The majority of used cars have not been in a major accident. However, according to figures quoted by 60 Minutes, of the millions of used cars that enter the market each year, somewhere around one million are, in fact, cars that have been in a major accident-and adjudged to have been "totaled" by the insurance company.
At the same time, don't discount a car because it has been in a minor accident. If a car has been in a "fender bender" and has been repaired properly, it may still represent a good value. In most cases,it's only when there's been structural damage or when the repairs have not been done correctly that you need to be concerned. If you find the car that you're considering has been in an accident severe enough to damage the frame, walk away!
How Can You Tell?
As we suggested earlier, it's not always easy-even for a professional. A good body shop can make even a beat-up car look very good. However, even they will have a hard time hiding their work from a professional mechanic. In the final analysis, it's always best to have your suspicions confirmed or alleviated by a professional. But before you take the car to a professional for evaluation, here are some things you can do which might help you decide for yourself if the car has been in a major accident.
1. Ask the seller point-blank
One of the easiest-and often most effective-ways is to look the seller directly in the eye and ask. You'd be surprised how honest people are when they're caught off guard
2. Paint and paint-over spray
Fake the time to look for the telltale signs of body repair. Check for paint-over spray. Often when a car is repainted you'll find paint-over spray on the door moldings, rubber gaskets, and on the edge of the windows. Open the rear doors and run your fingers over the rear of the door jamb. If you feel a thin line on the paint, that could be a masking tape line. Look at the color. Does the exterior match the color in the luggage compartment, rocker panels, and spare tire well? Look at the paint itself. Does it appear even?
3. Gaps and fit
Look at the gaps between the hood and the body and between the trunk lid and rear body panels. If you find that the gaps in the lines are «-ider on one side than the other, the car may have been in an accicient. Check the fit and alignment of the trunk, hood, and doors to see :f they are really mated. Here too, if the gaps are not the same, you can auspect body damage.
4. Open the doors
Do they creak, moan, or make other abnormal sounds? Do they seem somewhat difficult to open? These may be signs of severe body lamage.
5 Crab test
If you have an opportunity to drive behind the car, notice whether or not it appears to be moving slightly sideways like a crab. If it does, this frequently a sign of frame damage is that it can affect the alignment, and that ultimately could be Major safety problem.
