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| Need Help Building The Ultimate Car Check List | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Sep 8 2008, 02:47 PM (77 Views) | |
| ScoobaJon | Sep 8 2008, 02:47 PM Post #1 |
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When ever I go to look at a new car, I always end up falling in love with it and forgetting half the things i'm meant to check. I then usually end up spending the following couple months or so fixing all the nigelly little problems I could have used to get the price down. Anyway I was think of dealing a few cars on the side to get by while I start an IT business so I started looking for decent checklist. I did a bit of searching but couldn't find anything with anywhere near enough detail so I started to make my own. Any suggestions on what I have missed would be much appreciated. I'll do my best to keep the list up to date. (I should probably say: everything below "Has the car's identity been changed?" was nicked from another guide but most of the above is mine) [dohtml] <table valign="bottom" border="1" cellpadding="2" width="90%"> <tbody> <tr> <td ><b>Body work</b></td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are sills, wheel arches and door bottoms rusty?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are there any uneven gaps between panels?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="25">Look across all of the panels, are any of them dented?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="25">Is paintwork faded?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are there any panels that are slightly off colour?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Do all of the doors/boot open and close correctly</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Have repairs been carried out on the boot? (Check under carpet)</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is there any over spray to indicate a re spray?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Mechanical</strong></td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>All all the strut springs seated correctly</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are the struts overly rusty?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Does the car creak when bouncing the suspension?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are the discs or pads warn out?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Do the wheels look aligned? If the car is lowered, has the camber been set correctly?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is there any sign of wobble in the wheels?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are any of the suspension arms loose?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Wheels</strong></td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>How much tread have each of the tyres got?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is the tyre wear even?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are there any bulges or slashes in the tyres?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are the wheels scuffed?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are they perfectly round?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="32">Are the tyres a known brand?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Electronics</strong></td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Do all the lights work? (Indicators, Head, Side, Fog, Full beam, Dash, Controls, Interior)</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Do the wipers/water jets work?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Does the stereo work? Turn it up loud, do the speakers distort/buzz?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Do all the instruments work?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Turn the key one click, do all the light come on then go off? Double check the maintenance light</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Do the windows go up/down correctly?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Do all the controls work? (fan/heater, A/C etc)</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>interior</strong></td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are there any marks, cigarette burns, rips etc?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Do door and window seals show signs of leaking?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are seat belts worn out? Do they have faulty mountings?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Do all the compartments open/ close?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is there any play in the steering rack?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td><strong>Engine</strong></td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Pull out the HT leads, is there any oil in the wells?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is there any sign of an oil leak? rocker head cover, head, sump, gearbox</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are the fluid levels correct? Oil, A/T, Coolant</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is there any mayonnaise under the oil filler cap (re check after engine has been run)?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td height="26">Are any of the hoses/belts damaged?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is there any sign of welding in the engine bay?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Blue or black smoke from exhaust? (Indicates badly-worn engine)</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Gray smoke from exhaust? (Indicates water leaking into engine)</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is the coolant the correct colour?</td> <td> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><b>Has the car's identity been changed?</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Has VIN number been tampered with?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Have areas of glass been scratched off windows, head lights, tail lights, sun roof?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are windows etched with incorrect VIN ?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Do stickers conceal altered etching?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><b>Test Drive</b><br> (Make sure you are insured for the test drive)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are brakes defective?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Does car pull to one side when you brake?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Do brakes squeal?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are there other unusual noises?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is hand brake defective?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Does steering wheel shake/vibrate?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Does car pull to one side?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is changing gear difficult?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Does gear lever skip when you brake or accelerate?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Does clutch grab or slip?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Does engine sound different if clutch is pressed when car is idling?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is there a strong smell of petrol or oil?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><b>After the test drive</b><br> (Open bonnet and let engine idle)</td> </tr> <tr> <td>Does engine rattle or make other noise?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are there water or oil leaks?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Blue or black smoke from exhaust? (Indicates badly-worn engine)</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Gray smoke from exhaust? (Indicates water leaking into engine)</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><b>Has the car been clocked?</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are mileometer numbers out of line?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is wear and tear heavy, given mileage?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Have pedal rubbers/gear knob/steering wheel been changed?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Does mileage on last MOT certificate contradict mileometer reading? </td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Does mileage on service documentation contradict mileometer reading?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Does mileage when car was last sold contradict mileometer reading? (Check with previous owner(s))</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><b>Is the car stolen?</b></td> </tr> <tr> <td>Does seller say registration document (V5) is at DVLA? * </td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Are there spelling mistakes or alterations to V5?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is watermark missing from V5?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is seller's name and address different from V5?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is number plate different from V5?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is engine number different from V5?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>Is vehicle identification number (VIN) different from V5?</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td>(Check VIN plate, and under both bonnet and driver's seat.)</td> <td width="30"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td colspan="2"><font size="-1">* Seller should have green slip if car was bought very recently and V5 is with DVLA for change of ownership to be recorded. Applies to new V5s only, introduced in March 1997.</font></td> </tr> </tbody> </table> </p></td> </tr> </tbody></table>[/dohtml] Thanks in advance |
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9:24 AM Jul 11