When purchasing a BMW car in the primary or secondary market, many people find themselves in unpleasant situations because the purchased vehicle does not actually meet the stated specifications. It is difficult to independently check the car in all parameters. Services of car selection are helpful in this.
What challenges can one face when buying a used BMW? Hidden defects. There is a risk of buying a car with masked non-obvious defects that are discovered only after use.
When buying a car from a showroom, there is a risk of purchasing a vehicle with an inflated actual market value.
What other risks are there? It is possible that the car:
- has been rebuilt after a serious accident or assembled from two or more cars.
- has tampered odometer and other sensors.
- is under bank lien or seized by court bailiffs.
One might encounter shady car dealers who replace original documents with a copy featuring a «refreshed» year of manufacture and sell cars at higher prices.
Checking a BMW before purchase
Ideally, before buying a car, it should be checked on a number of basic parameters:
- Check all databases for accidents, wanted status, seizure, loans, etc.
- Comprehensive car diagnostics.
- Examination of numbers: VIN, engine, body, chassis, etc.
- Verification of the authenticity of the car documents.
- Legal check: documents of the car, the car itself, its owner.
- Computer and technical inspection of all systems, units, and components of the car.
- Verification of all car details for authenticity, year of manufacture, etc.
- Computer diagnostics of the car, engine endoscopy.
- Check the car body for damage and repairs after accidents, inspect the car's underbody, frame.
- Check the paint coating of the car body with a professional paint thickness gauge.
- Check the authenticity of the mileage.
- Test drive.
If you order car selection services, all these nuances are automatically clarified. Let's consider what can be checked independently when buying a used BMW in the secondary market.
How to inspect the body when selecting a used car
Typically, over 50% of cars in the secondary market have a history of accidents. Often, before sale, owners mask traces of serious accidents that affect the body geometry and suspension quality.
It is necessary to inspect the body surface to assess the paint quality and identify the presence or absence of corrosion spots. Key areas such as the underbody, sills, fenders, wheel arches are checked with a magnet. Air trapped in corroded metal will not provide a tight grip.
A thick layer of anti-corrosion coating is the best disguise for rusty areas. The underbody should be inspected at the driver's seat inside the cabin under the mat, tapping it with a screwdriver — dull or muffled sounds will indicate the presence of corrosion.
The coating should be uniform and of the same color tone. Orange peel, differences in metallic shades, streaks in the form of dried drops, streaks, haziness — all these should raise concern.
Defects on the surfaces of body parts such as bulges or dents indicate poor repair work.
For the body parts alignment — the clearances should be uniform along the entire length. Foreign cars have clearances from 3 to 5 mm, while Russian cars have larger clearances.
All exterior parts should close without additional effort and pressing. The presence of problems may indicate a violation of the body geometry. Overlays and moldings are sometimes used not only for tuning but also as a way to mask defects.
If the engine is not horizontally positioned and has inclinations, it means the car has been in a frontal collision. It is necessary to carefully inspect the longitudinal beams — paint chips or folds of iron indicate body deformation. In other words, the car has been «pulled» before sale.
It is better to check the body geometry accuracy at control points on a special stand or while driving the car. Misalignment will result in incorrect wheel angles, causing the car to veer off when the steering wheel is released. Such a car should not be purchased under any circumstances.
Suspension Inspection
Conducting a suspension diagnosis is necessary in conjunction with inspecting the steering and braking systems. When lifting the car, carefully examine the suspension components for cracks, chips, and signs of corrosion.
Scratches and minor scrapes indicate collisions with road obstacles, which could result in subtle deformations and damages to components. There should be no signs of leaking oil on the shock absorbers.
Check the condition of the brake hoses, paying special attention to the attachment points to the brake cylinder. The dust boots of the cylinders and guide supports also require inspection. If lifting the car is not possible, the condition of the front struts can be assessed by turning the front wheels to the left and right to their limit one by one.
Tire Inspection when selecting a used car
Tire inspection involves examining the condition of the rubber and wheel disc, as well as checking the balance.
Incorrect tire wear, steering wheel vibration at high speeds, vibration and bouncing of the car on the road indicate wheel imbalance.
Wheel imbalance is dangerous as it increases dynamic loads on wheel bearings and suspension, accelerating the wear of these mechanisms.
To additionally check if the lead wheel requires balancing, proceed as follows.
Hang the wheel so that it spins freely. Spin it vigorously and let it stop on its own. After stopping, mark the bottom point of the tire. Repeat this operation ten times.
If the chalk marks are scattered all over the tire, the balance is normal, and the cause of the steering wheel vibration should be sought in another wheel. If the marks are clustered in one place, the wheel needs balancing.
