It seems you found it. The car from the ad low mileage, suitable displacement, one owner and an adequate price . Bonus - beautiful color . Before you finally fall in love, allow yourself to be skeptical and check the technical condition of the car . We tell you what equipment is needed.

Car inspection tools
A thickness gauge, a flashlight, a computer diagnostic scanner and a compressometer are what they most often take with them to check the car.

Most often, professional appraisers rely more on their own eyes and ears. They inspect the body, interior and engine compartment, check the operation of the engine , chassis and gearbox. In parallel with this, equipment is used that confirms or refutes the guesswork. A subsequent visit to the service station or service shows how critical the damage is and how much money will be spent on repairs.

Thickness gauge
Auto Check - Thickness Gauge

The device shows the thickness of the paintwork of the car. There are several types, but you are suitable magnetic, universal and ultrasonic. The latter is the most expensive, but it reads values ??not only from metal, but also from plastic, glass and other materials.

There are many offers for rent, look for offers in your city. In Yekaterinburg, the thickness gauge will cost from 300 to 800 rubles. per day + deposit.

Auto check - using thickness gauge

Factory paint coat - from 70 to 180 microns. If the car is partially repainted or restored after an accident, you will see a large variation in values.

Start the test from the roof, it is less likely to be damaged. Lean the thickness gauge in 4-5 different places, remember the approximate figures.

Go to the front and rear racks. If everything is in order, continue to check the doors, wings and thresholds.

Read indicators
A normal difference is 30 microns. But if the hood shows 110 microns, and the adjacent wing - 250, then the part was probably painted. If the figure is closer to 400, then, most likely, the wing was putty. Refuse to buy or not, you decide. We advise not to take such a car without checking the geometry of the body on a special stand.

Torch
Auto Check - Flashlight

It will be useful to you to highlight the dark places. It will help to see the smudges on the engine or the box, welds, no connections have leaked, in what condition the spars.

What need a flashlight
Large spotlight you do not need - with it will be inconvenient to inspect the engine compartment. Therefore, choose a compact flashlight with a bright beam. Before buying, ask the seller whether the device is discharged in the cold.

The smartphone’s flashlight will also work if the phone is not quickly discharged.

Scanner for computer diagnostics
The tool reads errors from the onboard computer of the car. Most scanners are not designed for use by non-professionals, and it’s not just the price: the scanner needs to be properly connected and able to read data from it.

It is intended for deep diagnostics. What is sold for 5, 10 thousand rubles - a fake. But with them you can check the car, for example, with unlicensed ELM327. There are thousands of scanners with this name on the network. It is only borrowed from the Americans and has become a household name. It costs from 1500 rubles.

Auto Check - Computer Diagnostic Scanner

To start working with it, you will need to download a special program. If for the original scanner it costs about $ 30 per brand, then in the case of the Chinese replica you can not spend a penny. The device will show errors, engine speed, its load, coolant temperature, fuel system status, pressure and fuel consumption, etc.

The device is connected to the onboard computer of the car. The latter can be hidden near the steering column, in the passenger’s feet or under the dashboard - it all depends on the make and model of car.

For a deeper check, contact the service center or auto experts with professional equipment.

Compressometer
Kompressomet needed to measure compression. However, here auto examiners are discouraged from buying:

“To measure the compression, you need to unscrew the plugs in the engine. And to make it on some cars is not so easy. If the compression is not in some kind of cylinder, the engine will not work well ”, - Alexander Makarov, founder of the Autoexpert company .

Auto Check - Compressometer

This means that if the engine runs smoothly, you will not need a compression gauge. Otherwise, to buy the device is not so difficult.

What equipment to check the cars used in the diagnostic center
Conventional HUNDREDS do not offer anything special, except for the multi-brand scanner, elevator and micro probe. Here you can better assess the condition of the suspension, especially the side members. Bent or new spars say that the car is broken.

Dealers have a mono-mark scanner, a diagnostic stand and deeper knowledge of a particular car. They will also have the right set of tools, a hydraulic jack and a lift. You check the condition of the electrics, engine, brakes, suspension and gearbox.

Auto Check - Equipment

Specialized services can have several scanners, electronic testers, ultrasonic bath, gas analyzer and other devices. In addition to all of the above, the masters assess the state of the throttle valves, see if the mileage is not twisted, measure the fuel pressure, check the operation of the air conditioner.

It should be understood that the fancy tool does not guarantee perfect vehicle inspection. The results need to be interpreted correctly, and this already depends on your level of training or the specialist you are referring to.

Do not forget to check the auto history
Before meeting with the seller, check the history of the car. It is possible that the car was pledged or stolen , it had a twisted mileage , restrictions on registration actions, or often got into accidents . In this case, it is better not to waste your time, abandon the problem option and continue the search.

To learn the history of the car on the license plate or VIN will help service “CarZaamin”. The service checks the car in more than 15 official source databases: traffic police, EAISTO, RSA, FTS, FCS, FNP and others.

The information obtained will help you check the seller for honesty. In addition, if you find minor problem areas with the car, with the help of the report you can throw off the price of the used car.

If you do not have the time or opportunity to inspect the car yourself, ask for the help of the CarZaamin on-site check . Leave the application on the website, and the specialist will arrive at the place at any specified time. He will make a full inspection of the car and give you a full report on the technical condition of the car.