Have a pre-purchase inspection performed
The best thing you can do before purchasing a used vehicle is to have a pre-purchase inspection (or PPI) carried out. It’s a simple process: find and pay a local mechanic to have the vehicle you’re considering inspected to ensure there are no hidden problems. It’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.
Get a vehicle history report
The next best thing you can do before purchasing a used vehicle is to request the history report. Make sure there are no mileage inconsistencies or major aircraft accidents recorded that could compromise the value or safety of the vehicle.
Make sure you get under any used car if possible. Make sure there are no signs of rust. Also look and feel under the wheel arches.
Get a battery status report
If you’re looking at electric vehicles, you should also request a battery report from a service like Recurrent. While Recurrent doesn’t have reports for every EV, it does have them for many EVs. This report will give you a better idea of the condition of the high voltage battery in the vehicle you are viewing.
Interior wear
All vehicle interiors wear out as they age, but some do this better than others. Some of this is due to the materials of the vehicle itself. Others are due to the negligence of the previous owner. Cracks and stains, broken HVAC vents and controls, and scratched dashboards and door panels are often signs of the latter (unless you see the same pieces in mediocre shape on multiple examples of a given vehicle, in which case there’s a good chance that piece of the car’s innards is a weak point).
If you notice excessive wear and tear on the interior, chances are the previous owner treated the rest of the car with the same disdain. We recommend that you distance yourself from such a potentially poorly maintained vehicle, or at least do your best to negotiate a particularly good sales price with the dealer to take into account possible problems that may arise in the future.
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