Things to Check before Buying a used Car

Everything in life is somewhere else, and you get there in a car. I think that cars today are almost the exact equivalent of the great Gothic cathedrals: I mean the supreme creation of an era, conceived with passion by unknown artists, and consumed in image if not in usage by a whole population which appropriates them as a purely magical object. Car is dream of every boy since his childhood but a few lucky ones get it. Buying a second hand car is a big gamble. Hence one should look for few important things before finalising his deal.

There shouldn’t be any rust on the floor
There shouldn’t be any rust on the doors as well as the boot.
The engine sound should be consistent.
The starter should crank the engine in one shot.
The steering should be firm and flexible with no sound in the steering column while turning the car either ways.
The clutch paddle should not be very hard. A hard clutch means the clutch plates need a replacement.
No major damage history. A little dent here and there hardly makes a difference but a major one can damage chassis of the car which is irreparable.
Always avoid buying a used car from Used Car Showrooms. These guys actually buy them at a very cheap price from the actual owners and the sell them after doing some paint job and refurbishing at a very high price to the customers. Beware of them. This is mostly true for the old Maruti Zen which has a high demand in second hand car market.
Before buying a used car make sure you take a word from a good mechanic and then bargain accordingly. Personally speaking used car is a waste of money because you don’t know the next day what niggle may arise in the car. But still you can minimize that risk by just keeping these points in perspective.