It is not advised to purchase a used car which has been in any major accident. The main reasons are that sometimes the repair shops do not use the original parts instead putting cheap substitutes. The air conditioning system often gets damaged in frontal collisions. Heavy frontal collision damages the overall integrity of the vehicle making it less stronger. Because of a collision the vehicle can develop mechanical problems in the future like noisy wheel bearing, wheel alignment etc. The paint job done on the damaged part is not always good and can lead to patchy work.
You can always purchase cars with minor issues like fender-bender or if a body panel has been repainted however do not buy any car with a serious collision history.
1. Body lines
2. Gaps in the body panels
3. Paint job
4. Checking door and hood hinges
5. Find rust
6. Check condition of frame
7. Check if car is flooded
Body lines:
Look along the car. The reflection should be perfectly straight and should not have any sort of ripples and the paint quality should be the same in all the panels.
Here you can see that the reflection of the other car is perfect and this is a sign that the body of the car is perfect and has not been involved in any major accident.
Here ripples can be seen on the body of the car. This is a clear sign that the car was involved in some accident.
Gaps in the body panels:
The gaps should be even along different body panels. If a gap is wide along the top and narrow at the bottom means the car would have been hit at the lower portion. Check the function of the panel like the doors, hood or trunk and see if they work properly.
Paint job:
Look closely for any paint job that has been done. Often it might mean that portion was replaced or repaired because of scratch or accident. These paints might peel off frequently if not done properly.
Checking door and hood hinges:
Check all the doors if they open and close properly. Any problem might show some signs of accident.
Find rust:
Search for corrosion at door's bottom, the floor under the carpet, wheel arches and trunk. Use a little magnet and see if it clinges to these places. If there has been access use of fillers than the magnet won't cling. Generally if you see some corrosion it could also mean that there is higher corrosion in other important parts like brakes and suspension and might require change.
Check condition of frame:
Some cars have a frame especially SUVs, large passenger cars,trucks,etc. Look along the entire frame and see if you can find any rust or damage along the frame. The frame is very important to support the vehicle and any damage here can cause future problems.
Check if car is flooded:
If a car has been flooded,even though it might look good and run nicely it still has a huge chance of developing major issues in the future. The main reason is that water gets into places where it shouldn't and cause corrosion and eventual part failure. Check for any mildew smell. Check for moisture below the carpet. Look for badly corroded parts below the seats. Check the door speakers. Water would have damaged the diaphragm. Also check the history record of the car and see if it shows any signs of flood damage.
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