It is always better to check the car in daylight because darkness can mask certain small damages. One of the most common malpractices which can be seen in the purchasing second hand car market is odometer tampering, where the odometer is artificially lowered and there are few sellers who might change the engine too, so the buyer has to check the engine number with the insurance documents and the vehicle registration form.
The buyer should also check 17 digits VIN (Verification Identification Number) which would be mentioned in many parts of the body and by decoding the same will give the complete details of the vehicle like month and year of the car that is manufactured.
Fake owners, fake brokers, fake mechanics, fake promises in the open market would only put the buyer in deep trouble, so before purchasing second hand cars the buyer has to take certain steps like going with his mechanic, should be free from pressure of buying, able to negotiate to the best price, collect the original and the duplicate keys if the seller has and should do a test drive. The used car segment is not a very organized segment in India. Though there are many corporate companies that directly offer cars with certificates, buyers prefer buying in open markets, where risk is highly associated. Finally while purchasing second hand car, also keep resale in mind.