Buying a used car is the choice of many people because the cost is significantly lower than a new car. However, the engine is the most important part of the car, and also the most expensive item if a malfunction occurs. Therefore, buyers need to carefully check the engine condition before deciding to spend money.
According to Mr. Tran Duc Hien, a used car dealer at Tung Bach Auto, when choosing to buy used cars, the engine is the most important part that needs to be thoroughly checked. The condition of the engine not only determines the operating capacity but also directly affects the cost of repair and maintenance after buying the car.
According to Mr. Hien's experience, buyers should first observe the grille cover area on the engine. If oil leaks are detected at this location, it is likely that the engine has deteriorated or is having problems with sealing, and it is necessary to check carefully before deciding to buy.
Next, buyers should start the car and turn on the air conditioner to the maximum to assess the engine's operating capacity. In these conditions, a strong engine will maintain a stable torque, engine noise and fan sound operate smoothly and evenly. Conversely, if the engine noise is sometimes loud, sometimes loud, not continuous, or abnormal vibrations or taps appear, this may be a sign that the engine is having problems.
Another way to check is to ask someone sitting in the bike to accelerate to increase the engine speed to about 5,000 rpm, while the buyer stands outside to observe and listen to the engine's operation. If the engine responds quickly, the speed increases almost immediately, the engine sound is even and smooth, then it shows that the system is still working well. Conversely, if the bike reacts slowly when accelerating, the speed increases late or the engine sound is unstable, buyers need to be careful because this may be a sign that the engine has been damaged.
Mr. Hien also recommends that buyers let the engine explode uncharged for about 5 minutes, then open the engine oil injection cap to observe. If a lot of white smoke rises from the oil injection mouth, this may be a sign that the engine has degraded, the air pressure is falling on a large pipe or the internal parts are worn. In this case, buyers should carefully consider before spending money to avoid incurring large repair costs later.
In addition to on-site inspection, buyers should test drive the car on many different road conditions to assess acceleration ability, engine smoothness and high-speed driving ability. During the test drive, pay attention to whether the car is running out of gas, jerking or having engine warning lights on the instrument panel or not.
If you don't have much experience, buyers should ask technicians or independent inspection units to comprehensively check the engine, and compare the car's maintenance history if any.
