Body Condition: Walk around the vehicle and take note of any
signs of scratches, dents and rust. Little areas should be no worry, but large
areas of those three items should be warning signs as to how the car was
treated.
Also, take note of the body panels. They should line up
evenly. If they don't it may be a clue that the vehicle was involved in an
accident.Open and close all of the doors, hood and trunk. Note how
easy or hard it is to complete this task.
Tires: Tires are a great way to figure out the life of
vehicle. During your walk around, take note if all of the tires are of the same
brand. Seeing a different brand on one or more of the wheels might raise some
red flags. If you see any, be sure to ask the seller about it.
Look at each tire individually and note if the sidewall has
cracks, bulges, or scuffing. Also look at the tire tread and see if there is
enough tread by using a tread-depth tool or a quarter. The trick with the
quarter is to put Washington's head down into the tire tread. If you can see
the top of Washington's head, then you know the tire needs to be replaced.
Ask if the tires have been rotated on a regular basis and
look at the tires to see the tread wore evenly on the both sides.