Before you can invest heavily on a used vehicle, you should inspect it from bumper to bumper to ensure that you paying the appropriate price for it. The most important component to inspect when making used-car purchase is the engine.
The engine is the most essential, and expensive part of the car. If you want to buy a well functioning car, then its engine must be in good working condition. Below are some tips that you should keep in mind when checking the engine.
Scan the Car’s Computer
It is very important that the system of the car is functional. Thus, when you first come across a used car, the first thing you should do is get inside the driver seat with an O,,BD scanner and use it to run a car scan. This inspection method is critical, as the scanner can tell you more about the car than you can ever find out by yourself.
The OBD scan ports are typically under the driver side steering wheel, and once you spot one, all you have to do is stick the scanner inside. After plugging it in, you can start the car and observe the readings on the OBD scanner application. If there are any faults in the sensors and system of the car, the application will send out a display warning to you.
Check under the Hood
After you have scanned the car for any faults, you have to pop the hood open and check the engine. Initially, you want to check make sure that the engine is clean and do not contain accumulated debris and dirt as they can be clear red flags.
Furthermore, you should also look for any obvious damage or leaks that can be problematic after you own the car. Another suspicious sign to look for is an overly shiny and clean engine. This signifies that the previous car owner has tried hard to mask a problem in the engine by making it extra clean.
Fender Bolts and Core Support
A side aligned fender bolt that frames the engine needs to be straight from where it bolts up to the core support. Next, follow the core support that runs along the engine with your hand and make sure that is not creased or bowed.
You can also move on to the bumpers by moving your inspection a little lower. The bumpers are the most common components that will have some sort of damage. Looking inside the bumper will expose you to the frame that the bumper sits on. You want to make sure that the frame is not damaged as well.
Along with paintjob, the engine is one of the components that should make or break your deal with the person selling you their car. Even the smallest leakages in the tubes or pipes can make the car vulnerable to an expensive repair.