First points:

Check the car when it’s clean. Ask the seller to wash the car before you go and see it. Dirt tells a lot of lies.

Check the car during the day. NEVER look at a car at night. If possible, look at it on a sunny day so you can use the sun to check the paintwork.


Examine the car up-close AND from a distance (front and back, and both sides).

Open and close all doors, boot, bonnet, and any panels that can open and shut.

What questions should I ask the buyer/myself? (Remember ask the seller the questions, but answer them yourself with your own eyes and brain):

Does the seller have a genuine reason for selling?

Does it have a full service record of it’s life in Japan? (If it does, check that it’s real and not forged. This is very rare as Japanese owners rarely throw the Service or Owners Manuals in the car when it goes to auction)

If it’s a local car, does it have a full service record of it’s time in Jamrock?

Has the car been in any previous accidents? Ask, but don’t take the seller’s word for it.
Look for yourself!

– Check the nuts along the front quarter panels and the radiator support in the engine bay… Are there signs of those nuts being removed? If so, ask yourself why.

– Check for other signs of engine removal. Has the engine been removed? Why?

– Check the paintwork!!! Check that all the paint on the panels match colour tone and depth. Stand back from the car at a slight angle and run your eyes along the panels with the sunlight and check for any blending marks. Look for ripples, waves, poorly fitted panels and mismatched colors.

-What condition are the tyres in? Are the rear tyres worn a lot more than the fronts? If they are, I’m pretty sure you can figure out what the previous owner’s driving style is like. Remember to factor in the price of replacement tyres into the buy cost.

 

Don’t skimp on tyres or continue to use bald ones. They’re the only things sticking your backside onto the road and saving your life.

Check for even wear marks, uneven wear indicates bad wheel alignment. Another thing you’ll have to fix. More money.

Check the condition of the interior. Does the wear and tear on the steering wheel and driver’s seat match the kms shown on the odometer?

Which brings you to checking the kms. Is this a 1994 Civic with 30,000kms? It’s 2004 now, do you really think the previous owner drove 3000kms a year? Contrary to popular belief, Japanese owners drive their car a LOT, just as much as anyone else.

 

Expect to find in the range of 9000-13000kms per year on the odometer reading. Check that the numbers on the odometer are aligned properly.

Carefully push down on the front bumper and rear bumper and see how the shocks are. Ideally, shocks and springs should be rebuilt/replaced every 60,000kms, but this never happens.

Check for rust. Surface rust is okay and needs to be cleaned and treated with fish oil to stop further growth. Look for rust around the bottom of the doors and fenders, and around the boot area… Basically where water has a chance to sit and gather.

Check that the compliance plate date and make sure everything is okay.

Detailed Checklist:

Body:

Check for bubbles along molding or chrome (indicates rust underneath).

Stand back approximately 10 to 15 feet from the car and see if the car is level.

Interior:

Compare mileage on service stickers (door jamb/under hood) to the odometer reading.

Check the condition of the seats, belts and carpeting.

Check the windows to see if they open and close easily.

Check the brake, accelerator and clutch — should work smoothly, no strange noises.

Check all exterior lights and flashers on the car.

Make certain that the air conditioning blows very cold air.

Check the glove box for the service manual and owner’s manual. doubt it….

 

Engine:

Check for leaks in the Power Steering, Clutch Reservoir, Brake Fluid Reservoir, ABS Unit.

Check the engine belts and hoses for cracks and wear.

Radiator coolant should be a clean, usually greenish (but sometimes blue or yellow) color.

Pull out the oil dipstick. Oil should not be gummy or grayish or smell burnt.

Check automatic transmission fluid, should be clear and reddish.

Check the spark plugs to check for overfuelling, detonation, sulphur deposits from octane booster.

 

Undercarriage:

GET THE CAR UP ON A HOIST!!!! How can you thoroughly check for accident damage if you don’t look underneath the car where the most obvious signs of repair lie?

Look for weld marks, or thick black underbody tar. Welding marks are usually hidden by panel beaters with lots of underbody tar.

Check under the engine for leaking oil. Alternatively, if it has been wiped clean (the bottom of the engine, ie. the sump and crossmember),

ASK YOURSELF WHY!! Who wipes the bottom of their engine? Be VERY wary of clean underbodies.

Check for leaking transmission fluid, power steering fluid, etc…

Check each and every shock absorber for leaks. Shock aborbers are expensive to rebuild.

Look for overspray on the bottom of the car, like the tow hook or suspension parts. This is a tell-tale sign of a respray.

Boot:

Look inside the trunk for an inflated spare tire. Has it been used?

There should be a jack and a lug wrench and wheel chock.

Check around the water galleries for rust.

Pull out the spare wheel and check the boot floor for rust and accident damage/repair.

Take it for a drive:

DON’T SWITCH ON THE RADIO/CD… It will mask any squeeks or rattles the car might have.

Start the engine and check the warning lights and gauges.

Check for normal operating oil pressure.

Check that the steering wheel doesn’t shake above 100km/h (arbitrary value, but choose a high one). If it shakes, it might mean it needs a wheel alignment, or that the car has had horrible accident repairs.

Previously accident damaged cars with suspension damage almost NEVER EVER drive straight and true again.

How does the gearbox feel? Smooth to shift? or notchy and graunchy to put into gear? Any gearbox whine? Any grinding on gear changes?

Might mean worn out synchros.

Drive the car on hills, highways and in stop-and-go traffic.

Listen for noises which could indicate engine problems.

Put the car in neutral and rev the engine. Check for smoke from rear exhaust.

Punch the gas pedal. Does engine respond without hesitation then return to normal?

Check the lights on the control panels. Make sure they all work.

Does automatic transmission shift smoothly?

Clutch should engage and disengage smoothly without grabbing.

Floor it at 3000rpm in 4th gear to make sure the clutch isn’t slipping.

Drive in reverse.

Does car pull or vibrate when driving on a flat, smooth road?

Do the brakes grab evenly and does the car slow down in a straight line? Make sure it doesn’t pull to one side under brakes.

Drive at 60km/h and listen for any unusual noises.

Accelerate to 80km/h, does the front end shake or vibrate?

Drive quickly over a rough road and listen for any loud squeaks or rattles.

Does the car bounce or bang over small bumps?

Check the temperature gauge to see if it shows a high reading

Accelerate hard on an empty road, does the car respond immediately? Try it again. (I like this part)

Accelerate on a hill, does the car respond immediately?

Cut off the engine. Then restart the engine — does it restart easily?