What should be taken into account when buying a used car?

Before investing your money, at least seven aspects should be reviewed to ensure that the asset is in good condition and without legal problems.

Currently, about 80% of the shopping from Used cars They are carried out by people with little or no knowledge of automotive mechanics. In many cases, they offer vehicles with optimal aesthetic conditions, but without complete and clear information on possible structural, legal or mechanical problems that end up influencing cost overruns, loss of property or fraud.

In the current circumstances of economic crisis, with taxes and tariffs that increase the value of a car new up to 60%the options of second hand they can represent savings of between 20% and 50%; but as long as a smart choice is made.

This intelligent choice is based on taking into account at least seven basic aspects:

1. Look at the mileage (key aspect to buy a used car): The average distance traveled annually is 20,000 kilometers (km), which means that if a car A 4 year old with mileage between 65,000 and 82,000 would be a reasonable choice. If it is more than this, it is certain that within a short time you will need corrective maintenance, and other repairs that can be very expensive.
2. Brasswork: A car that has been crashed can bring long-term problems, such as difficulty in chassis alignment or problems finding your balance. That is why it is important to check if the vehicle what is wanted to buy It has not been repaired due to strong blows. The easiest way to evidence these repairs is by looking at the finishes or joints of one piece with another.
3. Driving sounds: taste the car With the radio turned off, raising your revolutions and even turning the steering wheel can indicate if there are problems or unusual noises that can lead to prompt maintenance. Also when walking it is important to listen if there are noises in the damping or when raising or lowering a change. A car that it has no particular sounds indicates that it is in good condition.
4. Revision history: A used car who has fulfilled his periodic reviews recommended by the manufacturer is a good that is worth buying, because it ensures that the condition of the engine is good, otherwise there may again be cost overruns in maintenance and corrective checks.
5. Tire condition: The excessive wear of the tires can be seen in tears of the rubber that they are made of, in the deformation of their circumference or protuberances that indicate the rupture of their internal wires. If the tires present any of these characteristics of excessive wear, it is essential to buy new tires, and that will represent an additional investment that must be added to the price of buys.
6. State of the internal parts: The condition of each part, such as the dashboard, steering wheel, levers, buttons in general and cushioning, is also important to determine how much care its current owner has invested in it and thus assess whether its investment will be worth it.
7. Documents up to date: Make sure the car do not have legal problems due to complaints, traffic tickets or others. It is essential to check the license plate number on the platforms of the National Transit Agency (ANT) or in the transit offices of each city; in addition to requesting evidence that the technical-mechanical review is up to date.

If all these points are met, the investment has a very low risk of generating losses. A very important advice is that if you have little knowledge, or lack of time to delve into and evaluate details, you should turn to a trusted expert or mechanic to avoid problems before the buys. (JS)