Some tips when buying a used car

Jan 4, 2012, 3:06 GMT

Munich - Motorists looking to buy a used car need to prepare carefully and are advised to take an expert along for advice. After all, a polished exterior may hide a host of technical problems, Germany's main testing authority (GTU) and automobile association (ADAC) has warned.

Once a buyer knows how much he or she wants to spend on what car, it is easy to check into the typical problems of a model by surfing websites and reading breakdown reports released by automobile associations.

However, the experts warn that every car has to be looked at individually. The car might have been involved in an accident, which can be detected by different shades of paint colour and the size of gaps between doors, bumpers and other parts.

Here are some more tips:

- Check the car papers for the service record. More than two owners of a five-year-old car could indicate that this could be a problem car.

- In the engine compartment, check for oil leaks and spots that could be evidence of malfunctioning parts. A super-cleaned engine should also raise suspicion.

- A rust problem can easily be found be lifting the carpet of the boot and checking the area behind the fuel tank lid or the wheel arches.

- Prior to taking the car for a test drive, all the working parts - such as the air conditioning, exterior mirrors and radio - should be tested. When starting the engine, the warning lamps for ABS, ESP and the airbags should light up briefly and then turn off.

- When taking the car for test drive it is not enough to drive around the corner. You should at least take the car on an open road, as defective shock absorbers and other noises only become apparent at speeds of more than 80 kilometres per hour.

- Older cars with low mileage could indicate that the speedometer has been manipulated. Checking the oil-change stickers on the inside of the doors or the service books could reveal the truth.

- If still in doubt, you could take the car to an automobile association for a test. If the seller refuses, then it is obvious that he has something to hide.