Now
turn your attention to the inside. And first off, have a good sniff. Cigarette
smoke? Pets? Open the ashtray for smoking evidence.
More seriously, a
musty or mouldy smell could indicate water leaks. They can be hell to find and
fix. Have a good feel of the carpets right up to under the pedals and under
the seats. Pull them back if you can. Definitely lift up the floormats to
check for dampness. Similarly check the rubbers around the windscreen for mould.
If there's any doubt, find another car.
Seats:
sit on them all, even if you don't intend to sit in the back. The driver's
seat may be more worn, but there certainly shouldn't be any sagging, rips or bad
wear on a car that's supposed to have low miles on it. If there are covers, peel
them back and have a look underneath. Look out for not-so-obvious cigarette burns,
which can turn into rips and tears very quickly.
Try all the seat adjustments including the steering wheel height/reach adjustment to make sure you can get into a comfortable driving position.
Clues
to high miles: whatever the milometer may say, here's a few clues to high
miles. Steering wheel: is it shiny or covered? Peel any cover back and
take a look. Gear knob: shouldn't be shiny and worn, or too new. Pedal
rubbers: a car with low miles shouldn't show much wear. If just the clutch
pedal is worn in particular, it may mean the owner is in the habit of riding the
clutch, straining both clutch and gearbox. Rubber worn through in spots is an
indicator of high miles and if they're all new, it should give you pause for thought.
Instrument panel: are the screws which hold it in loose, scratched or rounded?
If so, the panel's been out. Do the numbers on the milometer line up? An indicator
that it may have been wound back. Are the numbers scratched or painted over? Wear
on the driver's seat is also a big clue - it's more expensive to replace.
Is it covered? Are there many chips on the nose of the car and have there
been an excessive number of owners? Of course, any one of these things
could have a rational explanation, but add up the clues.
Doors: check all the handles and locks.
Sunroof: tilt it and/or wind it back. Jump out and examine around the edges or the sunroof while open. Rust, ripped rubbers or seals could lead to water leaks and annoying wind noise while driving.
Alarm:
if fitted, ask the seller for a demo to see if it works.
