How to recognize a car accident?

Buying a used car in a satisfactory condition can be difficult. Even a well-designed copy can have its own story - the best tinsmiths can change the car so much that only a specialist will see traces of a serious accident. How to avoid this trap? We present several elements that you should pay attention to in order to recognize the car involved in an accident. Check it out and don't be fooled!

What will you learn from this post?

• Collision of car and car accident - what's the difference?
• How to recognize a car accident?
• What to look for when buying a used car?
• Can a wrecked car be safe?

TL, д-

An accident that severely affects the vehicle's structure could affect the handling after repair and the safety while driving. To make sure the vehicle of your choice was not involved in a major collision, review the details carefully. Pay attention to the adjoining body parts, possible paint residues on the parts adjacent to the sheet (for example, gaskets, plastics, thresholds) and welding marks. If possible, measure the thickness of the paintwork and check the number of glasses and seat belts. Also notice the airbag indicator light.

After an accident - what does it mean?

First, let's explain what is hidden under the phrase "accident car"... Not all cars repaired with bodywork or paint have been involved in an accident. In the end we all scratched the car on a parking post or gaze at the intersection and lightly knock on the other road member. Thus, we must distinguish between an innocent collision and a serious accident. A crashed car is a car that has been hit so badly that:

• the airbag has opened;
• damaged both the chassis and body parts, as well as the cab;
• repair is impossible due to the violation of its entire structure.

We look outside ...

When buying a used car, check it carefully. Every repair, especially after a serious accident, leaves traces. The first thing to pay attention to is general condition of the car body. Take a look at the shades of individual body elements, evaluating them from different angles - if you see differences between them, some parts, such as a door or hood, this has probably been replaced. However, some colors, incl. extremely popular red, they can look different on different materials - metal and plastic.

Fit adjacent elements

When viewing the vehicle you are considering buying, also pay attention to matching adjacent body components... Their factory fit is sometimes more or less accurate depending on the model and brand, but no part can come off... So compare the widths of the gaps, mainly around the hood, headlights and fenders. If they are clearly different on one and the other side of the body, with a high degree of probability the machine has undergone a sheet metal repair.

Varnish thickness

However, car repairs after major accidents are often not limited to doors or hoods. Sometimes the whole "quarter" or "half" is mentioned - Tinsmiths cut out the damaged part of the car and install a part from another copy in its place... Even the best specialists cannot select factory and replaced elements in such a way as not to violate the durability of the entire structure. The welded plate is more susceptible to corrosion.and in the joint area, under the influence of high temperature, which occurred during welding, after a while cracks will start to appear. Such is the "patched" car it does not provide any security and, in principle, should not be allowed for road traffic. It is not known what will happen to a replaced part when it is subjected to high forces, such as during fast driving, bumps or an accident.

How not to buy such a car? Any sheet metal repair leaves larger or smaller marks. The best way to recognize them is measuring the thickness of the varnish with a special gauge. There is no standard that defines what is right - for cars leaving the factory it can be 80-150 microns, but also 250 microns if the car has been repainted twice. So, measure the paintwork of the vehicle you are viewing at several locations. If on most elements a layer of varnish 100-200 microns thick is visible, and on 1 or 2 - several times more, you can be sure that this is the result of the intervention of a varnish or a tinsmith.

Be especially wary of vehicles with a noticeably thicker paintwork. on the roof. This element is varnished only in two situations - after hail and capsizing. If the owner of the car cannot prove that the car was damaged by hail, you cannot be sure that the car did not have a serious accident.

Paint footprints often they also remain on small elementssuch as gaskets, thresholds or plastic elements that come into contact with the sheet. So look at the wheel arches and bumper reinforcements, look under the trunk carpet - any remnants of non-factory welds are indicative of the accidental past of the vehicle.

Glass

When inspecting the selected machine, also note on glass figures... In a serviceable car, all windows must be made from the same year as the entire car (although there is sometimes a 1 year difference when production was extended or the factory has parts from the previous year). If only one does not match the rest, you have nothing to worry about... Glass of three different vintages should definitely raise suspicion.

... And from the inside

Look for traces of an accident not only on the body and external parts, but also inside the car. Cracks on the doors and dashboard, protruding plastic or improperly attached decorative inserts indicate mechanical interference.

Airbag indicator light

First of all, look at the airbag indicator light. To hide the history of the car after an accident (which was so serious that the pillows popped out) this control is often attached to another - functional. After turning on the ignition, it should blink for a moment and then go out, regardless of other indicators. If it doesn't start at all or shuts down along with others, the pillow must have burned out.

Safety belt

To ensure that the vehicle has not been involved in a serious accident, also check the date of manufacture of the seat belts... It must match the year of manufacture of the vehicle. If it is different and the fastening bolts show signs of loosening, the car was most likely damaged in a serious accident - the belts were cut to pull them out of the passenger compartment, and then replaced with new ones.

Self-tapping screws, screws

When inspecting the engine, check that mounting bolts show no signs of loosening... In newer car models, several others need to be disassembled to gain access to certain engine components. However, the replacement of the bumper i indicates a serious breakdown., usually, headlights... So if the bolts in the front belt are loosened or replaced with new ones, the car gets into an accident.

Minor collisions do not affect vehicle handling and driving safety. Wrecked vehicles that are badly crashed and then repaired by attaching “quarters” or “halves” of another vehicle to factory parts pose a road safety hazard. Therefore, before you decide to buy a used car, check it carefully and with great suspicion.

Have you chosen a model that only requires minor repairs or a gentle facelift? Everything you need to bring it to perfection can be found at avtotachki.com.

In the next article in the How to Buy a Used Car Correctly series, you will learn what to look for when inspecting a used car.

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