Dallas Used Car Inspection Checklist

By Patrick Roberts


Buying a used vehicle calls for caution. As a buyer, you will need to make sure that this vehicle is a good buy. When looking to buy a Dallas used car inspection will involve looking at everything from the body, the condition of the engine to inspecting its underside.

You should start by checking the condition of the body. Check whether it has any signs indicating rust or accident damage. You will need to look for paint bubbles, presence of loose panels and paint color variations.

You need to inspect the doors and the windows. Open each door and window to confirm whether it can open and close with ease. The windows should have all their seals intact. Confirm that all locks are working before moving on to the next item in your checklist.

Take a casual stroll around the car and look at the paint condition. Many vehicle owners will from time to time change the paintwork so as to meet their preferences. As such, you need to check whether there is any sign of over spraying. This is a good indication that poor repair work has been performed on that vehicle.

Once you are done with the exterior, check under the bonnet. Check the vehicle identification number (VIN), engine number and the body number. The numbers you find under the bonnet should match the numbers that have been listed in the vehicle registration certificate.

Confirm the year that the car was manufactured. You cannot always trust the information that has been advertised by the seller. You should look at the compliance and the build dates for more reliable information on when this vehicle was manufactured. You can find this information by checking the panels found in the engine bay.

The engine is the soul of your vehicle. If it is in poor condition, then it means that you can expect trouble from that car. You must therefore inspect the engine oil. If it happens to be grayish or milky in appearance, then it means that something is wrong with that engine.

Proceed to inspect the radiator. An inspection of the radiator will involve checking for corrosion or damage. Ensure that the radiator has not been damaged in any way. Before moving on, inspect the radiator coolant. If the radiator is working properly, the coolant should be bright colored with no dirt in it.

Do not forget to inspect the vehicle underbelly. An assessment of this area will involve determining whether the exhaust system is operational. You may need to start the engine so as to establish whether the exhaust system is producing any noise or exhaustive fumes.

An inspection is not complete without assessing the conditions of the vehicle tires. Inspect the tire treads and establish whether they have any sign of uneven wear. The presence of uneven wear and cracks often indicate an existing problem in the steering or the suspension. Remember to also inspect the engine and the brakes for oil leak signs.




About the Author: