Top quality at a low price: that's what many sellers of used cars advertise. But not all offers are serious: speedometers are manipulated, accidents are concealed, and unfair clauses can be found in the fine print of the purchase contract. According to the ADAC, the speedometer on every third used car in Germany has been manipulated. Fewer kilometers increase the selling price of the car. According to ADAC data, the falsified mileage leads on average to an illegal increase in value of 3,000 euros per vehicle. All this with the aim of increasing the selling price for the car. Anyone looking for a used car, whether from a private seller or a dealer, should know the most important tricks of the sellers. Click here to learn more about best used cars to buy

Tips for buying a car

Buying a car takes time and a serious seller does not rush the potential customer. For the inspection, one should always go in pairs - ideally with a professional or an experienced layman. A checklist, such as those provided by car clubs and used car exchanges on the Internet, is a helpful aid. They also provide sample contracts for private car purchases.

Inspect the car from the outside: The car should be inspected in the light in dry weather and be easily accessible all around. If the car is parked in a hall, it must be well lit. Wet vehicles make it difficult to see repaired parts and paint damage. Rust lurks in hidden corners such as wheel wells, trunks and under carpets. Musty smells in the interior indicate moisture in the car. If possible, look under the car as well. Oil stains on the floor are an alarm signal.

Accident damage: Uneven gaps between individual components are suspicious: For example, if the gaps between the hood and fenders are of different widths on either side, the body has probably warped. Well-repaired paint damage is difficult to see with the naked eye. A weak magnet will reveal spackled areas, because it won't stick there.

Retrieve data: After purchase, you can request data about your car through the insurance industry's notice and information system. In the case of total losses, the data is stored for a long time; in the case of minor damage, it is usually deleted after a shorter period of time, for example after a repair.

Reading out control units: Modern vehicles contain many small computers. Speedometer tricksters usually only manipulate the display in the cockpit. With the help of an app and an OBD2 adapter, even non-professionals can read out the data from the control units. Costs: around 100 euros.

Measuring paint thickness: If the vehicle has been involved in an accident, it is usually repainted. With the help of a paint thickness gauge, you can identify affected areas yourself. These devices are available from around 30 euros.

Look under the hood: A too clean, freshly cleaned engine should make you wonder. The seller may have removed traces and concealed leaks by washing the engine. Hoses and seals should be dry and not brittle. Are there traces of leaked fluids? If the coolant in the expansion tank is cloudy, it may indicate a defective head gasket. Look for stickers or tags that show the mileage and date of fluid changes and compare the information to the speedometer reading.

Check papers: It is important to have a service booklet that documents vehicle maintenance as completely as possible. Proof of repairs and test reports from the general inspections provide additional confidence. When does the car have to be inspected again? The mileage can also be checked with the help of the entries in the papers - more reliably than with the speedometer reading, because this can be easily manipulated. Many previous owners can be an indication that the car was frequently resold due to its susceptibility to breakdowns.

Check functions and interior: Test the major electrical functions such as lights, air conditioning, power outside mirrors, heated seats and the radio. The interior should appear clean and well-maintained. A badly worn steering wheel, worn seats and worn pedal rubbers indicate very high mileage.

Test drive the car: The engine should be cold and start immediately. When the ignition is switched on, the indicator lights in the cockpit (ABS, ESP, airbags) should light up and go out when the engine is started. Some defects such as a warped track, worn steering or defective shock absorbers are only noticeable at high speed: The car pulls to one side or corners badly. Therefore, also drive outside a town and shift through all gears up and back again.