How to identify a damaged car when buying

Secrets to identifying a damaged car

For many car enthusiasts, buying a car is not the last thing on the list of joyful events. But the fun after the purchase can quickly disappear if your “swallow” turns out to be not as ideal as its previous owner said about it. Therefore, in order not to spoil your nerves and resources, you need to know how to distinguish a damaged car from an undamaged one.

How to recognize a damaged car when buying second hand

If in your list of friends or acquaintances there is a person who is really well versed in all the details associated with buying a car, and he is ready to help you in a friendly way, great. If you don’t have such a person, then don’t be upset - you need to know a few nuances when buying a four-wheeled friend.

Video on how to recognize a damaged car

Initial examination

So, you have found a car that suits you according to all the criteria that you have set for yourself, be it model, color, year of manufacture, etc. Then we listened to an endless list of its advantages, voiced by its former owner. Now the time has come to objectively evaluate this specimen for a subsequent verdict. So where to start? What, exactly, are the differences between a damaged car and an undamaged one?

Don't shy away from a thorough inspection of your used car.

Perfect Ideal

Chips on the body are common, even if the car has been driven with extreme care. Their usual habitat is the hood, bumper and radiator grille. What should be alarming is the complete absence of cracks, as this will indicate that the repainting was done quite recently.

Symmetry breaking

A crooked body can tell you that the car has been repaired. The easiest way to notice this flaw is in the places where the parts fit together. Moreover, the role is played not so much by the size as by the difference between two such gaps on opposite sides of the car. Naturally, if at first the gap is a few millimeters, and then diverges to the size of a finger, then this does not indicate anything good, but rather the opposite. If the hood and doors are not closed tightly, this indicates a broken body and subsequent unsuccessful repairs. All doors must open and close clearly, without any extraneous sounds, jamming, or snagging parts that they should not come into contact with during normal operation.

A typical example of non-semytricity

Attention! Fasteners

Particular attention should be paid to fastening elements. If you see an unpainted or non-standard bolt, lost or broken fastening clips, then this is a sign that the car was disassembled for the purpose of body repair. If you identify suspicious elements, compare them with similar ones on the other side of the case

Poor quality seam

The process of assembling bodies in factories consists of welding parts together using spot welding and applying a special sealant to the seams. Factory sealant lies smoothly, is perfectly painted and is almost invisible, unlike body shops, where the seam will be rougher and sloppier. Welding areas must also be carefully inspected. Factory welding points are smoother and have no breaks.

Look to the root

Since most customers primarily evaluate a car by its appearance, most of the efforts of sellers are aimed at putting in order the parts that are noticeable at first glance. Therefore, there is no need to be shy to go as deep as possible - into places that have not been refined by the hands of a merchant in the hope of your naivety. First of all, you need to look under the hood, under the floor of the luggage compartment and into the recess for the spare wheel. There are often traces of paint on interior parts and rubber seals located in hidden areas - this indicates that the car has been repainted.

Small, but smart

When you carefully examine the gas tank flap, you can sometimes notice traces, such as ground off bolts or rivets that are not original - this means that it was removed. They do this to select colors and this part fits perfectly: it is miniature and its absence does not affect in any way during movement. Of course, the fact that a car has been repainted does not mean that it has undergone major repairs, but you can ask the owner whether he repainted the car. A negative answer may suggest that he wants to hide some details.

Colorful

When painting in high-quality workshops, along with the target, adjacent parts are also painted for a smooth transition between the original and repair paint. In cheap ones, only the part that needs to be repaired is painted, so it won’t be difficult to notice the transition upon careful inspection. So, to determine color heterogeneity, you need good lighting, a clean body and a unit of vision for the beholder. The difference is noticeable from a certain angle, so you need to look at the coating from different angles.

Even large car dealers can sell a used car

Heavy artillery

It is not always possible to identify obvious defects in a body by eye, especially if you are an inexperienced person in this matter.

and you don’t have a “trained” eye. In this case, various instrumental technical means come to the rescue, from which it will definitely not be possible to hide something.

Thickness gauge

You can accurately determine the thickness of the paint coating using a special device. A large spread in thickness values (for example, 100-300 microns) indicates that the car has been painted. Even higher values will mean repairs using putty. Carrying out such an examination will not be difficult; the device can be purchased for only $25, or you can use the services of a specialist from the nearest auto body shop.

Accurate to the millimeter

If you want to be 100 percent sure that the body is in perfect order, then you can use equipment to check the geometry of the body. This procedure consists of measuring the relative displacement of key points relative to each other and comparing these values with a tolerance table. This operation will help determine whether repairs are required or everything is in perfect order.

Take it or not take it?

What should you do if you find the shortcomings described above? Most of these should not influence your purchasing decision in any way.

Minor repairs when using a car for a long time do not mean that it is unusable.

And the consequences of serious accidents are often corrected by high-quality body repairs. The main thing here is that every noticed flaw is, as a rule, a minus from the cost, and what could be more pleasant.

Miser pays twice

There are several options when it is better not to take any money. Firstly, this is a curved geometry. At best, these are doors that do not close tightly; at worst, it is impossible to set the wheel alignment correctly, which already affects safety. Secondly, this is a constructor - welded from two halves as a result of a serious accident, or for ease of transportation from abroad. In an accident, such a car can turn back into construction parts; in this case, there is no need to talk about the consequences for passengers.

Catching your car's shortcomings in a timely manner will help you save money.

It's OK

What kind of damage should you definitely not think about when purchasing:

Small dents without damaging the integrity of the paintwork
Scratches on bumpers and sills
Bent body kits
A network of minor scratches throughout the body
Painted elements (if the thickness gauge readings are not off scale)

Everything on the shelves

As a result of the above, an algorithm is proposed for finding the differences between a damaged car and an undamaged one.

Search for small scratches on the body; their absence indicates recent repainting
Checking the gas tank hatch for removal
Search for color transitions between different parts of the car
Carefully examining the gaps on both sides of the case
Checking for trouble-free closing of all doors and hood
Welding and sealant quality assessment
Checking fasteners and casings
Checking cavities such as the luggage tray, engine compartment
Search for traces of paint on elements that cannot be painted
If desired, check the car using technical means

Buying a used car is always a risky step, because for some it is a way to make a living, so he will try by hook or by crook to convince you of the excellent quality of his product. But if you are extremely careful and have information, you can quite successfully purchase a used car.

How to find out whether a car is damaged or not, checking the geometry of the body yourself

Are you planning to buy a car and need to have it checked? It doesn’t matter whether the vehicle is new or second-hand: any car can be damaged. Therefore, it is necessary to check the geometry of the car body and other elements. Let's take a closer look at how to find out whether a car is damaged or not: inspection, thickness gauge, bases.

How to find out whether a car is damaged or not

The first step without leaving home is VIN from the seller . Search through free and paid databases, which will tell you everything about the history of the car.

Has it come to a live inspection? Let's take the next steps.

How to identify a damaged car

For a normal inspection you will need :

Keen Eye : You need to be able to see differences in paint shades and differences in gap thickness. Or find a friend with good eyesight;
Your own or rented thickness gauge ;
Extra money for full diagnostics at a service center with connection to the brains of the car and (as a last resort) to check the geometry of the body.

After an accident, the car will be damaged by poor-quality repairs: painting, traces of parts being dismantled, etc. More details below.

The difference in paint shade is very noticeable in normal lighting.

Where and who sells used cars

Damaged cars are sold everywhere : car markets, online platforms, trade-in showrooms, consignment parking lots. Any used vehicle may have a sad history of accidents or crime.

Today it is popular and easy to search for a car while sitting at home at the computer. Minus : the car looks smooth and shiny, even if in reality there are many problems.

Pros : the car can be punched through the bases without leaving the spot.

How do they sell a damaged car from the officials? It’s not uncommon for a car to be bought by a private person after being written off due to an accident. It is restored and handed over to a trade-in, where it will be bought back without a thorough check by negligent acceptance staff.

There are a lot of examples of this, and after buying such a car you will have to give up only through the courts.

Initial inspection of the car upon purchase

Classic first inspection steps in good daylight:

Sit by the headlight and look at the body along the side - the wrinkles will play in the light;
Assess the condition of the headlights : heavily worn, worn out headlights indicate high mileage. If one is more transparent than the other, this indicates a possible accident and replacement of optics;
Look at license plates : license plates get very wrinkled in an accident and are rarely restored to perfection. “Chewed” numbers are the result of a blow;
Compare glass markings : the windows on the car have the same markings. A different windshield is not critical - they are often replaced due to wear and tear according to CASCO.

Severe wear of the headlight is a mileage indicator of 200-300 thousand kilometers.

External violation of gap symmetry

First inspection from a distance: all gaps along the contours of the doors, hood and trunk lid must be the same thickness. Is there a clear difference? The part was removed and put back into place crookedly.

The second inspection is thorough: we open and close all the doors, hood, and trunk one by one. When opening there should be no difficulty, no biting of the door handle or lock.

It should close easily. If you have to hit the door with force so that it closes normally, it could be a violation of the car’s geometry due to an accident.

Sometimes the gaps are uneven on new cars. The higher the class of the car, the less likely it is to perform poorly.

How to check whether a car is damaged or not with a thickness gauge

Next, look at the thickness gauge. To do this, we check each detail in several places:

Indicators within 200 microns;
Indicators for one part do not diverge by more than 30 microns.

Let's look around. Don't forget to open the doors and measure the pillars.

Checking the thickness of the welds

At the factory, the car body is assembled from several elements. This means there are welds somewhere (besides the welding points). Most often under the hood, in the area of the glasses and engine shield.

Open the hood and look at the condition of the visible seams and sealant. The sealant comes painted from the factory in a uniform, even, neat layer .

Smeared sealant painted from a spray can (or with traces of obvious color) is a sign of repair.

Sealing and spot welding

Outbids and cunning sellers hide accidents by polishing the body , neglecting other indicators. Therefore, we take a deeper look at the car.

Feel free to open the doors, remove the rubber seals (they are very easy to put back on), and examine the contours for the presence of factory spot welds.

Its unevenness or absence is a sign of repair or welding of a body part.

With the rubber bands removed, bend the ceiling material down and look inside: what is the condition of the curtain airbag? If it should be on your car at all, assess its condition - often after accidents they are simply cut off or twisted with zip ties and shoved into place.

An example of installing an unrestored cut curtain airbag.

Fasteners: what to watch

The fasteners for the doors, gas filler flap, hood, trunk, and fenders will show whether they have been removed.

From the factory, their mounting screws come under a thin layer of paint - if they were removed and twisted, the paint on the edges will be peeled off, and the edges themselves will be knocked off.

Restored paint will differ from the overall color of the car, non-factory screws will be different from their neighbors. It is extremely difficult not to notice such signs.

Is it critical if the gas tank flap is removed? No, but this is the main detail needed to select paint. It is easy to remove and put back in place. But why the owner chose the paint is a question that must be boldly asked in person. Especially if the car is sold as undamaged.

This is what the screw looks like when it was dismantled: the paint and edges are knocked off. PHOTO: https://www.autode.net

Salon and diagnostics

The interior will not indicate whether the car is damaged, but there is something to check here too:

The condition of the upholstery must correspond to the declared age of the car;
The steering wheel and pedals are without pads and braid, not worn;
All declared electronic components work until the last button;
all the necessary sensors are displayed on the instrument panel ; after starting they go out;
Is there a hatch? Open it up and see if the edge is rusty.

Computer diagnostics will show what the eye cannot see - the history of the car. From the memory of the sensors we find out the actual mileage and whether the airbags deployed.

High-quality diagnostics are expensive. It is better to contact specialists with equipment, experience and license. A regular ELM327 scanner will not help.

Step-by-step check of car body geometry

Body geometry is the correct location of control points on the body of your car. These points are set by the manufacturer; there must be strictly specified distances between them.

What if the audit reveals problems? The car may drift while driving, reducing safety. The main thing is that it is a sign of an accident or long-term use.

Why is it important to check body geometry?

The body is capable of deforming on its own : this is due to bumps, speed bumps, and heavy loads. It is recommended to check the body geometry once a year. If you track problems in time, it will be easier to fix them.

If you run the situation:

the car will not keep the road;
the doors, hood and trunk will become difficult to close.

If there are problems with geometry, it is impossible to set the wheel alignment correctly.

Signs of geometry violation

The first signs of problems : when hanging up, the door jams, the body plays and creaks on potholes.

Worse : the doors don't close properly, adjusting the locks doesn't help.

Bad : the car wanders at speed, the wheel alignment is normal.

Self check

To independently check the gaps and distances, you will need a table of factory indicators between the control points.

Door openings diagonally and widthwise;
Window and rear window openings ;
Distance between glasses under the hood;
The distance between the side members and their length.

Basic distances that you can measure yourself without contacting a service.

How to check geometry in the service

Did your self-check show problems with distances between control points or gaps? You need to take the car to a service station. They will check it with special equipment.

laser measurement systems at service stations : they will show which points have deviated from factory standards and by how much. For example, the right glass moves up and to the left or the displacement of one of the side members.

An example of how such a device works in the video.

How can you restore the geometry of a car?

You cannot restore the geometry yourself without experience. You'll only make it worse. It is necessary to estimate the cost of restoration work and how safe the car will be after repair.

There are two options for work:

Branded services;
Garage masters.

If the technician has extensive experience and good equipment, the price will not be lower than the service work.

A service with a bench for pulling the body will not be cheap, but it will make the car close to ideal.

Let's remember:

Buying a used car from a dealership is not a guarantee of accident-free operation.
Find out the damaged car yourself, especially if the repair is poor quality.
Do not hesitate to ask a lot of questions to the owner, look under the rubber seals.
If you don't have a thickness gauge, rent one.
Does your car have no wheel alignment or problems with clearances? Body geometry needs to be checked.

Any opinions or ideas? Write in the comments, we will be glad!

How to identify a damaged car: 5 signs that should alert you

Purchasing a car that has been in an accident is not in the plans of the vast majority of buyers, but, alas, it is very easy to run into a vehicle with an accident history. Simple methods will allow you to understand whether the car was involved in traffic collisions.

A car's accident history is a factor that can scare off some potential owners more than technical problems. Meanwhile, a broken car is not always a death sentence. It all depends on how severe the accident was and how thorough the repairs were. You are often able to determine the fact of a collision yourself.

“I can show the car in the evening, I don’t have time on the weekend,” after these words of the seller we advise you to politely say goodbye to him. Inspecting a clean (once again, clean!) car is permissible only in daylight or in a well-lit room. Otherwise, you will not see not only traces of body repairs, but also banal chips and scratches - everything will be veiled by dust and darkness. Even if you really like the car, the main thing at this moment is not to give in to a momentary impulse and not make a “blind” purchase, because later you will be excruciatingly painful for your haste. This rule should in theory be known to all sensible people, but we still remind you of it. Just in case.

Alarming shine of the body

Who among us doesn’t want to get behind the wheel of a sparkling car? But when examining a polished copy, you should be wary, especially if the car is not too young, and its mileage is not very low. According to experts, this is one of the main signs that the car was in an accident and then repainted. Of course, this can be revealed using a special device that measures the thickness of the paintwork, but, alas, not everyone has it.

How to determine in 7 steps whether a car is damaged or painted

Are you an ordinary car enthusiast and are not aware of all the nuances of selling cars? Have you decided to buy a used car, but are you afraid that the dealership will sell a used car? Today we will talk about how to identify a damaged and/or painted car and not get into trouble when buying a car.

So, how to check a damaged car yourself?

1. Carry out an external inspection of the body

When visually inspecting a used car, 2 mandatory conditions must be met:

Daylight hours
Clean condition of the car

You should inspect the car from a distance of several steps. Take a look at the body and try to determine by eye the difference in shades in its various parts and elements. It is better to inspect the car in the shade - it is easier to notice the difference in shades, and defects are most visible precisely when the glare of the sun hits them. An unpainted car should have a uniform shade of paintwork throughout the entire body, and if you notice even the slightest defect, most likely the car has already been repainted.

By the way, multiple scratches and small paint chips on a used car are quite a common situation. On the contrary, an unnaturally new type of coating should alert you, especially if it does not correspond to the age of the car.

Advice for advanced people . A special device - a thickness gauge - will help to significantly simplify the procedure for checking the paintwork. It is enough to apply this device to the surface of the car body and move it over it. The indicator readings in all parts of the body must match, and significant deviations in any place indicate a layer of putty, as happens when the car is damaged. If you don’t want to spend money on a thickness gauge, prepare a magnet wrapped in a thin cloth: in those places where it will not stick to the body, most likely there is a thick layer of putty.

We invite you to watch a video on how to use a thickness gauge.

2. Inspect the gaps

It is easy to recognize a damaged car by comparing the width of the gaps between the hood and the fender (they should be the same on both sides). Sometimes an uneven gap can be found at the junction of parts being welded, say, between the fender and the body pillar.

Do not buy a car without checking the width of the gaps in symmetrical places. Also, be sure to open the car doors and rock them a little to check the hinges and any gaps in them. A well-known trick is to listen to the car: if there are any squeaks or other unpleasant sounds when opening and closing the doors. Quite often, after an accident, doors are installed with a slight distortion, and during operation they leave some defects on the car body.

3. Check the optics

Glasses and headlights are excellent witnesses to past accidents. If they try to sell you a car whose headlights are different in transparency, it means that one of them was recently replaced, and it is worth asking why. Also carefully inspect the windshield - usually there is a manufacturer's mark in its lower right corner. If the glass is not marked with the factory logo, this is another reason to doubt that the car is not broken (although, in principle, the glass could have to be replaced for another reason).

The car's headlights should shine symmetrically and evenly. To check their operation, drive the car up to a flat wall and turn on the lights. If the light falls unevenly and at the wrong angle, this indicates that the headlights have been replaced.

Advice for the advanced. Know that every car manufacturer has its own suppliers who supply the plant assembly line with spare parts. If you learn their names, you will always be able to determine which car part is original and which is not. In this case, it will be easy to expose an unscrupulous seller, especially if you show him the logo of a Chinese company for spare parts, say, from a Mercedes.

4. Check the window and door seals

Bend back the windshield and rear window seals to check for any telltale streaks or marks in the paint. If the color of the paint under the seal is slightly different from the main shade of the body, this is normal, but in no case should there be obvious paint smudges under the seals.

Be sure to also check the tightness of the doors and make sure that they adhere well to the seal. If a visible gap remains after closing the doors, this is a likely sign that the body has been deformed.

5. Assess tire wear

Uneven tire wear may indicate poor body geometry. To check this fact, measure the distance between the center points of the front suspension struts. If the resulting number differs from the factory standard by more than 5 mm, most likely the body geometry was disrupted after a serious impact.

6. Inspect visible fasteners

An indirect sign of the painting work being done are the new fasteners supplied to replace the factory rivets and caps. The fact is that when repainting a body, its individual elements are often removed, and during dismantling, fasteners often break or get lost. Thus, the presence of new fastening devices is an indirect sign that the car was dismantled, which means that a damaged and painted car can also be identified.

7. Check the gas filler door

Sometimes a tiny detail, such as a gas tank flap, helps to distinguish a damaged car from an undamaged one. To find out whether it was removed for tinting (color selection before painting), open the hatch and take a closer look at its fasteners. Non-standard or damaged bolts, “non-original” rivets - all this indicates that the gas tank flap, as a compact element that does not affect movement, has been removed in the past and has been in the hands of painters.

In conclusion, we suggest watching a video with expert advice on how to distinguish a damaged car - perhaps this way all of the above will become more understandable.