Things to check on delivery of new car

1. Ensure you are provided with all relevant documents like Insurance and Vehicle registration

before taking final delivery.

2. Be Cheerful and act cordially with staff.

3. Be Patient. Minor delays are sometimes unavoidable.

4. If you find anything not up to your mark during inspection, simply note it down on a piece of

paper and bring it to the notice of staff. Your aim should be to rectify any faults and not to

create any unpleasant scene during what should essentially be a joyous occasion for you.

5. Take your time to inspect. Buying a car is an investment and giving it due time is expected.

6. Take a complete demonstration from salesperson. You should be aware of all functions before

you take it to your inspection.

7. Note the mileage. Usually, anything below 40 km (25 miles) is acceptable. Though this would

vary depending on how your vehicle is delivered to the dealer from manufacturer's yard.

8. Inspect the bodywork. Ensure you do it in daylight and in open space. Take your time and

note down the smallest of imperfections. It is very difficult to justify scratches and minor

dents to staff at later stage.

9. Check all seams, panel gap consistencies, and door line match to acceptable standards.

10. Check all doors, hood, & boot that they open and shut properly and that all rubber linings are

soft.

11. Open Bonnet. Check fluid levels and engine compartment cleanliness.

12. Also look for any cuts or splits in electrical wiring and connections. Also, check that the ECU

of car is properly shielded.

13. Check the Battery. Usually most trusted brands of batteries have indicators showing the

health of the battery. If not, ask service staff to confirm the health of battery and perform a

battery test.

14. Confirm that all tires are new. Usually a new tire would have coloured stripes in centre which

wear off once tire is used for some time.

15. Check the windshields for any cracks, scratches or spots that may be difficult to remove later.

Check wiper operations. Check and operate all windows. Ensure Power windows (if

applicable) work properly.

16. Check the interior of the car. Especially look out for any kind of soiling of seats, upholstery

and carpets. Make sure every kind of cloth or leather is intact.

17. Turn on the ignition.

18. Ensure that no warning lights are flashing on the instrument cluster.

19. Ensure that fuel level is adequate and engine temperature is within acceptable range.

20. Crank the engine. Lookout for any weird sound from engine compartment. It is advisable to

crank the engine and then step out of the vehicle to inspect the sound of the vehicle. While

you are at it, also check the emission levels from exhaust.

21. Turn on the air-conditioning / heating. Ensure it provides you with sufficient cooling /

heating.

22. Try to operate and test all the bells and whistles that may have come with your car.

23. Switch on the headlights, fog lamps and parking lights. Confirm that they operate properly.

Ensure that headlights focus properly.

24. Check the A/V system. Carry your favourite CD to test the sound system.

25. Buckle Up and request a short test drive before delivery. At this point, switch off the music

system and put the air-conditioning on low speed so that you can listen to any abnormality.

26. Shift into gears. Ensure that they slot properly and vehicle has decent acceleration.

27. On your test drive, look for any abnormal sounds from engine or suspension system. Also,

ensure that there are no rattles and NVH (Noise, Vibration and Harshness) levels are

acceptable.

28. On a straight stretch, drive at a speed of 60 km/h and check that vehicle is properly aligned to

road and there is no unusual vibration.

29. Return to service centre. Park the vehicle. Step out and open the hood. Check for any fluid

leaks that may have popped up during trial.

30. Meet the service manager and get all possible information regarding service schedules and

good driving etiquette.

31. Exchange business cards with salesperson, and service personnel.

32. Bring to notice any faults that you may have encountered during the inspection.

33. Note down Chassis No. and Engine No. of vehicle and confirm that it matches with the

paperwork

34. Check Air Pressure on the vehicle.

35. Check all additional items to be present in the vehicle like spare tire, CD Changer, tool kits

and warning triangles.