Personal Checklists
How to do a comprehensive pre delivery inspection before you drive that car out of the dealership
A pre-delivery inspection is very important when you buy a car. If you use a checklist during inspection it will ensure that you do not miss any potential defects that your car may have.
TLDR; Use this checklist if you already know why it is important to do a pre-delivery inspection.
Why do a pre-delivery inspection?
A modern car is made of about 30,000 individual parts that are mechanical, electric and electronic in nature. Given that many number of components, it is easy for some them to be defective. More than 50 million cars are sold in the world annually and that means even at six sigma standards (3.4 defective parts per million) you end up with 5.25 million defective parts across all the cars sold in the world.
It means 1 in 10 cars is bound to have at least 1 defective part.
Once you confirm the unit at the dealership, it is almost impossible to get a replacement. So the best time to check your car for defects is when the dealer provides you the car for inspection before you confirm it for delivery.
Why use a checklist?
- The human brain can remember only 7 things (+/- 2) at any given point of time. When you are doing something, it is better to have a list that has all the steps if the number of things you have to pay remember more than 5–7 items.
- A checklist can eliminate mistakes. Following a checklist reduces the potential for mistakes and errors by ensuring you have a reference.
- A checklist ensures that everything necessary is completed.
- Checklists reduce errors by clearly laying out exactly what needs to be done so that nothing is missed. Pre-delivery inspection is not something that you do routinely and the chances of you missing a critical step is high.
Steps in a pre-delivery inspection
Ensure that the car is inspected in a bright place with ample natural light. It is also better if you have another person accompanying you as it helps in checking certain functions like side indicators. If you are buying a new car, the car should have been manufactured in the last 3–4 months or lesser. Ensure that the odometer reading is < 70Kms or 50 miles. If it is not, check with the dealer for the reason.
Documents
The first and the foremost important thing to check is the documentation that comes with your car. Check the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) to ensure that the model, manufacturing year and month are as promised by the dealer. You should also check if the number in the document matches the number on the chassis.
Body
You should check the over all body for any dents/scratches/paint work. Though a lot of care is taken in transporting the car from the factory, sometimes it is inevitable that some minor accidents happen. As there are no legal requirements to declare any damage to vehicles due to these accidents, the dealer may sell you a damaged vehicle.
Bonnet/Hood
Check for deformities in the Hood. It should be easy to open and close without much effort. Check the engine bay for any oil leakages or rust. The engine bay should be clean and free of dust.
Trunk/Boot
Check for scratches/dents on the boot. Open and close it, it should close without any issues. Check the insides of the boot and if it contains spares and tools.
Under Body/Bottom
Check the under body of the car for any scratches. Check the ground under the body for signs of liquid leakage. Check the treads of all the four tyres and the spare tyre for any wear. Ensure that the rims/alloys do not have any scratches especially where the tyres are bolted.
Top
Check the top of the car for scratches and dents. If your model has roof rails, ensure that they are fixed properly and do have any misalignment or rust.
Interiors
Check the interiors for any signs of flooding/rain leakage. The interior esp. the cover of the seats (fabric/leather) will clearly display marks of being damaged by water. Check for unusual or mis matched colours in the upholstery. Check if all the manual/electric the seat adjustments work.
Electricals
Check all the electrical fitments — Front lamps, Rear lamps, Fog lamps, Wiper, Interior lamps, Side mirror motor, Air conditioning, for their operation. Also ensure that you do not hear any strange noise during their operation.
Electronics
Check all the electronic components — Push Start, Touch Display, Dash board display, Audio, Bluetooth connectivity, Usb Connectivity, Wireless Connectivity, Wireless charger, ABS/EBD/Emission displays.
Gear Box, Engine
Start the car and ensure that the engine sounds normal. Rev the engine while in neutral to ensure that the engine is responding well. Without actually driving the car, change the gears and watch for any abnormalities.
