check the tyres
When it comes to tyres tread carefully lest you land up with a bad bargain

Tyres are often one of the most ignored components of a vehicle. Yet any sensible motorist will tell you that they are one of the most important. After all it is the tyres that will bear the brunt of your mile crunching weekend trips out of the city or your daily commutes to the office or the markets. Why take a chance with these? You don't want them to let you down in the middle of nowhere. Naturally, you can minimise that chance by checking the tyres thoroughly before you buy the car.

Spare nothing
Do not ignore the spare wheel when you run those checks. In the unfortunate event of a puncture it is the spare wheel that will see you through to the next tyre repair workshop. Make sure that the tread depth is at or beyond the required safety level. Also look for signs of repairs to the spare wheel since a repaired wheel will generally last a lot less.

Other than all this, check for unusual bulges on the surface of the tyre or rubber patches that look different from the rest of the tyre surface. Usually they are indications of the tyres having been repaired or a faulty tube that will give in to the rigours of driving before you expect. Also remember that most new cars come shod with tubeless tyres.

Branded?
Most cars come fitted with the same brand of tyres on all wheels. If the car you plan to buy has tyres from different brands then there could be a chance that the actual kilometres that the vehicle has done and the reading on the odometer are not the same.

Check with the seller again to find out whether the car has done more kilometres than is shown by the meter. Look for other telltale signs of wear and tear that will give you clues about the number of miles that the vehicle has travelled.ü

Tread marks
Check for the depth of tread to ensure whether you'll need to replace them after buying the vehicle. As a thumb rule a tread depth of 3mm or more is deemed safe for driving under most conditions. Go through the owner's manual.

Weariness
Check for uneven tyre wear since this is an important indicator of improper wheel alignment and incorrect tyre pressure. It also indicates poor suspension set up or worn out shock absorbers.