If you’re considering buying a used vehicle, Dave from Dave’s Auto Center has some car inspection tips for you.
Dave’s been using his @davesautocenter TikTok account to offer automotive advice to his viewers for quite a while. Now he’s letting buyers know how to inspect a vehicle before they purchase it.
He posted the second part of the series to his account on July 7. It now has over 550,700 views.
Dave’s car inspection tips
For the video, Dave features a used 2023 Honda Civic. He checked out the interior of the vehicle in part one of the series. Now he proceeds to inspect the car’s interior.
Dave advises his viewers to turn the keys to the start position without turning the ignition over.
“You wanna make sure that [all warning lights] are on before you start the car because a lot of times people who are less than honest can remove that bulb because there is a problem, and you’ll never see it illuminate ’cause it’s been removed,” Dave claims.
For his next inspection tip, he advises test drivers to “make sure your mirrors are functioning.”
Also, “Make sure your windows go down fully. Pull each seat belt back and forth, and make sure they retract.”
Afterward, he claims, “If a seatbelt doesn’t retract, that’s a dead giveaway indicator that the airbag [igniter] is blown.”
Dave discovered during his first inspection of the Civic that it had been rear-ended in a past accident.
@davesautocenter Be Like Dave used car inspection part 2 👨🔧 #autoshop #usedcars #autorepair #carrepair ♬ original sound – Davesautocenter
Should you do your car inspection alone?
Despite Dave’s car inspection tips, future owners may want to consider professional help before buying a car.
According to J.D. Power, “During visual inspections and test drives, excited purchasers sometimes overlook technical, cosmetic, and safety flaws.”
Therefore, it’s always a good idea to have your future car inspected by a third-party professional before signing any papers on it.
“A Pre-Purchase Inspection(PPI) is a detailed vehicle inspection by a certified mechanic or auto specialist to assess the vehicle’s mechanical, aesthetic, and safety conditions. The technician will identify existing conditions, point out future problems that could develop later, and investigate to ensure that any prior damage has been appropriately fixed,” per J.D. Power.
Dave’s viewers react
Many viewers were grateful for the advice.
“Buying my first car next week studying your page like a madman,” Hannah (@h.felske) wrote.
“Thank you, Dave!! Great advice,” wrote another viewer.
Others shared their own suggestions for inspecting a pre-owned vehicle.
One viewer advised, “Always bring a decent scan tool one that can at least read transmission codes.”
“I would add to have someone start the car with the hood up as you stand over the engine,” another added.
The Daily Dot reached out to Dave via his website and TikTok messenger for further comment.
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