Here are signs that a car has been damaged: Moldings or trim have paint on them. The paint is uneven or peeling. Windows and trim are not intact. Door seams are not straight. Fenders do not line up. The body is rippled as you look down the length of the car. Check this with a magnet. Run the magnet over the car’s body. The magnet will not stick to filler. The doors, windows and trunk lid do not fit tightly. There is rust. Here are ways to check if a car is in poor condition: The suspension is weak. Test this by pushing the body down at each corner. If the car does not bounce back up the shock absorbers or struts may be bad. The tires are of different types. The tires are worn unevenly. A lot of wear on a used car with low mileage may be a sign of odometer tampering. There are puddles or dripping underneath the car. Parts under the car are hanging loose or disconnected. The tail pipe contains damp grime or oil. Check this by wiping your finger on the inside of the tail pipe. Light, dry soot is acceptable. There are signs of rust or welded patches under the floor mats and the rug in the trunk. When you turn the ignition on, but not to the starter position, the warning panel lights do not come on. The oil is too dark and looks burned, or it is very thick. The engine does not start up right away or it sounds choppy. Accelerate the engine quickly. The engine should not jump, run roughly or whine. Exhaust burns blue smoke (may be burning oil) or black smoke (may be unburned fuel). Exhaust system sounds too loud. Here are ways to check for odometer tampering: The mileage on the odometer is different from what you were told the car had or what is documented on the paperwork. The mileage seems very low considering the age or condition of the car. The odometer numbers do not line up in a straight line. There are streaks of color running horizontally through the numbers on the odometer. The gas or brake pedals seem very worn for the low mileage on the odometer. When you test drive the car, here are signs that the car may be a poor choice: When the engine shifts gears (automatic transmission) the car jerks. There are loud clunks when you shift from drive to reverse (with your foot on the brake). When you use the gear shift with a manual transmission, it is stiff and hard to move. When the emergency brake is on and the clutch slowly engaged in each gear, the car stalls quickly, the clutch disk slips or you hear clanking or grinding. When you brake, the pedal goes all the way to the floor, locks up and/or squeaks or squeals. When you go uphill, the car seems to lose power and/or knocks, rattles or the engine makes deep noises. When you steer, the car pulls to one side. When you drive on the highway, the ride is noisy and rough. When you come to a stop, the engine idles roughly and/or stalls out. Before you purchase or lease a used car get a mechanic to: Do a compression check on the engine. Check the ball joints, differential (if there is one), tie rods, oil pressure, and ignition system. Look at the coolant for signs of oil leaking into the coolant. Evaluate the battery and charging system. Pull at least one front and one rear wheel to look at the brakes. Put the car on a lift to look at the underside for leaks, loose connections and body problems. Check the hoses and fluids. Take the car out for a drive to note any strange sounds, vibrations, or other symptoms of trouble. Check the emissions.