Ok...check the general condition of the body of the car. ie: look for rust, dents, crooked body lines, overspray (bad paint jobs).
Check the inside of the car for evidence of water leaks. Check the carpet to see if it is dry under the floor mats and behind the seats. Check the spare tire area for water.
Take it for a roadtest. Go through all the gears a few times to make sure that the transmission is in good shape. Take a few sharp turns at slow speeds to see if the axles are clicking. Leave the car to idle for a couple of mins to see how it runs without any throttle. Test all the lights and turn signals while it's idling.
Lastly, but very importantly, closely inspect the 3 Vehicle Identification Number locations on the car. All 3 should be present. Here's some definite signs of a problem:
-The door sticker is scratched off or painted over.
-The dash VIN plate shows signs of damage, or loose rivets. Look for evidence of glue around the plate. It should be securely fastened down with black rivets only.
-The firewall VIN is stamped into the firewall. It is not a separate plate. If it looks like someone has attached a plate to the firewall with the VIN on it, it could be a plate that was cut from the firewall of a different car.
Hope that helps!
Check the inside of the car for evidence of water leaks. Check the carpet to see if it is dry under the floor mats and behind the seats. Check the spare tire area for water.
Take it for a roadtest. Go through all the gears a few times to make sure that the transmission is in good shape. Take a few sharp turns at slow speeds to see if the axles are clicking. Leave the car to idle for a couple of mins to see how it runs without any throttle. Test all the lights and turn signals while it's idling.
Lastly, but very importantly, closely inspect the 3 Vehicle Identification Number locations on the car. All 3 should be present. Here's some definite signs of a problem:
-The door sticker is scratched off or painted over.
-The dash VIN plate shows signs of damage, or loose rivets. Look for evidence of glue around the plate. It should be securely fastened down with black rivets only.
-The firewall VIN is stamped into the firewall. It is not a separate plate. If it looks like someone has attached a plate to the firewall with the VIN on it, it could be a plate that was cut from the firewall of a different car.
Hope that helps!
