Car accidents happen hundreds of times every day, and sometimes cars are repaired under-the-table without having been reported. Some cars get squashed while others are sold for scrap, but there are also those that can get repaired and put back on the used car market. For this, it’s important know some methods to check a used vehicle to see if it has been in an accident.
The ability to assess past damage can help you determine the real value of a car to further determine whether or not those damages can have an effect on the car in the future, and also, most importantly, it can help you determine whether the car is safe or not. Here are a few simple ways you can inspect a car for past accidents and damages using nothing more than some investigative prowess and couple of your senses.
Method 1 of 1: Use a car report and thoroughly check the vehicle for anything that doesn’t seem right in the paint and the body
Step 1: You should always check the Carfax report first. When you go car shopping at a dealership, they should have an up-to-date report on hand for you to look over. If you’re buying a car privately, the seller may not have a report. Either request one, or get one yourself. This report will show you a complete documented history of the vehicle in question including claims, accident reports, maintenance, lien information, fleet, flood damage, odometer tampering, and more. This report can give you a great idea of what to look for if you go to see the vehicle.
Step 2: Inspect the paint all around the car. Start by looking for more obvious damages like cracks, dents, and scratches, and then work your way down.
Stand at a distance and check different parts of the car to see if the paint color matches all the way around. If it doesn’t match the car most definitely had some work done.
Get closer to the vehicle and crouch down at an angle to see if the reflection is smooth. If the reflection is uneven or blurry, it was probably repainted. In this situation, also lookout for is peeling clear coat. If there was a sloppy paint job, you might see drip.
Step 3: Take your hand and feel the paint. Is it smooth or rough? Paint from the factory is almost always smooth because it’s done by a machine, and it’s impossible for a person to replicate it.
If you see some textural differences in the paint (usually from sandpaper), you will probably be able to feel them, too. If there are rough spots from paint or body filler (or both), this requires further inspection and questioning.
Step 4: Check for overspray. If you see and feel rough paint, open the doors and check for overspray. There is never overspray on a new vehicle because the parts are painted before they’re assembled. If you see paint on the plastic trim or wiring, it is possible evidence of body repair.
Step 5: Check under hood. Check under the hood and look at the bolts that connect the hood to the hinges, and the fenders to the body. The bolts should be completely covered in paint, and there should be no marks. If paint is missing, it’s likely that the car was repaired.
Step 6: Check the body panels and see how they fit together. Are they flush with the doors and frame? Are either of the bumpers loose? If anything seems offset, there is a good chance repairs were done. The best thing to do in this scenario is to check the opposite side for differences. If both sides do not match, this is an obvious sign of repairs.
Step 7: Check the windshield, and all the other windows, as well. Are they chipped, cracked, or is there any webbing? How well do the side windows fit into the frame when they’re rolled up? Anything other than a perfect fit could be a sign that there was an accident.
Step 8: Another good inspection is to check the lines of the car. The body lines must be perfectly straight, and the best way to check them is to squat down to inspect them at eye-level. Look for dents or bumps that indicate body work was done, or that dents were hammered out.
Step 9: Check the car for rust. A little bit of rust on the body is sometimes not a big deal, but once the corrosion process begins, it’s very difficult to stop. Check for areas under the car and around the edges where rust might exist. If you see signs of repair from rust damage it will be obvious and very rough. In some cases, you might even see very thin metal or holes.
- Warning: Bad rust damage compromises the integrity of the structure, and cars of this nature should always be avoided for safety purposes.
Step 10: Check to see if the car was flooded. Any flooded vehicle should show up on a vehicle history report, but in the case that an insurance claim wasn’t reported, make sure you know what to look out for.
Even if the car looks good and runs well, open the door and look at the mesh of the speakers, usually toward the bottom of the door. Any discolor might be from dirty water stains. Another way to confirm this is to remove a piece of the center console trim and check behind it. If there is a mark with a clear line, this indicates murky water and obvious flood damage. A car in this state should always be avoided.
In addition to inspecting the car yourself, it's important to have a mechanic look it over for proper function and operational elements that are not visible to the naked eye. Get a pre-purchase inspection, which comes with a full inspection and a list of expected repairs with how much they cost, so you can know the true price and condition of the car you're interested in purchasing.
