What all to check while taking delivery of a new car: Pre-delivery inspection (PDI) simplified

With the lockdown opening, the sales of cars are expected to commence. Everyone gets excited when they have to take the delivery of their vehicle and the first thing, they want to do it is get it on road and drive. But some damages can happen when the car is being transported or is sitting in the stockyard so a new buyer needs to inspect the vehicle properly before leaving the showroom. Before you start inspecting make sure that you take the delivery during the day which will assist you in checking the car.

Here are some of the things that you must check while taking delivery of a new car:

Bodywork and paint job

 

The first thing that you should inspect is the exterior bodywork. Check for scratches, re-paints, abnormalities and scrubs. Sometimes, if the car has been slightly damaged, the dealership repairs and conceals the damages that have been done to the car. If you notice that there is bodywork damage, then bring it to the attention of the dealership and get a written confirmation from them. This may help you in the future if some new problem arises due to the damage that was done by the dealership.

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Check the interior and odometer reading

Check that the upholstery, dashboard, panels, glovebox, roof-lining etc. have a stain or not. The glovebox should close properly, seatbelts should buckle-in properly, all the buttons should be working properly. Lastly, check if the instrument cluster is working properly or not and its backlight is illuminating. You should also check the reading on the odometer as it should not be more than 100 km. If it is more than 100km then you have the right to ask the dealership, the reason behind it.

Check the electricals, engine bay and lights

Check if all the windows are rolling down properly or not, wipers are working and wiping the windscreen properly or not, central locking is opening all the four-door locks and the infotainment system unit is working properly or not. Check if the taillights, indicators, cabin light, parking lights, high beam etc. are functioning correctly. Cars have been parked outside in the stockyard due to which the wires can take damage from rodents. Open the engine bay and ensure that all the fluids such as engine oil, brake fluid, windscreen wiper fluid, coolant etc. are at their correct level. Also, the engine bay should be clean, without any fluid leaks and it should not be rusting from anywhere.

Check the aircon

Check if the aircon is working properly or not. To do this, start the engine and turn on the aircon at full speed. The AC should be throwing cold air, it should be able to chill the cabin quickly and there should not be a foul smell. While sitting in the stockyards, the ventilation system can get clogged up with dust and it could have started harbouring bacteria which can cause a foul smell in the cabin.

Check the tyres

The tyres can develop flat spots if the vehicle is stationary and parked for long periods. This can result in air pressure dropping, excessive tyre wear and premature tyre failure. You should check the manufacturing date of the tyre because old tyres can get hardened. There should be no indication of tyre wear and you should also check that there is adequate tyre tread. Also, check if the spare tyre is there, jack and equipment for changing the spare tyre.

Check the manufacturing month and year

Make sure that you ask for Form no. 22 to match the chassis number and engine number with the car. Moreover, also check the month and year of manufacture. You should check this information because there have been some instances where the dealership entered the wrong information on the documents.

Make sure that you verify this information before taking the delivery of the car. Clear your doubts about the vehicle with the salesperson and ask for a maintenance schedule. One tip that you can follow is making a checklist before going to take the delivery of the car. This will ensure that you don’t miss anything.

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