Buying a new or used car can take a lot of time and if you invest all of your time and find that you’ve purchased a dud, nothing can make you feel worse inside.  All the money you’ve basically spent is now down the drain.  To avoid buying a car that has had damage in the past, there are a few things we all need to keep in mind so that we get the best car for our money.

Get a history report- Websites like AutoCheck offer great vehicle history reports that will show you things such as if there’s damage with the car, how many owners have had it, if an odometer has been rolled back, and so much more.  If you’re going to invest into a car, I suggest you spend a few bucks and get a history report.  It’s going to save you in the long run if you find out you could have had a previously damaged car.

Use your eyes – When you go to check out the car, a human eye can go a long ways.  Make sure you check out every piece of the car inside out.  Look for paint that may not match up, ding marks, etc.  Now, we all know that every car can’t be perfect but if you do spot some dents or dings, ask the owner why it’s there and how it happened.  If they can’t come up with an answer, I would recommend you move onto another car.

Get a mechanic – When you find a car that you like, ask the dealer or seller if you can take it to a mechanic to check out the car.  If they say no, they are saying no for a reason, I would recommend you leave.  If they say yes, find someone that can look at it inside and out and see if there’s anything wrong.  A mechanic may be able to find something that you can’t.

Use a magnet- One of the oldest trick in the book is to bring a refrigerator magnet with you and place it on every piece of the car.  If the magnet doesn’t stick on some parts, it may mean that there’s too much paint or something is wrong with that part of the body.  Be weary if parts don’t allow the magnet to stick.  Ask the owner about this.

The best way to spot the damage is to get the vehicle report.  It’s only going to cost you a few dollars and you’ll be glad if you find problems that could have haunted you in the future.  Make sure that you do a thorough check and get someone else to look at it, not just you.  Sometimes, two set of eyes are better than one.