If
you're still interested in the car after checking it over, ask to take it for
a spin. This is an essential part of the process - many problems will only
be evident when on the move.
But first, think if you are insured to
drive a car not belonging to you. Have you checked? Dealers will use trade
plates to insure you, but if you're buying privately you must be
insured. Also check that the car's roadworthy - it must have tax and MOT.
It's very important that you drive - it's essential to get a feel for the car and to detect any problems. Plan to spend at least 20 minutes behind the wheel to allow enough time to check the engine's cooling system and performance.
Comfort: make sure that you can get into a comfortable driving position, you can reach all pedals and controls without straining and the displays are easy to see. Some seats fit some people better than others - ensure this car suits you. Check visibility - can you easily see all around you?
Dash lights: first only turn the key far enough to make the dash lights come on. Check they all come on or flash and all the gauge needles move. If they don't, a bulb could have blown or even been removed to prevent a buyer being alerted to a problem.
Starting:
have a friend stand to the rear of the car with a view of the exhaust pipe to
watch when you start. This is most effective when starting from cold. Thin white
mist at starting is only moisture burning off. But if dark blue or black smoke
comes out on starting or, worse, every time you rev the engine, oil is getting
where it shouldn't in the depths of the engine. Walk away immediately.
How well does the car start? If it needs a couple of tries to get going
then it at least needs some minor work on its engine electrics. If the starter
motor sounds at all sluggish, the problem could just be a low battery or it could
be the motor itself. Does it keep running smoothly once started?
Also check the dash lights all go out once the engine's running. Lights staying on are normally bad news.
Electrics: now test the toys. Let the engine idle and methodically test every switch, button and lever. Stereo: test the radio reception and try loading, playing and ejecting a CD or tape. Heater: turn it on full blast and see how hot it gets and how quickly, and also that it blows cold. Move the levers to check the air vents move and feel to check the air is coming out where it is supposed to. Check the windscreen demist function in particular. Air Con: turn it on at cold with the fan set at medium speed. A healthy air conditioning system should produce noticeably cold air within a few minutes. Keep it running while you road test the car. Be wary if the air turns from cold to warm and stays that way. While the problem might well be minor, it could mean a hefty repair bill in the near future. Seat heaters: turn them on and check they warm up.
Steering: before moving off, turn the wheel right and left. Is the power steering operating smoothly? Can you hear any groans from the power steering motor? You should feel almost no play in the wheel before the tyres start to turn.
Once
underway, the car should respond quickly and neatly without lots of steering wheel
motion. At normal speed, the car should maintain direction without constant steering
corrections. If the wheel vibrates at speeds over 40mph, there could be a problem
with the tyre balance or wheel alignment, which is easily fixed, or the suspension,
which may not be. Look for tell-tale signs of causes of suspension damage like
dents in wheel rims. Likewise, if the car constantly drifts to one side, it could
just be that a tyre is underinflated, or a more serious suspension problem.
At some point, pull the car into a car park or similar open space and drive
the car slowly around in a circle, with the wheels at maximum lock, in both directions.
Listen for any clonking, banging or knocking from the front or through the steering
wheel.
Engine: it should idle smoothly without surging or spluttering
and accelerate from standstill without bucking or hesitating. When you accelerate
up a hill, you shouldn't hear any pinging or clunking. Once warmed up, visible
smoke from the exhaust when you rev it means the engine's tired, especially if
it's blue-tinged in colour.
Clutch: if there isn't at least an
inch of play at the top of the pedal's travel, the car may soon need a new clutch.
Do the 4th gear test: put it in 4th and try to pull away. The car should stall.
If it doesn't, the clutch is worn. When travelling at about 40mph in 4th, accelerate
hard to see if the clutch slips. Does acceleration match the revs?
Gearbox:
with an automatic box, don't confuse smoothless with slippage. When you accelerate
there should be no hesitation between the engine's acceleration and the car's.
If there is, it's a sure sign of wear and expensive to fix. When changing between
automatic gears, reverse to drive for example, the car shouldn't jerk and there
should be no clunking or heavy noises. Don't forget to check the kickdown works.
With a manual gearbox, there should be no grinding of gears or difficulty
getting the car into gear with the pedal fully pressed. If the car jumps out of
gear at any time, walk away, because there'll soon be big bills.
Brakes:
find an empy stretch of road and test the brakes. Remember to warn your passengers!
From a speed of around 45mph, apply the brakes hard. The car should stop straight
and quickly, without vibration or pulling to one side. The pedal feel should be
smooth and stopping the car shouldn't take huge effort. If the car needs heavy
pressure on the brake, if not a fluid leak it could mean a faulty brake servo.
Another expensive repair.
Anti-lock brakes (ABS) will transmit a rapid
pulsing feel through the pedal when you push hard. You may need to find a wet
piece of road to test the ABS properly.
Try two or three stops - the
car should stop straight an easily each time. Then pull into a safe area, stop,
and step firmly on the brake pedal for 30 seconds. If the pedal feels spongy or
sinks to the floor, there may be a fluid leak in the braking system.
Look, listen & feel: at a steady speed on a smooth road, note any vibrations.
You shouldn't feel any shuddering through the steering wheel, dashboard vibrations
or see shaking mirrors. Try also to find a bumpy stretch of road - you are looking
for a well-controlled and quiet ride. If the car bounces and hops a lot on routine
bumps, it may mean the car needs new shock absorbers. Listen for a constant humming
coming from the back which changes pitch with your speed. That'll mean expensive
new wheel bearings.
Watch the gauges: keep an eye on the fuel,
temperature and oil pressure gauges. Are they working? Are they reading normal
levels? Watch the mileometer - is it turning? Do any warning lights come on while
you're driving?
Let the owner drive you back: take this time to
concentrate more on what you hear - rattles, squeaks and vibrations. They're annoying
to live with and difficult to track down and fix.
Drips
& leaks: when you park again, let the car idle for a bit and check it
idles smoothly and doesn't overheat. Listen for the electric fan cutting in to
cool it down.
Take another look underneath at the front. Don't be alarmed
if you see some water drips on a hot day. A bad sign would be any oily, green
or pink drips or leaks falling onto the road. Is there any smoke coming from the
exhaust?
If you have a successful test drive, next look over the car's paperwork and service records - click below
