Buying used cars: 18 points check list during the test drive

This article is the second part of a series about buying used cars. Read the first part here: Buy used cars: check list before the test drive.

Test drive things to check

1. Check if the engine is cold or not (touch the hood). If the car was parked in the same spot for a longer period of time, check for oil spots on the floor.

2. Does the engine start easy? Do you notice and strange sound when starting the engine?

3. Let the engine run for 5-10 minutes and listen to the sound. Do you notice anything weird?

4. Check the evacuation smoke while starting the engine and while the car is moving. If the smoke is black then it uses too much fuel, if it is blue (sort of), the car has an oil problem. When the engine is warm, no smoke should be clearly visible.

5. Check the oil (the oil level, carter gas) - if the is gas or you can see oil around the oil cap the engine must be repaired (it might not be worth it).

6. Check oil pressure (maximum is the best).

7. Test the acceleration. Is it linear, bumpy, and not powerful enough? Accelerate to 60km/h (40miles/h) then keep it in the 600-100km/h (40-60miles/h) for about 15 minutes. Check the engine temperature while the engine is working in full. It has to be right in the middle, not above. When the temperature goes too much above the middle then you have a problem with the cooling system.

8. Test the brakes (sudden brake and see the reaction of the car).

9. Check the gearbox: is it easy to change gears (with a stick or automatic), does it enter reverse easy, do all the gears work? Do you hear any strange noises, feel vibrations?

10. Check unusual sounds while driving (wheel bearings, poking sounds when in tight turns, vibrations, gritting sounds).

11. Check electric accessories: lights, radio, windows.

12. If at night, check if the luminosity of the lights is increasing when accelerating.

13. Look at the battery, the driving belt, cables, hoses (no cracked belts, old hoses or anything like it).

14. Check the tires to be of the same type/dimensions (they should be used the same amount on both sides of the care and of the tire. If there are different degrees of usage on the interior and exterior of the tires, the car has been involved in an accident).

15. Look at the body - hits, color variations, the line of the car seen from behind, the sides in the engine compartment should not be deformed).

16. Check if the doors shut tight and check the joints, too. If the car was hit, the doors should slam shut, they need to rise before getting shut, you can see welding, crinkling at the joints.

17. Check the serial numbers on the engine, the body, to be similar with the ones in the papers. Check any sign of welding, paint or something similar on the serial number plates that would show any change.

18. Check if the radiator is not broken.

Don’t forget, the first part of this post can be found here: Buy used cars: check list before the test drive.