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Lovert Mafukure
The used car market is saturated with all kind of cars. Beautiful cars sold for different reasons. Some are sold for liquidation reasons and some well . . . perhaps the owners just cannot wait to get rid of them, you can never know why a car is on sale.
Oftentimes, a good percentage of sellers will not be honest with you. They will tell you all the good about the car they are selling and conveniently forget to mention the bad, there are two sides to every coin and more often, the hidden side of the coin is the reason they are selling. And that right there, is the reason you need a PPI. This is a pre-purchase inspection — it will bring out all the hidden truths — an honest seller or one trying to get rid of a problematic car.
A pre-purchase inspection is a must-have; this article will show you why you should not just jump into closing a deal before an inspection. It costs a little money but nothing compared to what you can save during the negotiation process or in the long run. If you believe you could pull it off yourself here are some pointers.
The engine would be the first point for inspection. Engines and transmission systems make up the car. If they were human, they would be the heart and the brain. Few people service cars when they are supposed to and poor service or servicing after a long period can cause sludge build up in the engine. A quick check under the oil cap can tell you what kind of engine you are looking at. You can easily tell if you have a broken gasket or sludge build up. You do not want any brown or milky residues under the oil cap; it’s a sign that the engine may need attention in the short-run. You also want to avoid engines with oil leaks — engine work is expensive, especially the one from Japan.
On the other hand, engine smoke tells tales that no one can question. Anyone can claim their engine is the best but the smoke will not lie. There are different kinds of smoke that come out of the exhaust. Different colours mean different stories. I will explain in another article what the different colours in smoke mean. Ideally, when you rub your finger on the exhaust tip, it should be clean. Oily residues mean one thing and it can only be the engine burning oil. Charcoal residues mean perhaps a little incomplete combustion but nothing a little adjustment cannot fix. Blue-black or white smoke signals something amiss, with blue smoke being the one to completely walk away from — it means engine has worn out its internal components.
An engine that has not yet been opened is always better than one which has. Why, you would ask? Some mechanics know what they are doing and some well, they just shouldn’t be trusted. Others pay attention to detail while others just want to get it over and done with. An engine that has been opened is a deal breaker unless you are certain that it was done by a reputable someone. Whenever an engine is opened all gaskets have to be replaced but sometimes perhaps due to unavailability some people just use silicon and it leaves a mess. You can then tell that an engine has been opened when you see the red or blue silicon residues.
With the roads in our country, cars get a lot of suspension damage. Tyres, shocks and bushes all wear out quicker because of the state of our roads. Eventually most of us will start having uneven tyre wear and more often its excessive wear when these wear out. Usually it’s the side of tyre that’s not seen with the most wear. Uneven tyre wear only means you will have to pay more on replacing shock absorbers, bushes and alignment. Other suspension components can also affect wheel alignment and that’s when you need a professional for inspection.
Some luxury cars that come with air suspension like the luxury Lexus models or S class Mercedes can be a nightmare when the fancy gadgetry decides to give up the ghost. Over time the airbags or the air struts and compressors stop working, sometimes due to wear and tear or wet rust or for any other reason. They are very expensive to fix and when they die out its near impossible to even drive the car as the car will just sit on its own tyres. I’m sure sometimes you may have seen some S class Mercedes cars with plummeting suspensions. Naturally, one would sell their car before it gets to that stage to avoid the costly repairs. Slowly you get to see why you should spend a little money on that PPI. it will save you the trouble. Worn shocks and bushes also increase tyre wear and uneven tyre wear. When you start seeing uneven wear, you may want to start walking away because that’s a sign of suspension issues or you may want to start negotiating for a lower price.
Cars from Europe suffer from one thing and that is rust. Rust is a menace, its like an African eating chicken, they just won’t stop until the plate is empty. Rust isn’t easily found but causes a plethora of problems under the car. Whenever rust starts appearing on the surface, imagine the spots you can’t see. The under carriage is most affected and questions the structural integrity of a car whenever its present. I have helped people with European cars that have suffered broken leaf springs and coil springs because of rust. In some extreme case, rust eats away the frame of the car.
Whenever you decide to buy a car from Europe you might want to get a PPI done to ensure that it hasn’t succumbed to rust.
Take note also that cars that are affected by rust mostly are cars coming from very humid climates and snowy areas where salt is used to keep ice off the streets. Some places also in Japan do get snow and the cars suffer the same demise. When you see rust bubbles on paintwork, you can start raising a red flag. Small rust issues can however, be treated if the damage is not excessive. Some parts have to be replaced with new ones altogether. The good thing about having a PPI is that it gives you a negotiating edge having been informed of all the problems with the car.
Some accident damaged cars can be repaired and usually sold. When a car is involved in an accident, it’s never 100% again.
From a little fender bender to a complete wreck, every accident leaves any car less of a car than it originally was. There are people so good at their jobs that sometimes you may never know if a car has been panel beaten. Some jobs can totally fool you and you will believe a car is indeed accident free. A professional however, cannot be easily fooled. Some dents that seem minor can compromise a vehicle’s structure in a way that it cannot be fixed easily or might require a good investment to put it back to shape. We see cars that are out of alignment on our roads, some of them can no longer have their wheels aligned because the frame will be bent. A layman may not be able to see all this but the industry masters have the eye.
Its a good thing that cars now come with on-board diagnostics. They tell you what may be wrong at any given time. All warning lights should go off once the car starts running. You do not want to buy a car with engine warning lights on or any warning light at that. It simply means something will need attention upfront. While still on the dash cluster, make sure that the odometer works properly; many cars have had their odometers rolled back. Any evidence of tempering around the cluster may just point to the fact. A car should also idle correct, perhaps at about 700rpm or so. It should not be a rough idle. All cylinders should fire then you know you will not have problems in the short run.
Remember, used cars are sold voot-stoets, meaning they are sold as they are, as you see them. If after driving for 100 metres the car packs up, it’s your baby — No “reverse” deals. Why not spend a small fortune on a PPI? It will save you the hassles and avoid all these pitfalls. These are some of the basic DIY checks before buying a car. For a thorough check, Get a professional to do it.
Lovert Mafukure is a Japanese Imports consultant. For comments or questions regarding all Japanese imports, spares and all Japanese motoring concerns. You can contact him on Whatsapp/SMS +263772339938 or email [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]>
derick.khumalo