Someone who is really looking at buying a used car for EV conversion project needs to look out for the model and make of the car, its cost and present condition apart from the mode of payment and other things involved in your purchase plan.

There are actually a lot of other important things which also need to be considered regarding the car itself prior to the purchase of the vehicle. Some of the key points are highlighted as follows.

1) The mileage.

The most important thing to be considered is the date of registration of the car to evaluate its age. In the second-hand car sales market, a car which has run for about 15,000 to 20,0000 km and which is around 3 to 5 years old is considered to be worthy for buying. This number kilometers run by the vehicle can be determined by taking the reading on the odometer of the car.

There is a high chance of this odometer value being false, because the odometer reading could be easily modified and tampered by the owner whether it is a mechanical or electrical odometer. But nevertheless, it gives you a rough idea about the current condition of the vehicle.

But since the vehicle is meant to be the donor car of your homemade electric car project, you can opt for a car which is much older. Reason being, you will be replacing the internal combustion engine with an electric motor. Therefore, even though the engine has considerable wear and tear, it is still a good candidate.

2) Tire condition.

The tires should have no wear and tear, because changing the tires will cost a ton. Also the health of the ball, bearings and bushes are to be noticed so that one does not end up spending on them unnecessarily.

3) Car battery.

The next thing to be in proper working condition is the battery in the car. It should be properly charged with no acidic leaks detected. This battery will be used to power auxiliary system such as electrical devices in your EV.

4) External appearance.

For anything the outside appearance matters a lot, likewise for the car also the paint on the external surface should look new, without any scratches, fading or peeling. Try to stay away from car which has excessive paint peeling or rust.

5) Internal system.

If the car has an audio system installed that also needs to be checked. Lastly, one has to ensure that the headlights, rear lights, dippers, reversing lights, and the cabin lights of the car are all in working condition. After considering all the above mentioned factors, you can decide upon the car which needs to be purchased finally.

In addition to the above list, it is always a wise idea to also look out for the special features of the model and the general output of the model and make a comparative analysis with one’s driving conditions, frequency of driving, needs and budget and then make a choice.

Also another set of comparative study could be made with respect to the other cars which came around the same time frame or which one can get for the same budget and analyze the pros and cons of your current selection based on the technical specifications. During this search there is a high possibility of hitting something which far superior than your current selection.

Now considering the payment options for the purchase of the car, there are several finance companies which offer loans at considerably low interest rates. So even before finalizing the finance company a comparative study is necessary to determine the best company which will suit your specific needs like discounts, repayment options, and monthly installments and so on.

As a matter of fact, at times one might not be able to find a good car in your own locality but there is a better alternative for the problem. One can take the help of a car dealer.

The purchase of cars from the car dealers will ensure that the quality of the car we purchase is actually good, as they generally make a thorough checkup before they purchase it from the owner and they also tend to maintain it properly.

The World Wide Web is another useful place to search for the different types of cars which are available for sale and it also makes your life easier for the comparative study as mentioned earlier.

Last but not the least, it is always better to test drive a car for at least 4 to 5 miles before deciding how good the present condition of the car is. It gives you the confidence before the purchase, and will also help reveal any malfunctions in the vehicle.