What to check before acquiring a second-hand commercial vehicle.

August 8, 2019

The acquisition of second-hand commercial vehicles, particularly trucks, is currently one of the preferred options for some companies to complete their fleets without incurring overspending. In addition, it is a viable option for many freelance drivers that have limited economy capacity.

But you need to be aware that what seems to be a savings strategy can become a source of bottomless expenses if some issues are not taken into account before making the purchase. For this reason, from Cojali, a leading company in components and diagnosis for commercial vehicles, we give you some keys to make an assessment before making this important investment.

Define your needs.

Before launching yourself into the second-hand market, make a list of realistic needs with the essential you need to carry out the work optimally. Leave out everything that is not essential and this will allow you to set a limit when making decisions and will help you avoid unprofitable operations.

Warranties.

Many vehicles, even if they are used, have warranty, we recommend you to learn more about it and give it priority to be covered of possible unforeseen after the acquisition.

Know the vehicle.

Carrying out a prior small study of the average price of the vehicle by brand, model, typology, registration year, kilometres travelled, etc., will allow you to decide if you are facing a good offer.

Check everything thoroughly.

• Kilometres per year. Mark 100,000 km/year as a limit ratio with a single driver. Above that number, it would be considered too high. Also, make sure that the kilometres travelled match with the real number.
• Maintenances: check maintenances history and that they have been carried out properly and within the deadlines set by the manufacturer. Learn more about the next maintenance and if it is an overspending.
• Check important systems such as the engine, brakes or anti-pollution system. With professional multibrand diagnostics tool, such as Jaltest, present in many workshops, it is possible to obtain all the necessary data to determine if the testing phase is positive. This will help us to be sure that the vehicle is in perfect conditions and, therefore, ready to be acquired.
• ITV test. Some diagnostic tools, such as the mentioned before, Jaltest, allow you to pass a complete ITV test by simulating the features of this check and avoiding unpleasant surprises that may occur later.

In short, following these guidelines, you can make sure that you are making the best decision. However, we recommend you to do it being aware and secure, ask to test the vehicle before signing and note that you can always monitor the status of the systems by performing a professional and complete check with Jaltest.