purchase options

Machine equipment (additional equipment)

Was the car damaged (painted)

To this list, each of you, of course, will add questions that are significant for him personally and, based on the answers received, will discard some of the proposals already at this stage, without wasting precious time.

If you receive an affirmative answer to the last question on the list, say goodbye, hang up and dial the next number. Answers like: What does this mean?, I didn’t beat it or paint it, and I don’t know the previous twelve owners - 98% indicate that this is a damaged car and there is no point in wasting time inspecting it.

Finally, agreements on the inspection have been reached and you are ready to go to a meeting with the seller. Are you ready?

Preparation for inspection.

In order to begin examining candidates for your future car, a little preliminary preparation is required. Let's divide it into two stages.

The first stage is psychological. As you know, under the influence of emotions (both negative and positive), a person is capable of committing many rash acts. During the purchase period personal car Whether it’s the first car in your life or your eighteenth, a person usually experiences an emotional uplift, accompanied by a desire to quickly bring this idea to life. It is in the wake of this rise that most mistakes are made. Try to leave all your feelings and emotions at home, absolutely everything. Competently executed pre-sale preparation car and the corresponding acting skills of the seller can play a cruel joke on the buyer, who cannot free himself from the influence of emotions, even if he has deep knowledge in the field of cars.

In this regard, I recall a very recent case when a tinsmith with five years of experience purchased a nine-wheeler manufactured in 1997. for $2500, succumbing to the influence of emotions. He inspected the car with his wife and she liked it so much that she was able to convince her friend that this was the car they needed, emerald metallic, tinted windows, wide wheels and a sliding electric sunroof. Two weeks later he admitted that he was wrong, and the car did indeed suffer a strong frontal overlap impact. He installed it on the most sophisticated stand for straightening bodies and tightened it all day, abandoning all his Lexuses for a while.

This case once again proves that even a very experienced person, under the influence of emotions, is capable of committing rash acts. This is what the cunning seller’s calculations are based on. But in any case, the right to choose remains yours and you should definitely use it.

Clearly define for yourself the requirements that you personally place on your future car and resolutely reject options that do not satisfy them, without allowing your feelings to lead you astray. These requirements look like this (in order of importance):

The car must be undamaged

No cracks in the load-bearing elements or traces of welding work

No corrosion spots

Factory painting

Original attached parts (fenders, doors, hood, etc.)

No major dents or scratches

Absence of towbar and traces of its installation

The absence of plastic sills, overlays on the arches, cut-offs (covers) on the hood and other similar parts that may hide areas of corrosion, holes and (or) dents

Engine and chassis must not have serious defects (such as knocking, smoking, release of oil with crankcase gases, grinding, clanging, etc.)

All other shortcomings, such as: dead shock absorbers, crunchy CV joints, faulty electrical equipment, holes in the upholstery from bulls (a very characteristic defect), etc., are considered insignificant, because their elimination will cost you relatively little, and besides, this is a good reason for bargaining.

Methods for finding these shortcomings will be discussed below, but now let’s repeat:

If you have doubts about whether a particular car meets these (or your personal) requirements, say goodbye to the seller, promising to think about it, and look for the next car. The market is working for you. So, we have completed the psychological preparation for the examination.

Let's move on to the second stage - the technical one.

To inspect the car we will need:

Flashlight (small)

Roulette

Putty detector

Newspaper (you can use unnecessary parts of the issue where you read the advertisement)

Thread gloves

Inspection.

So, the car is in front of you.

Needless to say, the inspection should be carried out exclusively during daylight hours, for example during the day. Carefully inspect the car, walking around it from all sides, from different distances and from different angles. You may not notice anything, but the seller’s confidence will decrease. The main purpose of such an inspection is to identify smooth irregularities on flat surfaces (smooth humpback), differences in paint shades on different parts, as well as a visual assessment of the condition paint coating and the body as a whole.

Also pay close attention to the size of the gaps between the body parts. The absolute value of these gaps is determined by VAZ within a fairly wide range, so there is no need to measure them with a caliper, the main thing is that they are the same on both sides of the car and uniform in length (for long wings, a slight narrowing of the gaps between the front wings and the hood in the area of ​​the toes of the wings is permissible, of course the same on both sides).

Special attention pay attention to the gaps between:

Front fenders and windshield frame

Specified frame and hood

Front bumper and front fenders

Hood and headlights

Direction indicators and front fenders

Front fenders and doors

Sidewalls and doors

Front and rear doors

The trunk lid and its opening

Also pay attention to the protrusion of attached parts (doors, hood, trunk lid) relative to the mating surfaces.

During an external inspection, also try to identify differences in the shade and structure of the paint on different parts (shagreen, grain differences for metallics). In doubtful places, use the putty detector mentioned above (the method of its use follows from the design).

Make sure there are no noticeable creases along the edges of the roof above the B-pillars. Sellers usually explain their presence this way: A branch fell on the roof. In fact, these are traces of a strong frontal impact.

Also pay attention to characteristic areas of corrosion, such as:

- Roof joints with front and rear body pillars

Windshield frame

Bottom of trunk lid

Front edge of hood

Front of inner and outer arches rear wheels(without rear fender liners)

Be sure to inspect using a putty detector (or tapping method) rear pillars bodies along their entire length. When replacing the rear wings (sidewalls), there is always putty there.

Having laid a previously prepared newspaper on the ground, proceed to inspect the lower part of the body. Inspect the support points of the jack, the condition of the bottom (as far as possible), and in the rear, make sure there are no traces of welding and straightening of the rear side members and traces of the installation of the towbar that we so hate.

Don’t forget to also check that there are no paint deposits on the inner wheel arches, suspension parts, brace brackets, and the brace bars themselves.

Try to check all the visible power elements of the body (spars, front panel, lower reinforcements of the front mudguards, etc.) for the absence of cracks and traces of recent anti-corrosion treatment. In this case, you should carefully examine all the joints of these parts in order to identify repair seams and make sure that there are no reinforcing linings under the brace brackets.

Also pay attention to the number of shims installed on the braces.

As a rule, a carelessly restored car can be identified already at this stage of inspection.

If everything is OK, then we move on to the next phase.

Open the hood (do it yourself to make sure the lock works properly).

Inspect the inside surface of the hood to identify pockets of corrosion.

Pay attention to the position of the hood lock pin. It should stand strictly at an angle of 90 degrees; a different position indicates attempts to adjust the position of the hood in the process body repair. Also make sure there is a yellow sticker with a picture of lightning and threatening words of warning about the danger of electric shock, and its absence should alert you.

Proceed to inspect the engine compartment.

Inspect the front fender mounting bolts. They should not show signs of unscrewing, and the adjustment grooves in the wings should not show signs of sawing. Between the front fenders and the planes of their attachment to the mudguards on both sides there should be sealant painted in the color of the body.

Inspect the front panel. Make sure there is a white rectangular 1.3% sticker on the top of it, as well as the presence of factory resistance welding points where the top of the front panel meets the radiator frame.

Check the presence of a bracket for the front wiring harness holder in the area of ​​the front engine mount. This bracket is very often forgotten to be installed when replacing the front panel and in this case the front wiring harness lies directly on the engine mount.

Such little things seem insignificant at first glance, but they significantly help in our business.

Using a flashlight, inspect the weld joints of the front side members and the lower cross member of the radiator frame. Connections must be made by contact welding, and sealant must NOT be applied to them by the factory!

Inspect the side members along their entire length, trying to identify external signs of repair or differences from each other.

Pay attention to the areas of the front mudguards in the area where the washer reservoir and battery are attached. There should be small waves there.

Carefully inspect the connections of the front strut support cups with the mudguards (the right cup is numbered). The sealant must be applied evenly along the entire length of the connection and certainly equally on both sides. Before 1994, sealant was not applied to these joints. In this case, inspect all resistance welding points of these joints.

Also, do not ignore the connections of these cups with the motor shield.

The power unit on an undamaged car should be in a horizontal position; its tilt towards the washer reservoir is a sure sign of body repair.

Also pay attention to the clutch release cable stop pad on the engine shield, located under vacuum booster. It's traditional weak point Samara is often a source of headaches for owners. There should be no traces of welding or repair pads. Homemade linings cause frequent chafing of the clutch cable with all the ensuing consequences. We will examine this unit in more detail later, during the inspection of the interior.

This is probably the end of the inspection. engine compartment. Close the hood, once again making sure that the lock works properly, and go back.

Raise the trunk lid. This part is notorious for its tendency to corrosion (especially for hatchbacks). Therefore, carefully inspect its inner surface around the perimeter; brown metallic often lies in wait there. Pay attention to the flange of its opening, on which a rubber seal is placed; its lower part is also a favorite place for corrosion.

Then lift the mat and begin inspecting the trunk floor. The crushed areas located on the sides of the spare wheel well must have their original shape without traces of straightening work.

Don't be lazy to pull it out spare wheel and make sure that there is a platform with the body number in its niche (for cars from 1998 onwards).

Let's go to the salon.

At open doors pull them up by the outer handle, making sure there is no play. If there is this play (sagging of the door), the latter closes with increased force. A popular method of masking this defect is to place washers under the door hinge, the absence of which should also be ensured.

Pay attention to the joints of the thresholds and sidewalls in the area of ​​​​the lower hinges of the front doors - these are characteristic places for corrosion to form.

Just above it was mentioned about the need to inspect the clutch cable thrust pad from inside. To implement this plan, you will have to use a flashlight to look into the area of ​​the pedal assembly. While in this awkward position, trace the path of the clutch cable from top edge pedals to the engine shield. Here you can find traces of welding work. If they are not there, press the clutch pedal by hand (remembering to tighten hand brake, if, of course, it works or take other measures to prevent the movement of the released vehicle) and make sure that when pressed firmly, the cable support area remains motionless.

Don't forget to check the license plates (especially the rear ones). They should not have the slightest trace of straightening. After a serious frontal impact, the straightened front number plate is often hung back, where it does not attract attention.

We'll probably stop there. If during the inspection you did not find anything suspicious, congratulate yourself and proceed to inspect the engine, check ride quality and other things that are beyond the scope of this article. Take the time to inspect it and you will more than compensate for these losses during further trouble-free operation.

Conclusion.

In conclusion, I would like to give some general advice.

During the conversation with the seller, mention your desire to buy a car that he has deregistered (even if you don’t really want to). Ideally, the seller should willingly agree to this. Various excuses (no time, take it by proxy) suggest that there may be problems along the way (and very serious ones) and it is better not to mess with such a car.

Be sure to check the identity of the body and engine numbers indicated in the Registration Certificate and PTS, especially if you are dealing with duplicates.

Do not take money for the first inspection.

Avoid salespeople who resemble car service workers in their appearance, demeanor, or characteristic slang.

Good luck on the roads!

https://www.detroit.ru

The market for used cars is growing every year for economic reasons. It gives most people the opportunity to purchase a car at an affordable and reasonable price.

If everything were so simple, at the same time there is a big risk of purchasing a car, into which you will have to invest additional funds unplanned. And sometimes this amount can exceed the cost of the car. How to choose a used car? How to protect your finances and make the right choice of a used car?

Features of car search

Choosing a car is a responsible matter and especially risky if we are talking about a used car. Such a purchase can be compared to a dark horse, which will either pleasantly surprise or disappoint. In order to become a happy car owner, you need to choose and select a car carefully, following certain rules.

Searching for a car begins with determining the amount you plan to spend on the purchase. You will have to take into account that usually you need to add another 25% to the allocated budget.

The difference will include car re-registration costs, registration, insurance, technical inspection, etc. Also, when buying a used car, minor repairs are likely, so to speak, bringing it “to mind.”

After the financial aspect has been resolved, you can begin your direct search. Offers for the sale of used cars can be found in newspaper advertisements, on specialized websites and in the car markets themselves.

Don't rush into making a choice. There is no need to rush to the first suitable offer. Compose for yourself list suitable options , some of them will disappear by themselves during the first telephone conversation with the seller.

Rules and questions when choosing a car

Asking the right questions to a used car seller will save time. We can say that the choice begins precisely at this stage of negotiations. And, the main thing that should concern you at this moment is legal purity of the transaction. Therefore, you need to ask the following questions regarding the used car you like:

Choosing a car based on just a phone conversation is unwise. A conversation will only help to discard “dubious” options. And the vehicles that have passed the selection will need to study carefully upon direct viewing.

The more calls made, the better. Thus, an objective idea of ​​the market, prices, and sellers will be formed. It is likely that the right car will be found.

Vehicle inspection

If you have little experience in such matters, then it is better to take with you a reliable and proven professional who will help you evaluate technical condition cars. You should also take with you:

Upon inspection, the car must be perfectly clean.

Car body

First of all, carefully inspect the right and left sides of the car, its roof and hood separately. This is done while squatting, at the level of the headlights. There should be no deformation, line or color defects.

All doubtful places can be checked with a magnet; if it does not hold, it means you have encountered putty. Careful care is necessary examine the entire surface of the body car.

Suspicion may be aroused by various “stickers” that mask defects. These can be plastic thresholds, moldings, trims, etc.

Doors must close with a slight movement the first time and with a characteristic sound. If this is not the case, then there is a violation of the body geometry.

Is it possible to repaint the car? install using remaining paint on plastic and rubber body elements. For example, the shade of paint under the seals will be different. Under them you can find the first signs of metal corrosion.

Inspection of the interior

You need to visually check the surface for damage to panels, upholstery, covers, etc. Particular attention should be paid to seat adjustment, especially if it is automatic. Driver's seat must not be deformed, for example, failed. The back should not dangle.

Everything needs to be examined: steering wheel, wipers, switches, power windows, including additional options(heated seats, heater, mirror adjustment, air conditioning).

Chassis. There should be no play on the steering wheel or wheels that is visible to the naked eye. It is also necessary to inspect the covers of the suspension and steering joints. There should be no cracks on the discs.

If the tires are worn unevenly, this may indicate a violation of the geometry of the body or suspension.

Check the shock absorbers for leaks; the rubber bumpers and boots must be intact. Needs to be examined carefully brake hose fastenings and cylinders.

Engine check

A clean engine should be dry and the hoses not cracked. Cleaning with a steamer can be confusing and glossy, so you need to be especially careful inspect the unit for leaks oil

The oil itself should also be examined. If it is fresh and too thick, then it was poured to avert the eyes from serious defects, for example, various wear and low compression.

The engine needs to be inspected and in a running state. Before it warms up, get in expansion tank If there are bubbles there, then the head gasket is damaged.

Inspect the operating unit; there should be no oil or antifreeze leaks. And his work should not be accompanied by extraneous metallic sounds.

Arrange check exhaust system - shut up exhaust pipe with a rag, the running engine should stall. Also check the engine temperature on the sensor and the efficiency of the stove.

Test drive. The car should be tested in various conditions, from parking downhill with the handbrake to hard braking and gear shifting. It is necessary to evaluate not only technical aspects, but also your internal feelings. How comfortable are you driving this particular car?

Before you go to inspect your car, you can go online watch a useful video on the topic “choosing a used car.” They will help you decide on the basic parameters of your choice.

Nuances of choice

Every car owner probably knows how to choose a car when it comes to buying a brand new car at a car dealership. But if you purchase a used car, you should come to terms with the difficult choice and the fact that there will still be disadvantages.

It is important to simply identify them and estimate the cost of eliminating them. Therefore, when going to auction, in advance check out the price tags on the most popular parts of the selected model. Such information will greatly help when bargaining.

And in order to assess the condition of a car with a history as accurately as possible, you need carry out diagnostics at a service station you trust. This will help you avoid big troubles and expenses in the future.

The slightest imperfections should serve you well reason to reduce the price, and don't be shy. Bargain to the last minute, including all possible upcoming expenses in your amount. There is no need to be afraid of offending the seller; he still will not sell the car below the price that is favorable to him. And the money you save will come in handy.