How to perform a Car Walk Around

Before buying a used car from a dealership, make sure to do a full walk around of the car. This is a physical inspection of the car interior and exterior. Here we have noted some major checks that you should carry out before agreeing to purchase the car. If needs be, hire your car mechanic for an hour or so to check them through with you.

Exterior

Tyres uneven - tyres should not look uneven on the car, you might end up paying for another wheel. Also check the tread of the tyres, the tyres should not be bald!

Open all doors of the vehicle and close them - The doors should shut with no difficulties, otherwise the car may have been involved in a previous accident and have either not been repaired properly or not been repaired at all. Also inspect the hinges and door latches, they should not have rust or damages on them which would affect the cars ability to open or close the doors in the future.

Scratches - most scratches on cars are cosmetic, however if you notice a deep scratch on the car this could be the first signs of an underlying problem of rust underneath the paint which could signify that the car has had accidental damage in the past.

Check the headlights - turn them on. If they appear cloudy, this could mean that there is moisture behind the headlight which might mean a replacement headlight is needed.

Check windshield - the windshield should appear smooth with no scratches, holes or damage. If there is you would have to replace the whole windscreen.

Open the engine compartment - start the engine and listen to the sound it makes. If there is a constant vibration, this could mean that the there is a problem with the engine mount.

Check the oil - check the oil dipstick, use a rag to wipe off any excess oil. If there is any residue that should not be in there or if the oil seems full of debris than this could mean that there is a problem in the tank and that it is damaged. (very costly to repair!).

Cables should be connected properly - make sure all of the cables in the engine compartment are connected firmly, loose wires indicate problems to come.

If possible, take a look under the car - check the chassis, brakes, engine and exhaust pipe for any damages or rust - no fluids should be leaking from the car.

Interior

Check the seats - are the seats in relatively good condition? general wear and tear is normal, but the condition of the car inside is normally reflective on how it has been treated on the outside. Check all other cosmetic damage you notice to make sure that it will not be a major problem in the forseeable future. Also make a note of the damages so you can try and negotiate a better price based on your observations.

Move the car seat forward and backwards - make sure that the seats move with ease in either position, also test the recline of the seat so you know you are able to adjust the seat should you need to.

Check that all of the buttons and switches inside the car work - including fog lights, parking brake light, oil light etc. Make sure that the engine light is not on, otherwise there could be a problem with the engine.

Leave the engine running for at least 20 minutes, step on the gas to see how many revs it can manage and whether it causes the car to overheat.

MAJOR RED FLAGS (We advise you to walk away immediately if you see any of the following happen):

• Blue smoke coming out of the engine
• White residue around the oil cap.
• If the car makes an unusual noise or vibrates when the engine is switched on.
• If the car stalls after 20 minutes of the engine running.
• Unusual behaviour or noises from the car.
• If the car salesman is adamant that you buy the car today - this could involve you feeling pressured to buy something that you are unsure about, don't do it, ask yourself why are they so eager for you to purchase this car today and no other day? It could be a fairly innocent reason such as they have a quota to make for example, but it could also be because the car is bad news and they will say things like "this car will be sold tomorrow at this price if you don't get it now", etc. to trap you into impulse buying. Be wary.

Keep your wits about you and always trust your instincts. As we have said before in this post, take your (trusted) car mechanic with you if you are unsure of what to look for. Hopefully after this post you will have a much clearer idea of what to check for when buying a used car from a dealership or even a private seller.

Please feel free to add any further comments that could help others with a car walk around. Thanks in advance.