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12 important things to keep on your checklist when buying a used car

Save yourself the hassle and unnecessary expenses.
12 important things to keep on your checklist when buying a used car

Welcome to Mashable Auto: A new series that highlights and celebrates the history, technological innovations, and quirkiness of the automotive scene in Southeast Asia.

Ah, buying a used car.

Much like any other shopping experience, it can go really well, or it can turn into one confusing, chaotic nightmare. It all depends on how well-prepared you are in terms of knowing exactly what to look out for in your future set of wheels.

It's important, considering the fact that you'll be spending your hard-earned cash on something that most people would actually consider a liability anyway, despite the conveniences and freedoms afforded by owning a car.

Here are 12 important things to look out for when buying a used car.

1. Check for bumps, dents, cracks, and paint chips.

It's what's on the inside that counts. IMAGE: Cash Cars Buyer

Most of the time, these little imperfections are merely cosmetic and don't affect the performance or reliability of the car you're looking at. However, if you do spot any, you can point this out to the seller (if they haven't done so already) and hopefully bargain for a lower price, getting better value for your money.

And if you plan on fixing the dings up after purchase, it's even more of a reason to ask for a discount! *Time to put those Asian haggling skills to good use*

2. Test ALL the creature comforts that the car is supposed to offer.

Essential in hot and humid Southeast Asia. IMAGE: New Straits Times

This includes air conditioning, power windows, windscreen wipers, seat and steering wheel adjustability, radio, door locks, window locks (if any), door handles, cup holders, and more. You get the gist.

Think: Quality-of-life elements of a car, aka the things you'll have to live with during ownership.

3. Make sure the lights are working.

Should pop-up headlights make a comeback? IMAGE: GIPHY

This one might seem obvious, but sometimes there are subtle signs that the headlamps, fog lamps, and even reverse lights aren't working the way they're supposed to. One big indicator is their brightness, or lack thereof in worst case scenarios.

If you come across dim lights, even under normal circumstances, they might need replacing. It's up to you to either bear the cost of repair, or ask the seller to fix it up before proceeding with purchase.

If the car has daytime running lights (DRL), do keep a lookout for their luminescence as well.

4. Examine the tire tread to determine whether the car is in need of new rubber.

Tires are like condoms. They protect your wheels from all sorts of nasties. IMAGE: Obi Onyeador / Unsplash

Here, you can employ the basic tips and tricks that you (hopefully) learned in driving school. When you can barely see any tread left, it's quite obvious those tires are bald and need to be replaced.

Make sure all four tires have even tread. And be on the lookout for other signs of wear, like little bumps and pieces of asphalt that may be wedged in between the tread lines.

Bad tires can also be a byproduct of other more serious issues (that may be more telling of the car's overall condition), including poor wheel alignment, worn suspension, steering issues, as well as structural damage.

5. Listen closely to the noise that the engine makes.

Engine go brrrrrrr. IMAGE: Mechanic Base

This one can be a little tricky if you don't have a trusted mechanic with you, and if you don't even know what a regular, well-maintained engine is supposed to sound like. Engine sounds also differ depending on the car's make and model, kind of like us humans.

However, there are tell-tale signs that an engine is in need of some tender loving care. The easiest way to 'listen' for any issues is to detect any high-pitched rattling while the engine is running. If you don't hear any of that, then the engine is most likely in good condition.

6. Make sure the seat belts, horn, and indicator lights are in perfect working order.

Buckle up, please. IMAGE: whatwolf / Freepik

Testing these things is pretty straightforward, thank goodness. But if it isn't obvious enough, give the horn a few honks, don't be shy. If it sounds like a dying cat, you can either live with it or try to get it replaced (or ask for a lower price).

And well, I doubt you need me to teach you how to test the turn indicators. If you use them, you'll know where they are. If you don't, I implore you to stay away from cars, for everyone's sake.

Last but not least, you can test the pretensioner of the seatbelts by rapidly pulling on them. If they catch, they're working just fine. If you can keep pulling to your heart's content, that's a huge no-no. Do make sure that they can properly buckle into place, as well. There's no use for a seatbelt you can't actually fasten.

7. Pay close attention to the mileage that the car has already done and compare with its age.

Some odometers are completely digital. IMAGE: Drive

On average, a car will be driven up to 20,000 kilometers per year. To figure out whether a car's mileage is too high, divide the number you see on the odometer by the car's age.

For instance, you're looking at a four-year-old car that has done roughly 89,000 kilometers. Do the math:

89,000 (distance driven in kilometers) ÷ 4 (age of the car in years) = 22,250 kilometers driven per year.

This means that the car has been driven quite a lot for its age, but that's not necessarily a deal breaker. It all depends on your own personal threshold of what constitutes as 'too much'. Of course, the higher the mileage, the lower the price.

8. Check for general wear-and-tear throughout the car's interior.

Leather or cloth, what's your poison? IMAGE: BMW Premium Selection

Don't be too shy to whip out a magnifying glass. Inspect every perceivable inch of space in the car's interior. But also be sure to take a good look at the ceiling, since there might be the odd spot of discoloration or stain there – you'd never know unless you look up!

Be on the lookout for tears in the seat cushioning, as well as the general condition of the leather/cloth upholstery.

One place that a lot of people tend to miss is the interior door panel, which is prone to cracking. If left out in the sun for extended periods of time, the rubber can even melt and get all sticky to the touch. This also applies to the dashboard and center console. Yuck.

9. Inspect the condition of the battery.

A good battery means lower chances of stalling in the middle of a busy highway. IMAGE: Car From Japan

Again, it would help if you've got a trusted mechanic with you. But one of the most obvious signs of a degraded car battery is bloating, which will be quite visible.

Another thing to look out (or rather, sniff out) for is the car battery's smell. If it smells acidic, it means some of the water and acid mixture inside the battery has evaporated, causing it to overheat, thus producing that unpleasant smell. If you smell this, the battery needs replacing.

10. Test out the car's infotainment system, if any.

Does it have a high refresh rate though? IMAGE: Etoni Car Audio Accessories / YouTube

A lot of modern cars (ones that you'll most probably be looking at) will come with their own infotainment systems that allow you to control various electronic convenience features.

While this isn't the case for every single car out there – especially the cheaper, older ones – they serve as the central command system of the car. This is where you'll find countless menus for radio selection, navigation, mp3/bluetooth connectivity, tire pressure monitoring, and more. You'll get tactile control buttons, touchscreen integration, or a combination of the two.

For this part, test it out like you would a mobile phone. Play around with the various settings and don't be afraid to dive into all the menus. If it suits your needs, then you've got a winner. If not, perhaps you may need time to adjust to it.

11. Take the car for a thorough test drive.

Have at it! IMAGE: Anthony Low / YouTube

If the used-car dealer allows for it, go ahead and take the car out for a test drive. The key is to drive it like you would normally do. If you come across an empty stretch of road, try stepping on the accelerator pedal to get a feel of how quickly the car can pick up speed.

Conversely, test out the brakes when there aren't any vehicles behind you. Of course, you can also test out how the car does when approaching and navigating through tight corners and speed humps. While doing all this, pay attention to steering feel and overall ride comfort.

If you're testing out a car fitted with a manual transmission, you might also want to pay attention to any strange noises the gear lever makes while shifting, if any.

12. Ask (demand) for a full service history to track previous ownership's maintenance.

Please don't do this to your car. IMAGE: GIPHY

A good used car is a car well-maintained throughout all stages of ownership. And the best proof of that is in its service record book. Ideally, a car should be sent for servicing every 10,000 kilometers or every six months (whichever comes first).

You can easily track this in the service records. This is where you'll also find information regarding repairs that were made along the way, as well as recurring issues, if any.

AVOID heavily-modified cars, if possible.

What in the hell? IMAGE: Slammed UK / Red Bull

People like modifying their cars to add a bit of personality to their whip. It makes them unique and (subjectively) special. In some cases, modifications can even improve a car's performance and reliability.

But then you also have cars that were treated like absolute trash by their owners, usually with impulsive add-ons like tires that are just too big, rear spoilers that add zero aerodynamic benefits, and even 'slammed' bodies – which look like the cars have literally been sat on by a giant (refer to the photo above).

While we can appreciate a car owner adding their own touches to a car, in most cases they only serve to degrade overall value and reliability. In these cases, it's also hard to track the service record, considering that some modifications are illegal.

While this wasn't a completely exhaustive guide, you should be good to go.

Good luck, and have fun!

Check out these other car stories:

32-year-old M'sian car wins top award at UK car event, shows old is still gold

65 percent of the world drives on the right. But why do some countries stick to the left?

Some Malaysian fruit sellers are pricing durians based on the car you drive

Follow Mashable SEA on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, and Telegram.

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Cover image sourced from Flickr / SAYS and Jakon Rosen / Unsplash.

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