The condition of the interior is an important factor to consider when buying a used car. During the test drive looking at the interior can tell you a lot about the car.
Excessive wear of the interior may actually be a good indicator of the mileage, even without looking at the odometer. Moisture and musty odours indicate possible leaks in seals or heating. Windows that readily fog up are a sign of moisture in the vehicle. The following test drive tips concern the inside of the car.
Floor mats
Do not be fooled by new floor mats. This is one of the cheapest and easiest ways to cover up wear. Lift the mats up and check the condition of the carpet underneath. Check for water leaks. Also check for wear behind the foot pedals and to the right of the accelerator.
Seat belts
Do all the seat belts work correctly? Give a tug on the belt. The black seat belts in a new car should immediately seize. In older models or in a classic car, there will be a little bit of leeway in the system. Seat belt tensioners will only absorb the forces of a crash once. So if you are buying a salvaged car ask explicitly whether the seat belts have been replaced. The same applies to the airbag. Check how the seat belt rolls up. If the belt has difficulty rolling itself up then the system is worn. Very fast rolling up indicates minimal usage of the belt. Check for any tears or fraying which adversely affect the functioning.
Drivers Seat
Wear of the driver's seat is a good indication of mileage. If the sides are worn, chances are that the vehicle has substantial mileage.
Airbag
If the car has airbags it is important to take a good look at the steering wheel cover and the dashboard where the airbags are located. The H-pattern over which the steering wheel or dashboard cover will rip on inflation of the airbag is virtually invisible. Is the position of the airbag clearly visible under the cover, chances are the airbag has been removed and jammed back in. Realize that an airbag can only be used once, and after use the entire unit must be replaced.
Consider the age of the car. The lifespan of the airbag system in vehicles produced prior to 1992 is about 10 years. The airbags on models after 1992 have a lifespan of about 15 years. Side airbags could last 15 years, depending on the brand.
Pedal rubbers
The pedals are the controls for the brake, clutch and accelerator. They are an unavoidable instrument for driving a car. Wear of the pedal rubbers indicates much use and the mileage must be high.
Shifter
This is also a good indicator of usage of a car. If the shifter knob is substantially worn there has been a lot of shifting. That means a high mileage or a lot of city traffic. In the latter case, consider oil consumption. Oil temperature may not always reach operating temperature on short drives so the engine parts are not optimally lubricated and suffer wear.
Seat covers
Ask yourself why there are covers over the seats. Is the seller protecting or hiding the original seat covers? Is there a lot of wear from stepping in and out? This means the car has been driven a lot which means high mileage or a lot of short trips. Check if the mileage, the wear on both the pedal rubbers and the gearshift correspond.
Steering wheel
A worn steering wheel means lots of driving. Expect a high mileage.
Leaks
When buying a car check the lining of the roof for signs of moisture. Moisture patches indicate that a seal (from the sunroof) is not functioning properly. Feel under the floor mats for moisture. Where possible, lift up the carpet to inspect the floorboards for rust. Do the same for the trunk.
Odometer
Digital and analog odometers can quite easily be manipulated. It is not illegal to drive with a defective odometer as long as it was not intentionally tampered with to deceive a buyer as to the actual mileage. Check the maintenance log for corresponding distance data. Check the dashboard for signs of tampering with the odometer. Indicators are fingerprints or scratches on the inside of the plastic screen. Check for worn screws used for attachment of the instruments. If the digits are not aligned evenly, or if the digits are scratched, this indicates an attempt to change the mileage. If you find the mileage is on the low side, look carefully for signs of wear of the steering wheel, gearshift and pedals. If the pedals are worn to the metal, and the mileage counter shows 25,000 miles, it's time to say good bye!