BUYING a second-hand car can be a daunting experience, especially when you’re not sure what you’re actually looking for.
But, if there’s someone that knows about classic cars, it’s mechanic Marc ‘Elvis’ Priestly.
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He’s been buying, renovating and selling them on Discovery TV show Wheeler Dealers since 2003.
With the show celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, Elvis has given his top tips when it comes to buying second-hand cars, and also reveals the biggest mistakes car owners make that could be costing them hundreds of pounds every year.
Look beyond the mileage
The first thing that people look at, when buying a second-hand car, is the mileage.
And, while Elvis says that is a very important factor in how hard a car has been worked, there are issues that come with a low mileage car too.
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He explains: “Yes, if your engine’s done 200,000 miles, it’s had a hard life, and components will wear out, but there are lots of other things that might suffer on a very low mileage car if it hasn’t been run anywhere.
“If it’s been sat in storage for a long time, some people will think that’s a wonderful thing, and that it’s going to be in great condition, but there are still things that will deteriorate on a car just due to its age, like corrosion in the bodywork.”
Dead rubber
Sometimes the smallest parts can lead to the biggest problems.
Elvis advises looking for the tiny details – even the rubber seals around the door can reveal issues.
He says: “Things like rubber seals around the doors and windows will perish over time, and become brittle and hard, and the moment you start using the car again, after all that time, they can then suddenly start to fail because they’re no longer soft and supple.”
Down under
Corrosion can also happen in the parts of the car you can’t see, and Elvis says it’s important to check underneath the car, as well as lift up the carpets and boot floor, when you go and view a car to buy.
“The car might look gleaming, but it’s the hidden bits that only a discerning buyer would take the time and know where to look, that are important,” he says.
“And all it takes is getting on your hands and knees and just crouching down and having a look underneath the wheel arches, running your fingers around the inside of them.
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Give it the boot
The boot is another spot that can hide a lot of problems and Elvis says it’s always worth looking under the cover.
He explains: “If it looks really good under there, that’s a really good sign, because that’s where water collects. If something’s been leaking or if water has been left in there for a period of time, it will collect in those places and it will do its damage, and show signs of rusting.
“Usually, because people can’t see it, they don’t treat it, and it will get worse and worse.”
He adds: “The battery of a car is often stored in the boot, and if that’s been leaking, it’s another common failure, particularly in older cars where a battery gets neglected.
“It’s almost always corrosion that gets the car in the end.”
How to keep your motor running
Elvis says the best people to buy cars from are the ones who are “conscientious” about car maintenance – including checking the tyre pressure and oil levels regularly.
He says this is the most important aspect of being a car owner, and something the majority often forget about, despite it being a very quick and easy way of saving money in the long-term.
“Tyre pressure is one of the biggest things that people neglect, and it can make such a difference,” he says. “Just a few pounds per square inch on your tyres, either up or down in the wrong direction, can have a big impact on your fuel economy.
“If your tyres are running too low, it can massively affect how many miles per gallon you’ll get from your car, and in today’s market when the fuel prices are through the roof, it can save you a lot of money.
“If they’re not taken care of, they can also be worn out quicker, and it can affect safety on the road.
“All it takes is no more than a minute to just run around and check your tyre pressures and adjust them if necessary, and it can have a massive impact on everything from the economy and how much money you’ll save to the longevity of something that can be quite expensive to replace.”
Elvis also recommends checking the oil levels in the car regularly.
He says: “It can take you 30 seconds to check it and most of the time it will be fine. All you need to do is check it, put the dipstick back in, and you’ll be on your way.
“And on a very rare occasion when it needs topping up, just top it up.
“It’s a very quick job, and doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money, but if you neglect it and you don’t check it and you run out, well then that will be expensive!”
While many cars now have lights that pop up to warn drivers of issues with their car, Elvis says there’s usually been some damage done at that point.
Instead of waiting for the alert, he recommends building maintenance checks into your daily, weekly or monthly schedule, depending on how often you drive, as well as every time you’re about to go off on a long journey, or if you’re loading the car up with something heavy.
He finishes: “These are just basic things that are so easy but, if left for too long, can literally bring your engine to an untimely death.”
Paperwork clues
Elvis also recommends looking at the service history on the car when going to view it, as there are often clues in the paperwork that can predict the future of the vehicle.
Car owners should have the MOT history available to view, but it’s always easy to find online too.
Elvis says: “Even if a car’s passed all of its MOTs, the service history can often be a really good clue into some of the work that might have been done.
“Advisory notes are often little warning signs that something that might be on its way out, or that something more serious that may have been done to get it through its MOT, and it just gives you little pieces of the jigsaw puzzle that build up this picture of what sort of life the car’s had.”
Wheeler Dealers airs Mondays at 9pm on Discovery, and is available to stream on discovery+.
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