What do you do to your new (secondhand) cars?

[DannyGartside]

Now then, just wondering if any of you have a set of things that you do to your new (secondhand) car before you start using it in anger...?

I like to replace the windscreen wipers, check the air filter, check the plugs, check the oil etc

What do you tend to do?

Danny

 

[Tfp]

Hi Danny, welcome to the forum.

The first thing I do is take it to my local friendly tyre centre who put it on a ramp to check the wheels aren't cracked/buckled and there isn't any bulges on the tyres that are not easily visible.

One for safety of course, the other is you can go back to the dealer if you bought it that way to get them to rectify it.

The second thing I do is to clean it, my missus doesn't see much of me for two days.

 

[DannyGartside]

Hi Danny, welcome to the forum.

The first thing I do is take it to my local friendly tyre centre who put it on a ramp to check the wheels aren't cracked/buckled and there isn't any bulges on the tyres that are not easily visible.

One for safety of course, the other is you can go back to the dealer if you bought it that way to get them to rectify it.

The second thing I do is to clean it, my missus doesn't see much of me for two days.

Mmm interesting. I never thought about that with regards to wheels. I've not had chance to do my deep clean as yet. Pal of mine is a pro detailer so I'm getting him to clean my hood and then seal it ready for winter

 

[bluesaz3]

Hi Danny and welcome.
You may consider jacking it up and placing it on axle stands ! Please read on

Then take off the wheels and have a good look on the underside and check the overall condition of brakes shock and steering look for rust in the body ,oil leaks and any thing that may not just look quite right may not be .Do not know what your capabilitys are and if not confident ask some one with the knowledge to do so with you.
I would do all of the above as tfp mentioned and make a list as you go its so easy to get side tracked , cleaning is a great start as you will get to know your car inside and out .
A oil filter & fluid change could also be good for the car
Have fun and all the best.

 

[DannyGartside]

Hi Danny and welcome.
You may consider jacking it up and placing it on axle stands ! Please read on

Then take off the wheels and have a good look on the underside and check the overall condition of brakes shock and steering look for rust in the body ,oil leaks and any thing that may not just look quite right may not be .Do not know what your capabilitys are and if not confident ask some one with the knowledge to do so with you.
I would do all of the above as tfp mentioned and make a list as you go its so easy to get side tracked , cleaning is a great start as you will get to know your car inside and out .
A oil filter & fluid change could also be good for the car
Have fun and all the best.

Thanks for that @bluesaz3... I tend to do all my own maintenance etc so I'll be giving it a good look over. It had an advisory at its most recent mot about slightly corroded brake pipes so I'm thinking that's the first job to sort...

 

[mrscalex]

Thermostat and water pump. Always - unless proof of recent change in paperwork history with quality makes.

 

[Geophys]

I always put a complete new set of tyres on, I have no idea of how the tyres have been treated over their life, as I rely on the four postcard size bits of rubber on the road for my life, I just like the peace of mind that they are good. Then it's straight to my indy for a brake fluid change and a brake/suspension check. Basically all of the safety stuff gets done.

 

[TaffZee]

Get it a new MOT, and get them to give you a summing up of the car...That way you have something to approach the seller with if she should fail. Also eliminates hooky MOT's.

 

[Tfp]

Get it a new MOT, and get them to give you a summing up of the car...That way you have something to approach the seller with if she should fail. Also eliminates hooky MOT's.

I do this sometimes when buying a car from a dealer, it gives you cast iron ammunition in court if they've sold you a duffer, must be done quickly though as an Mot is only a picture of the car on the day it's presented.

Dealers should be checking cars over properly so they deserve all they get if selling cars that can't pass an an Mot.

I must confess I've been a nightmare buyer in the past for some dealers.

 

[mrscalex]

I always put a complete new set of tyres on, I have no idea of how the tyres have been treated over their life, as I rely on the four postcard size bits of rubber on the road for my life, I just like the peace of mind that they are good. Then it's straight to my indy for a brake fluid change and a brake/suspension check. Basically all of the safety stuff gets done.

Well fair play. Only a small number of people would ever buy part-worn tyres, most would say they don't want secondhand rubber.

But the vast majority of people will happily drive around on secondhand rubber bought with the car without giving it a second thought.

 

[Sean d]

Nothing, just get in it and give it f***, after a few miles you know its ok

 

[mrscalex]

Nothing, just get in it and give it f***, after a few miles you know its ok

Said in jest I know

But the apparently and otherwise very nice 1.9 I've just started working on turned out to have a thermostat stuck open, what looks like a knackered viscous fan, 2 broken springs, a seized on rear brake caliper, an ineffectual handbrake, wipers that do virtually nothing and a faulty ASC. Not so great driving a car in anger and finding out about those faults for the first time as it overheats, handles badly under heavy braking and leaves you unable to see out of the windscreen in the rain!

 

[Nodzed]

All cars are CE marked. and what does CE stand for? "Check Everything"

 

[Shelly]

I love to give the new ( second hand car ) a good clean inside and out
I let Alan do all the other stuff

 

[Nodzed]

Ooooh yeh remember when top gear did swab tests on second hand cars

 

[DannyGartside]

Nothing, just get in it and give it f***, after a few miles you know its ok

Well that's one way of looking at it @Sean d

 

[DannyGartside]

Said in jest I know

But the apparently and otherwise very nice 1.9 I've just started working on turned out to have a thermostat stuck open, what looks like a knackered viscous fan, 2 broken springs, a seized on rear brake caliper, an ineffectual handbrake, wipers that do virtually nothing and a faulty ASC. Not so great driving a car in anger and finding out about those faults for the first time as it overheats, handles badly under heavy braking and leaves you unable to see out of the windscreen in the rain!

Nice, just the job eh

 

[TaffZee]

I do this sometimes when buying a car from a dealer, it gives you cast iron ammunition in court if they've sold you a duffer, must be done quickly though as an Mot is only a picture of the car on the day it's presented.

Dealers should be checking cars over properly so they deserve all they get if selling cars that can't pass an an Mot.

I must confess I've been a nightmare buyer in the past for some dealers.

I always do it even if private sale, done it with my Z4 seen the car decided to buy it, set a pick up time, phoned Indy and booked it in for half an hour after I picked it up, it passed with flying colours, and I told them to go through it with a fine toothcomb. So knew I was getting a good one. It only passed its MOT six weeks before I bought it, but have always done this. We done this with my wifes current car, paid £7,500 for it from a very well known car dealer, booked for MOT same day we collected, came back with two advisories, one for uneven tyre wear, and leak from gear box, straight back, and they repaired the two items, new tyres and full tracking done, they even gave us a courtesy car for two days, so worth doing.

 

[Grumps]

Well fair play. Only a small number of people would ever buy part-worn tyres, most would say they don't want secondhand rubber.

But the vast majority of people will happily drive around on secondhand rubber bought with the car without giving it a second thought.

Never thought of it like that but you have a good point.

 

[oldcarman]

My car when it finally arrived from the UK went straight in for its safety test and a good look over. Needed tires which I knew and a brake light bulb then took it out and drove the crap out of it until the thermostat packed it in three years later! Once I'm feeling better will change the WP And thermostat. JIM