How you will be deceived when buying a car: 7 secrets of unscrupulous sellers

Even a new car, having barely left the salon, immediately loses in value. You can really save money on buying a used car. But there are risks: fraudsters may try to sell you illiquid assets at an inflated cost. We reveal the main tricks of dishonest sellers and give advice on how not to fall for their tricks.

1. Twisted mileage

Manufacturers often give a guarantee for the mileage for the first 100 thousand km. If it is larger, the chances of selling the car drop sharply. Often, a car is brought from Europe with a mileage of under 200 thousand and it is reduced by five times, simply by twisting the numbers on the odometer. They may even show a service book with fake seals or go through a routine maintenance for the declared mileage before selling.

How not to be fooled

It is often possible to recognize deception with the naked eye. The twisted run is indicated by:

Scuffs and cracks of interior elements, especially the driver's seat, steering wheel braid, gear lever. If part of the cabin, on the contrary, looks newer than the rest, this should also alert you.
Translucent rubber pedal pads through which metal is visible.
Too clean space under the driver's mat - perhaps, the "drowned man" was washed, because usually car washers rarely get there. Too dirty surfaces - the interior was not monitored, as well as the car as a whole (this has nothing to do with the mileage, but still a bad sign).
Washed paint and polished plastic pictograms and buttons in the cabin.
Inconsistency between the mileage indicators in the on-board computer and individual engine control units.

It is also worth contacting the official service center. There they will tell you about the mileage, and the date of import, and about repairs, and whether the seals in the service book are real.

2. Uneven geometry

A dishonest seller who would not like to give a discount because the car was in an accident may remain silent about it. But even after a thorough renovation, traces will remain. After all, if the car has been in a serious accident, it is very difficult to restore its geometry to a millimeter, no matter how hard they try in the car service.

How not to be fooled

In an accident, the gaps between the elements of the car will be indicated: the hood and front fenders, rear fenders and the trunk, as well as the asymmetric thickness of the frames around the doors. How to find them?

You can analyze the gaps from the photo. Open the picture in a graphics editor and use a tool like a ruler to compare the thickness of the gaps on the right and left.
You can also measure the diagonals in photographs of the front and rear of the car: take symmetrical points on the roof of the car, draw lines from them to the corners of the hood and trunk, respectively.
Modern service stations have a geometry analysis service. The computer system scans the car from all sides, measures the diagonals, and double-checks the symmetry of the wheels. The result is given with an accuracy of tenths or even hundredths of a millimeter.

3. Thick paint coat

Buying a car: pay attention to the thick layer of paint

There is nothing wrong with repainting a car. Another thing is when, with the help of such tuning, the seller wants to hide that the car was in an accident. If a color change that the seller was silent about is established, this is a good reason to bargain. And even to refuse to buy, if repainting masks very serious damage.

How not to be fooled

"Not broken, not painted" - the truth of this statement is checked by a thickness gauge. The device is relatively inexpensive, it is possible (price - from 1,000 rubles). Or rent (from 100 rubles per day). How to use it and how to evaluate its readings?

Measure the thickness of the paintwork (LPC) over the entire surface of the body. If the roof was painted, the car may have been in a very serious rollover accident.
The normal thickness of the factory paintwork is on average from 80 to 170 microns. Deviations are possible depending on the brand, so check in advance what the thickness of the paintwork for the new model is - manufacturers provide such information.
LCP 300 microns thick and more is definitely a sign of coloring: for example, they could mask a shallow scratch from the keys. Readings closer to 1,000 microns indicate that there is still putty under the paint. Such a car was in an accident and probably received a strong deformation, after which it was putty in a car service, and paint was applied on top. If the thickness of the paintwork tends to 2,000 microns, it is better not to take such a machine: it was restored piece by piece, and it is impossible to determine how firmly they are connected.

4. Replaced glass and headlights

In the ads they often write something like "All the glass is whole in a circle" and "The headlights are native, not glued." Do not take this on faith: in this case, the seller may also hide that the car was in an accident.

How not to be fooled

When inspecting a car, you should be alerted by these details:

Markings (logo and digital code) that differ on symmetrical glasses (on the front and rear they can be different, but in any case, the year of manufacture should be the same everywhere and coincide with the year of manufacture of the car).
Seals, "accordion" adjacent to the glass or having other deformations.
Different markings, color and transparency of headlights. One headlamp cannot be more worn out and cloudy than another. But keep in mind that on some cars, the taillights are made in different colors (with red and white parts). Also, the color of the lamps and their intensity may not be the same - this is normal.
Headlight mounts of different colors, with traces of glue or soldering. Most likely, such parts were changed or returned to their place after the impact. But if the headlights are not adjusted and shine at different angles, this is not a cause for concern. Such a defect can be easily corrected in place with an ordinary screwdriver.

5. A machine assembled from what was

Buying a car: a car can be assembled from what was

Used cars, especially high-end brands, can actually be assembled from several badly damaged cars. The seller may keep silent about this, but an attentive buyer himself will suspect that something is wrong with a detailed examination. The revealed facts are a good basis for bargaining and a reason to think about: why not buy a newer car and a kiss for the same money? After all, such "constructors" can behave unpredictably on the road.

How not to be fooled

The fact that the car did not come off the assembly line in this form, but became a product of "collective creativity" can be seen in some details:

Side members: Sloppy or thick welds, uneven colors, uneven body gaps. If the side members are stretched, then the car is guaranteed to have been in a serious accident, after which it was reassembled.
Doorways: Non-original bolts that secure the door hinges. We also recommend that you study the edges of the doors themselves: if they are uneven, pointed, then they were probably putty after an accident and then painted.
Bumper: welded seams on the inside. Also pay attention to whether it is hanging straight and if there are any gaps at its edges.

The use of "donor" elements for a car is not always an absolute evil. For example, a single replacement of body elements (fenders or bumpers), door handles and other small parts in themselves are not dangerous and do not affect the reliability of the car.

6. Non-original spare parts

Some sellers are not particularly careful in looking for original parts and are not ready to overpay for them. Therefore, the hoods of their cars are often made as if from foil, and the brake pads obviously will not last long. But in general, a responsible car owner tries to keep the car "in the original": it is more reliable and allows you to keep the manufacturer's warranty. An honest seller will always warn you about what parts are installed in the machine.

It is important to understand that not all aftermarket parts are bad. There are, for example, fake ones, the reliability of which is in great doubt. And there are also high-quality spare parts from proven brands that do not impersonate the Japanese or Bavarian car industry. In any case, the buyer has the right to know what is under the hood of the car.

How not to be fooled

If the seller claims that all parts are original, it is better to double-check. The ideal option is to get to a reliable car service and have the car diagnosed by specialists. This is done at the expense of the buyer and should not raise objections from a decent seller.
Something you will see for yourself: aftermarket brake pads, shock absorbers, battery and other items that can be changed may vary in color and workmanship. Burrs, irregularities, a smeared brand should alert you. If in doubt, find a photo of the original part on the Internet and compare it with what you see inside the car. But if spare parts from Lemförder, Bosch, KYB, FAG, Ferodo or other top suppliers are installed, with which manufacturers and expensive service centers work, you can not worry.

7. Shooting pads

Dishonest sellers change only the torpedo after serious accidents with detonated airbags. At the same time, they do not put the pillow with the pyro cartridge itself - they just fold what is and pack it back.

Outspoken scammers, resellers and people who simply consider themselves smarter than everyone else do not need extra expenses. The buyer will not check the operation of the pillows during inspection. And how can you check them before the accident?

How not to be fooled

Fraudsters will not be able to mislead you if you:

When examining the passenger compartment, determine the location of the pillows by the Airbag or SRS markings. The completeness must match the declared modification.
Compare the color of the caps with these decals with the rest of the interior. If they differ, then, most likely, the pillows fired.
Look at the edges of the end caps. They should fit snugly and evenly, not have chips or other damage.
Examine the chairs near the pillows. There should be no traces of recovery on them.
An indirect sign of the shooting of pillows is the replaced glass. But only a specialist can say unequivocally whether the pillow worked or not. We do not recommend removing the plugs and inspecting the squibs on your own - this is dangerous.

What can you learn about a car from open data?

To find out more about the car, you don't even need to see it: there is information that can be obtained by the car number and VIN-code. For example, you can find out information about accidents, repairs, pledges, restrictions, lack of maintenance, the use of a car in a taxi and other data from official sources.

Why know this

Pay attention to these details about the car - they say a lot about it:

The cost of repairs. Especially if it is calculated in six figures. If the price of the repair is close to the estimated cost of the car, this is a "total" - a car that, in the opinion of the insurance company, cannot be restored.
Number of accidents and repairs. A lot of minor repairs, especially on hull insurance (when you can paint almost every scratch), are a reason for bargaining, not a verdict. One big one (especially in terms of engine or gearbox) is a big risk.
Number of owners. If the car changes owners once a year, something is wrong. Most likely, it consists of hidden defects.
Performing routine maintenance. The owner should not have missed them, especially until the end of the warranty period. The words about the "master - golden hands" who works in his garage and does not give receipts are fairy tales.
Mileage growth dynamics. Compare the mileage marks in the service book and the arrival time. It is suspicious if at first the car covered 20,000 km a year, and then sharply changed to 1,000 or even stopped.
Security deposit, registration restrictions. Such cars cannot be bought because they will not be re-registered.

All this will make it clear whether to spend money on car diagnostics and whether it is possible to buy it at all.

Where to find this information

Some of the data about the car is publicly available on different sites, some can be obtained only for money. For example, on the website of the State Traffic Inspectorate, you will learn by the VIN number the history of the registration of the car in the traffic police, information about its participation in an accident, being wanted and the presence of restrictions. On the FNP service, you can find out if the car is pledged. On the PCA website - information about OSAGO.

Buying a car is not an easy and rather tedious task. It is not enough to find the right model in the right color and package. It is necessary to collect all the information about the car, so as not to buy a pig in a poke. Today, thanks to where there are more than 700 thousand car offers, all this can be done on one site.

The service checks cars not only on state databases, but also on data from dealers. Avtoteka has access to information on 40 million VIN-numbers, and for 10 million of them, the service has unique dealer data on maintenance and repairs. Some of the information is available free of charge, but the full report can only be ordered for money.

However, this is a tremendous saving of time and effort. Indeed, in the report you will receive information about the history and current state of the car: accidents, repairs, deposits, restrictions, use in a taxi and other data from official sources. And thanks to this you will save your nerves.

The Autoteka report is not always a verdict. In some cases, this is a reason to bargain. It's always easier to knock down the price if you know everything about the car. In addition, it is cheaper than ordering information on cars from private (and not always legal) specialists. And much faster than manually checking everything.