How to Inspect a Used Vehicle Like a Pro Before Test-Driving One

Are you in the market for a quality used vehicle? We have several outstanding selections, including certified pre-owned vehicles that have been reconditioned to be in as close to new condition as possible. 

We encourage you to take the car, truck, or SUV you’re interested into an independent mechanic to fully evaluate the vehicle ahead of buying one. It never hurts to do a little deeper digging before that happens to make sure you really want the vehicle. 

Our guide will teach you how to inspect the vehicle like a pro and give you some quick things to look over. But we don’t mind if you take it to your favorite mechanic for a closer look!

Inspect the Body Condition

An accident can reduce the value of a vehicle by anywhere from 10 to 50 percent, depending on the severity of the damage. Inspecting the body condition of the vehicle can tell you a few things. 

First, a quick glance at the body condition will tell you if any dents, scratches, or dings are present. If there are, that’s probably not a good sign. Look at the hood, trunk/back, sides, fenders, bumpers, and the roof. Put your eyes at the level of the surface you’re inspecting. For example, crouch down and look at the length of the vehicle on one side and then the other. If you see any imperfections, they will show up as a ridge or dimple. You might not be able to see these things from a straight-on view. 

Look for places where the body panels aren’t even, especially where two body panels meet. If they look off-kilter, that’s a sign the bodywork from a previous wreck wasn’t completed properly. For instance, look where the doors close. They should be even with the panels on both sides of the door. 

Open and close all of the doors. They should work as you expect. They shouldn’t get stuck when you try to open them. They should also close easily and without applying excessive force. 

The hood and trunk/back cargo areas are two other places to look at closely. Both, like the doors, should open and close as you expect them to. As you open these places, there should be no squeaking or creaking. The doors, trunk, and hood should not make noises aside from the mechanisms moving to do their jobs.

Check All Five Tires

Yes, we said five tires because we also mean the spare. Look to see if all four tires are in similar condition. Are all of the tires the same brand? If not, ask why there are some that are different. 

Look at the treads to see if the tires have even wear patterns. If the wear is not even on all four tires, something might be off with the alignment or the wheels. 

Check to see where the spare tire is. Look at the owner’s manual and compare the recommendation versus the spare tire you see with the vehicle. You don’t want to be broken down on the side of the highway with the wrong spare tire that won’t fit your wheels.

Use a penny if you suspect any of the tires don’t have enough tread depth. If you can see all of Lincoln’s head, then the treads are too shallow.

Examine the Exterior Lights

The headlights and taillights are absolutely critical to your safety and the safety of others on the road. Turn on all the lights to see if they work properly. Have a buddy stand behind the vehicle to see if the brake lights activate when you hit the pedal. Your buddy can do the same for the turn signals and looking at the bright versus ordinary lights. 

Even after you see if the lights work properly, look closely at them, much like you did with the body of the vehicle. You can see if there are any chips, cracks, or imperfections in the light covers.

Inspect All of the Vehicle’s Glass Surfaces

This means the windshield, windows, and rear window. Look for chips, cracks, dings, or very small imperfections. These can get worse over time due to temperature changes and humidity. Roll the windows up and down to see if they work as you expect. 

Take a Seat

We don’t mean literally taking a seat from the car. But we do think you should sit in every seat. 

Start with the driver’s seat, of course, because you’ll be the one driving. Can you adjust the driver’s seat to meet your comfort standards? Does the driver’s seat adjust manually or electronically? Can you easily reach all of the dashboard controls, steering wheel controls, and infotainment screens?

In the back seats, make sure they feel comfortable, and the legroom is adequate for your needs. Test the second- and third-row seats to determine if they fold down properly.

For all seats, look over the upholstery for stains, discolorations, holes, or damage. Is the upholstery clean? If it’s not clean, can it be cleaned easily? 

Test the Dashboard, Infotainment & Electronics

Before taking the test drive, turn on the accessories for the vehicle to test out the dashboard. Do the lights come on as the car tests its systems? Do you see what you expect when looking at the instrument cluster, either analog or digital? 

Turn on the audio system. Change the radio stations, test the volume, and examine the functionality of the CD player. 

Can you connect your phone to the infotainment screen? Does it connect wirelessly through Bluetooth or a hardwired connection? Once it is connected, test the functions on your phone within the infotainment screen of the vehicle. 

Does the car have in-vehicle navigation? See how this system works while you’re driving. Input a destination for the navigation to understand how it helps you reach the destination.  

Activate the HVAC system after you start the test drive. Turn the air conditioning on and turn it to recirculating, high, and cold. See how cold the air gets. Then, go the opposite way for the heat and see how hot it gets. Do you smell any odors coming from the vents? Do all vents have the right amount of air coming out? Test the functionality of the vents by opening, closing, and turning them.

Take Some Deep Breaths

While inside the car, breathe in deeply through your nose. Do you smell anything other than a new car smell? If there is mold, mildew, or smoke, that might be an indicator of problems. 

A strong air freshener smell might cover up something. Every used vehicle you inspect should be thoroughly cleaned, from top to bottom, inside and out, just like every used car, truck, and SUV at Thompson Sales. 

Pop the Hood to Look at the Engine

There are several things to look for when you pop the hood to look at the engine. Of course, this is for gasoline-powered vehicles and not pure EVs.

Look for leaks or fluid coming from any components. You might see glistening, slick spots if you see a leak in the engine. Cover your finger with a tissue and then put it on that slick spot. What color is it? Brown could indicate motor oil. Clear or yellow could be brake fluid. Yellow or orange might be coolant. Blue or purple may indicate windshield washer fluid. 

Check for corrosion or wear around electrical wires and hoses. Corrosion could be in the form of rust, a color that’s different from the surrounding material, or some powdery substance. The most common corrosion happens at the battery terminals, where the positive (red) and negative (black) wires connect to the 12-volt battery. You might see a white, light-blue, or light-green powder if corrosion is present around the battery wires.

Examine the belts and hoses. The belts should be new and without any cracks. None of the belts should be brittle. Hoses should be attached firmly to various components of the engine. Nothing should be loose in the engine when it comes to the hoses.

Look Under the Vehicle

Examine under the vehicle, both the front and rear. There should be no leaks or fluids dripping from the engine or the rear. If the vehicle was driven recently, you might see some condensation, in the form of water, dripping from using the air conditioner. That’s normal, and it should be the only liquid you ever see coming from the bottom of the engine compartment. 

Any other fluid leaks are signs of something bad. Leaking oil, transmission fluid, or coolant can be signs of a significant problem.

Check the Exhaust

The exhaust system shunts the dirty air after the spark plugs ignite the gas in the combustion chambers. Normal exhaust has no color, slightly brown, or a light blue tint. That indicates the engine is working normally. You might see white exhaust on cold days as the engine burns off some water vapor.

However, if you see these colors for exhaust smoke, these indicate a problem with the engine:

Sweet-smelling white smoke could mean a bad head gasket or cracked cylinder head.

Black smoke might be a problem with a clogged air filter, a malfunctioning fuel injector, a vacuum leak, or a bad engine.

Blue-gray smoke happens when engine oil gets into the combustion chamber. You might need a new cylinder or gasket.

Shop for a Quality Used Vehicle at Thompson Sales

All of our used vehicles are quality selections, including the ones at bargain prices for under $20K. We’d love to help you drive home with your dream car, truck, or SUV. Contact us or call (417) 763-6811 to schedule a test drive with our team. We’re happy to help in any way we can!