Like we said before, it’s better to look at a car during the day and in good weather because raindrops and poor lighting can mask a lot of problems. Most old cars have rust on them. But whether it’s a problem or not depends on its location. Structural corrosion is dangerous and rust on the car body can also be a problem.

Sometimes, rust is not visible but it doesn’t mean it’s not there. To check and see if it was hidden, look for bad paint. You can use a magnet to look for it: it won’t stick where the rust was painted over. But the magnet test won’t work if the paint contained iron dust.

Also, rook for rust:

on weight-bearing parts and steering wheel mountings
under carpets, the trunk-liner, and in the spare tire area
inside the gas cap door

Carefully look over small scratches and bumps. A scratch going through the polish all the way to the metal will most likely lead to rust. Look at the tires. The tread should be a minimum of 1.6 mm deep and there shouldn’t be any damage or cuts on them. The tread of every tire should be evenly worn out. The tires that are overinflated wear out more in the middle and uneven damage might mean the wheels or suspension are not okay. This can reduce tire performance and increase wear and fuel consumption.

Open the hood and check the level of oil in the engine using the dipstick. A low oil level could be a sign of bad maintenance. If the oil on the dipstick is black, rather than brown, it may not have been changed in quite a while. Check the underside of the engine oil cap for any signs of gunk, which will have a mayonnaise-like appearance. This is a sign that the engine coolant is mixing with the oil, pointing toward a failed head gasket — something you should not buy.

Lift the trunk floor to check and see if all the original equipment remains. Most models will come with either a space-saver spare tire and jack, or a tire inflation kit. If they’re not there, ask why. Look for cracks in the windows. Stone chips in the windshield could develop into a crack. Any crack over 40 mm on the windshield will require repair. Some cars also need SD cards.

Don’t let the owner say something like, “It’s 10 years old, what did you expect?” A car can’t have any serious damage, no matter how old it is.

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