How To Tell Whether a Used Car Has Been in an Accident

The car you want to buy may look fine on first glance, but a closer look at the details may tell you that its history is not a good one. Cars that have been involved in serious accidents generally show the tell-tale signs of repairs that may not have brought the vehicle up to its full performance capability. At the least, finding out that your prospective car has been in a major accident, when the sellers is assuring you that it hasn't, tells you all you need to know about the seller's honesty.

Instructions

1

Check Carfax. Most major accidents are reported to police agencies and insurance companies, whose reports are then picked up and reported on the nationwide database. Otherwise, some points to look for include:

2

Difference in paint from one part of the car to another. It is not so much that the paint isn't the same color, as it is that the paint on one side is newer and shiner than the other side.

3

Small dents in pieces not replaced. On our car, the very tip of the hood has a bend that was bad enough to result in a loss of paint.

4

Trim pieces that are loose enough you can pry them up with your fingers and peak under them.

5

Windows/doors that whistle when you test drive your car; but only on one side.

6

Trim placement. Trim doesn't exactly but up to the piece next to it. But it does on the other side of the vehicle.

7

Dome light not activated by door(s) on one side of car.

8

One door/window that is not controllable by the driver.

9

Bondo or primer visible inside doors or under loose trim pieces.

10

Tape residue above or below windows or lights that might have been loose.

11

Broken or missing hubcaps.