Vehicle Appraisal

[Ken 10]

Hi All,

 

I've decided to give BCA another go. I'd like some advice on how to appraise a car mechanically and what I should be asking the drivers. I'm pretty good now on the body work side, it's just the mechanical side that scares me a little. I went to a local BCA yesterday, but only looked at BCA assured ones, so I only had to check the bodywork. I did end up buying one online as a result.

 

What should I be looking for? Any rule of thumb I should follow?

 

Thanks in advance

 

Kind Regards,

 

Ken

[Sensei 12]

Hello Ken

first thing i do is say hear the car start from cold and get that bonnet up and dont take any excuses from the drivers just up that bonnet and do your checks .. sometimes we have come across the bonnet cable cut on purpose to hide something so the bonnet cant be raised but this is normally on the older cars which we do buy so if in doubt walk away .. as we check for the tell tale head gaskets etc and front end damage .. personally i dont like to see a nice shiny steamed cleaned engine as why? .. to get rid of water/oil from leaks etc also engine management lights etc 

 

if your buying cars in the price we do say £1000 up to £3000 then you are gonna get some problems from time to time .. im fortunate that i do the mechanics for us and have fitted clutches and cam belts etc.

 

personally we get a lot of ebay private sellers as you can really take you time and test the car .. ok our profit margins are not 7 8 900 hundred but good enough to buy private to re sell on

[Ken 10]

Thanks Sensei.

 

never heard of the Bonnet Cable being cut before! Although, I have heard alot of other stories. A local dealer to me, if there is a engine management light on, he simply removes the bulb!

 

I might look in to buying privately Sensei. To be honest, it's not something I've really thought of doing before.

 

I'm not mechanically minded at all, but we have a very good mechanic on the industrial park we are on, just round the back. He doesn't generate work either.

 

Thanks for the input

Hello Ken

first thing i do is say hear the car start from cold and get that bonnet up and dont take any excuses from the drivers just up that bonnet and do your checks .. sometimes we have come across the bonnet cable cut on purpose to hide something so the bonnet cant be raised but this is normally on the older cars which we do buy so if in doubt walk away .. as we check for the tell tale head gaskets etc and front end damage .. personally i dont like to see a nice shiny steamed cleaned engine as why? .. to get rid of water/oil from leaks etc also engine management lights etc 

 

if your buying cars in the price we do say £1000 up to £3000 then you are gonna get some problems from time to time .. im fortunate that i do the mechanics for us and have fitted clutches and cam belts etc.

 

personally we get a lot of ebay private sellers as you can really take you time and test the car .. ok our profit margins are not 7 8 900 hundred but good enough to buy private to re sell on

[Ken 10]

One for got to ask was. If you do end up with a bad car from Auction, how do you dispose of it? Do you stick it back in the Auction in the general section?

[Andy Entwistle 96]

It depends on what age of stock you are thinking of buying. the newer stuff is clearly going to be less of an issue, but from your couple of posts and the fact you've been stung i'm assuming its going to be slightly older stock, so my top 5 tips.

 

• Check the SH for when it was last serviced ( even when its sold with a full service history) , if its due a service you can guarantee a punter will expect it to be done and you wouldn't want to sell it without, so factor in the cost
• Check Warning lights, they are rarely a cheap fix, if they were they would have been done.
• Clutch - ask the driver what it feels like (try and check it yourself), if its on its last legs a diesel a dual mass could set you back quarter the cost of the car  and your profit will have gone the way of the old clutch
• Air Con - NEVER believe that it just needs a gas..... if it just needed a gas up, it would have been done...
• Cam Belt - know the car, does it need one, if so when. Assume it hasn't been replaced unless it says it has !

There is so much more, but that might help you a little...

 

Andy

[Ken 10]

Andy,

 

Thanks for that.

 

I do factor in services, MOT's and Cam Belts normally But its very sound advice, and I didnt do that when i first started. I now always work backwars from the price I would like to acheive for the car. I don;t like touching anything with an EML on the dash. It could be very expensive like you say! I've had the experience of a Dual Mass issue too. Luckily, the dealer that sold it me had it back.

 

I think I'll have a ago on a couple and see how it goes.

 

Thanks to all for the input. I really do appreciate the time taken for your replies too.