How to Tell If A Used Car Has Been In an Accident

If you are like me then you don’t enjoy the process of buying a used car. I enjoy driving it, but the whole process of bargaining and looking at several cars isn’t enjoyable to me. I hate trying to guess whether what the seller is telling me about the car is true or not. Unfortunately we have to drive cars and we all have to buy used cars throughout our lives.

We have all seen the used car ads in the paper for a car that is really cheap. We call the seller to find out that the car has been totaled and has some major problems. Thus the cheap price!

In this case it is easy to see that this car is probably a lemon and has some serious frame damage. On the other hand there are several cars that are not so obvious; yet if you buy them you are getting a bad deal for sure. That is unless the seller is practically giving away the car.

If you suspect that the car you want to buy has been in an accident or has been totaled check the title. It is law in most states for body shops and insurance companies to report it if a car has experienced so much damage that it is totaled or salvaged. If the title is clean and you are still not convinced then keep reading to find out how you can tell if the car is a solid car to buy or not.

Tell tale signs that will show if that particular car has been in a serious accident is quite easy to see. Fist thing to check is all brake lights and any type of accessories that are connected to the car but are not the color of the car. What are you looking for? Paint! That’s right, many times if the car has been in a fender bender when they repaint that part there will be a little bit of over spray on the light covers or mirrors.

Another method to use when trying to figure out if a car has been in an accident is the lines where the pieces of the body come together. If the gap between the parts is perfectly parallel the entire seam then the chances are that it hasn’t been in an accident. If all of these lines are parallel then the car is sitting straight and shouldn’t have any major body, or frame damage.

In all your investigating don’t forget to do the obvious and ask the owner about the car. Many times people selling the car are very honest and will tell you every detail. Remember that you are in control and they have to answer all of your questions. Many times you can tell if they are hiding something by asking some simple questions. If they are hesitant and a little shaky, then walk away. There is a better car just down the road with a seller that will tell you everything that you want to know.

I recently was looking at a used car. I immediately noticed the spray paint on the brake light cover. After that I could much more easily see that this particular fender was a noticeably different color. I asked the seller if the car had been in any accidents. He said, “oh you know nothing major just the normal scrape here and there.” Hmmm, I don’t know if I believe that response. That is a easy way of not lying, but not telling the whole truth. Needless to say, I didn’t buy that car!

I hope that you will take these tips with you when you buy your next used car. Buying cars is something that we all have to do, and is most definitely a part of our life. So, be smart and enjoy the process. Do you homework so that you can drive a car that you know is in good condition and that you can be proud of.