This is how you tell if a car is 'tip-top' accident free

Perhaps rule number one of purchasing any used car is not to buy a vehicle that’s been involved in an accident. Beyond cosmetic and structural damage, cars that have been in accidents can even have mechanical issues that are often found out when it’s too late.

Of course, buyers can be vigilant in inspecting the overall condition of the paint, how the separate panels line up or even if there is discolouration or difference in paint quality between two separate panels.

These are of course, great ways to determine the condition of the vehicle, but with modern paint technology and good workmanship, it may be nigh on impossible to tell a car that has been involved in an accident versus one that hasn’t. Especially, if multiple panels have been changed and the car resprayed entirely. 

Well, it’s good to know that are several ways to tell if the car is as it left the factory, and this involves the small clues that are usually peppered around the vehicle. Here are four other ways to tell if a car is in ‘tip-top’ accident-free condition.

Service stickers and labels

Starting with the easiest tell-tales, look for stickers peppered around the engine bay. Every car receives certain stickers before it leaves the manufacturing plant.

Often time, these are stickers that read the recommended engine oil type/brand, coolant type, A/C gas type and other important maintenance information.

Also read: Buying a used Honda City (GM7) or Jazz (GP5) Hybrid - This is how you maintain one properly

However, these stickers do not come on replacement panels if they’re replaced. So, for instance, if a bonnet, fenders or radiator top plate is replaced, then you will surely not find these stickers and can tell if these panels have been replaced before.

Etched glass markers

Like the service stickers, manufacturers also etch production markings on the sides of the car’s front windscreen and rear and side windows.

These etch markings will typically read the glass manufacturer and serial number. These etch markings are typically at the bottom left/right of the window. Note that whilst it’s quite common for the front windscreen alone to have different manufacturer markings, the side and rear windows etch markings are always from the same manufacturer.

Hence, when checking out a prospective used car, make sure to go around the vehicle and check for these markings, if one or more windows (especially if they’re on the same side) don’t match with the others, there’s a good chance they have been replaced before.

Witness and Pre-Delivery Inspection (PDI) markers

Now we look a little deeper. Before any vehicle leaves the manufacturing plant, it goes through a pre-delivery inspection. During the PDI, technicians go through the entire car checking for flaws and marking essential components if they adhere to specifications.

These are called witness markers, which are typically notched/marked with coloured pens (typically purple, pink, green or yellow) upon inspection. If you look closely in the engine bay, these are common on the engine and accessories such as the alternator, radiator, and power steering pump.

Also read: Buying used cars: 6 signs of flood damage

These markers last years and do not scrub off easily, unless a particular part has been changed before due to malfunction or a collision.  

Resistance spot welds

Another great way to tell if a car has been in accident is to check the resistance spot welds. Resistance spot welds are used to fuse two separate panels of the car – such as the roof and door pillars.

Also read: Buying used cars: How to test drive a used car?

Most commonly these are precisely welded (using robots) at designated spots along the door frame, inner body, and floor during the construction of the vehicle. If collision repairs have been done along the sides of the vehicle, these sections will typically be mended and painted over, removing the characteristic imprint of the spot weld.

To check this, you would have to peel back the door/chassis rubbers that cover them to check if everything is ok, do this for all four doors to be certain no repairs have been done at these sections, if something is not quite right, walk away.

Conclusion

Keep in mind that even seasoned car buyers can sometimes be fooled into buying cars that have been involved in accidents – but checking for these simple tell-tale signs can greatly help in determining the condition of the car.

If you’re unsure, leave it to the experts at Carsome, when finding your next dream car. Every Carsome Certified vehicle first has to pass a rigorous 175-point inspection, prior to sale, ensuring superb quality, integrity and most importantly, peace of mind.