Car History<\/b>
\nYou\u2019re in the marker for a new car\u2026you are smart, you check the vehicle history on Carfax. You see the
\nvehicle is free of any accidents, but how certain are you? Many cars are repaired by the customers
\nwithout going through their insurance companies, therefor the damages don\u2019t show up on Carfax or any
\nother report. Before you buy, here are some signs to look for that the car has had some repairs.<\/p>\n
Paint Issues<\/b>
\nUnder the lighting of the used car lot, that cars paintwork can appear amazingly flawless, but that may
\nnot be the case. It often helps to be able to scrutinize the paintwork in a well-lit environment, such as
\nout in the sun, and this is where you will be able to inspect it thoroughly for any inconsistency. Whether
\nit’s just a slightly different shade, a variance of the shine, paint overspray or completely mismatching
\ncolors between the various body panels, it all points to a car that had its bodywork repaired.<\/p>\n
Replaced parts<\/b>
\nIt is not uncommon to replace only the damaged parts after an accident and luckily for you, this means
\nthat there would be obvious signs for you to look out for. A brand-new part on a largely worn and aged
\nvehicle is like a huge warning sign, especially so if it’s the airbag cover (which will often break upon
\ndeployment of the airbags) or the head and taillights, which are most likely to be damaged in a fender
\nbender. In some cases, mismatched or third-party parts are also used in a bid to lower repair costs.
\nTherefore, always verify with the seller regarding such irregularities.<\/p>\n
Panel gaps<\/b>
\nAgain, you are looking for inconsistency. Check all 4 doors and see if it\u2019s harder to close any one door
\nthan the others. You also shouldn’t be able to stick your finger in the gap between the fender and door
\nwhen closed. These gaps should be minimal and consistent throughout the bodywork. After a serious
\naccident, many parts will be misaligned, and getting them back in place is not a simple task.<\/p>\n
Car doesn’t drive straight<\/b>
\nTest driving a new car is all about getting to experience its features, but test driving a used car is also
\nabout determining potential issues. If the car pulls to a side and is not able to track straight, its
\nalignment may be off. In the worst case scenario, it may even be a car that has a bent chassis that is
\nimpossible to be properly aligned. Never purchase such a vehicle without demanding for a realignment
\nto be done, if possible, and ascertain that the issue has been rectified.<\/p>\n
Uneven tire wear<\/b>
\nSo, you went for a spin, the car drives straight, so it must be in perfect condition? Not necessarily. Even
\nif the car does not pull to one side, uneven tire wear could be the outcome of a botched suspension
\nalignment setting. It may also indicate something much more serious, such as a problematic chassis,
\naligned to hide the issue. If the compromised chassis perpetually works against the direction of the
\nwheel, the tires would be experiencing an abnormal amount of forces, resulting in that uneven wear you
\nvisually observed.<\/p>\n
Welding marks<\/b>
\nHeavier hits may require repairs that cut and swap the damaged section and this involves a lot of
\nwelding, which could be noticed upon a closer look under the carpeting of the boot.
\nMost cars have parts that were welded together, so what you should look out for are cutaway sections<\/p>\n
that were stitched together (the boot floor should be a single piece, definitely not joint across the spare
\ntire well), irregular welding marks (compared to other welds on the car) and those on curious locations.
\nGenerally, such cars are avoided as there is no sure-fire way to find out if it has been professionally
\nrepaired, rendering it near impossible to know how well it would hold up in the event of another
\naccident.<\/p>\n
Unpainted surfaces or rust<\/b>
\nStructural parts of a car aren’t usually held together by nuts and bolts. Repair works usually requires
\nsome welding. When welding paint needs to be removed in order for it to be done properly. These parts
\nare usually made of steel, which will rust over time if left unpainted. Repair works on inconspicuous
\nareas, such as in the engine bay, are the prime suspects as it is easy for the untrained eye to overlook.<\/p>\n
Fresh undercoat<\/b>
\nMore common in northern states, which experience winter, cars are undercoated to prevent rust and
\nslowdown the rate of wear and tear. Many local cars are also undercoated either as an option by the
\ndealer or done by a third party. However, if you are viewing an unassuming used car with a fresh shiny
\nundercoat, it might be an attempt to hide repair work that was done to the car.<\/p>\n
Visible creased panels<\/b>
\nThe malleable steel sheets, which make up most of a car, could crease upon the impact of a collision and
\na proper repair job would see to it that the body of the car is straightened as much as possible.
\nHowever, a shoddy repair job might leave concealed areas such as the boot floor or sections in the
\nengine bay still visibly creased.<\/p>\n
Mismatching or missing screws and fasteners<\/b>
\nPop open the bonnet and you would see screws that hold the fenders in place, and these should be of
\nthe same type and of similar condition. Why should you be worried if these seemingly insignificant
\nhardware doesn\u2019t match up? While working on cars, it is not uncommon for workshops to misplace and
\nreplace such screws. Hence, this could be an indication that the fenders were removed at some point for
\nrepair work to be done. This applies to other parts as well, such as the bolts holding the bonnet to the
\nhinges or fasteners, which keeps the fenders splash guards on.<\/p>\n
Even if the car doesn’t exhibit any of the above signs, it would always be a wise decision to seek a
\nprofessionals opinion and get the car evaluated by a trustworthy collision shop. & quote an independent
\nevaluation gives the potential buyer a clearer picture of the car’s condition, allowing him to make a
\nmore informed choice “explains Glenn Ong, General Manager of sgCarMart”. Does this mean that
\ncars involved in accidents should be avoided like the plague? Not exactly, if the damage was minimal, or
\nif the car does not exhibit any of the above mentioned tell tale signs and has been green-lit by a
\nprofessional. It must have been properly repaired, and as such you should be able to purchase the
\nvehicle without much worry.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Car History You\u2019re in the marker for a new car\u2026you are smart, you check the vehicle history on Carfax. You see the vehicle is free of any accidents, but how certain are you? Many cars are repaired by the customers without going through their insurance companies, therefor the damages don\u2019t show up on Carfax or […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":181,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"elementor_header_footer","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[1],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n