If you're looking to buy a car, don't go any further without reading these 5 points first, as they could be the difference between you buying a poor and a great car.
1. Take it for a proper test drive - one of the most important things you can do when buying a car is to take it for a proper test drive. Don't just drive it back and forwards in the showroom or don't just spend a few minutes driving around the block. Instead, take the car on a 30 mile per hour road, a 60 or 70 mile per hour road, turn corners, complete a turn in the road and reverse.
It might seem more laborious than fun, but you'll notice anything unusual by carrying out a full and proper test drive.
2. Get out whilst the engine is idling - after you've took the car for a test drive, park up and whilst the engine is still running, get out of the car and have a walk around. Listen to the rear of the car to see if any strange noises are coming from the exhaust and listen in general for any rattles.
It would also be recommended to check all of the lights at this point as although a full set of bulbs would only cost you a few pounds, it's the hassle of having to replace them - and the fact that if you drove it away that day and a bulb wasn't working, you could be pulled over by the Police.
3. Look under the bonnet with the engine idling - when you've had a walk around the car whilst the engine is idling, flip the bonnet and have a look at the engine. If you know what you're looking at, great. If you've only ever checked your oil or topped your water, however, don't worry - take a look at the engine for a few moments and see if there are any noticeable knocks, hisses or leaks. They may be normal or nothing major and easily repairable, but it's always worthwhile pointing them out and asking.
4. Get in the back - whilst you may be driving the car whenever you're in it, it's still important that you check the back seats. Major problems don't often appear, but by sitting in the back you can notice a whole range of issues, from dirty upholstery and uncomfortable seats to poor rear suspension.
5. Check the tyres - there are two reasons for checking the tyres. Firstly, it's to see how soon they're going to need replacing. Whilst they will have full tread on them if you head into Maserati dealers and buy a brand new car, head to a second hand dealership and you need to take a close look.
By law the car tyres have to have at least 1.6 millimetres worth of tread on them - anything less and aside from being at risk of being pulled over by the Police, you're putting yourself in danger as your car will struggle to grip the road properly.
The second reason for checking the tyres is to see if there's any fault with the car's alignment, as this can be expensive to fix (not only for the realignment process, but for the tyres, too - buy a car from Maserati dealers and you're going to be looking at over 100 pound per tyre at least).
The easiest way to see if there are any problems is to check the tread on the tyre and how it's wearing down. If it's wearing down the same across the tyre, everything is likely to be OK. If it looks like it's wearing down quicker on one side, chances are the car has an alignment issue.
Author Resource:-
Jardine Motors Group UK operates a large portfolio of specialist franchises of the world's most prestigious marques, including Maserati dealers.
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