er will be an advisable option rather than from a second hand car dealer. The cars from dealers will be systematically inspected and moreover they will offer you service and maintenance warranty. You can also insist on confirmation to tax and pollution test. Verify the dealer's authenticity i.e for how long he has been in this business and try to get references of his already satisfied customers. Test Drive: Test- driving is an essential part of car buying process. Always take the car for at least a 3-4 km test drive. Drive the car in different types of roads and observe your comfort levels during the drive. Make sure the engine starts rightly, the steering is not vibrating and there is no unusual sounds and vibrations. Vibrating steering means a front end trouble. Apply brakes properly at the speed of about 30-50 km to check that the car stops in a straight line. Check that the speedometer and mileage recorder is working. Clutch should be smooth in its operation. When releasing the clutch, the car should move gradually without uneven jerks. Try each gear and note whether the car jumps out of gear. At the end of the test-drive, park the car on clean ground and look for oil leaks from the engine or gearbox.Things to check: Having finalized the car of your choice, now comes the main part of buying. i.e checking the car and its documents. You can spend some time checking the following things: The first parameter is the year of registration of the car. A 3-5 year old car that has traveled 14,000 to 18,000 Km a year are prime buys. Check the Odometer reading of the car and calculate with the year of manufacture. Important thing to remember is that there is a possibility of Odometer tampering irrespective of a mechanical or electronic odometer. Check the engine, it should be smooth starter. A well maintained engine would not produce any unusual noise and emit blue or black smoke while accelerating. Also check for oil spouting from exhaust. If the Tyres are not in a good condition, there is a chance of bargaining for up to 1000 rupees. Look for the wear and tear and also the alignment. Check bushings, springs and sounds from the bearings. Wheel bearings can be expensive. Check the bonnet and look whether the car has been repainted or not. Check for acid wear and tear around the battery areas, it indicates the car has not been maintained by the earlier owner. If the battery is not new, there is another chance of decreasing the price of the car by 2, 500. If the seller claims, there is an audio system in the car, check if its in working condition. Check on electrical components, lightings and dippers, cabin lights, hind lights and reverse lights and their workings. Check the AC by taking a round in the afternoon, check how it functions with a/c on / off climbing a slope.Documents: Checking all the Documents properly before the final payment is a must. Always ask the seller for the Registration papers. These documents are required to transfer the vehicle