After many years of working for used car dealers, i have seen so many things that are done to cars just to
'temp' fix that it makes me sick. needless to say i don't work with these type of people any more!!. just to name a few, using super thick additives to leaky power steering pumps,leak stoppers to stop leaking head gaskets,using salvage yard parts when customers were told it has new and several other 'rigged" ways of
conducting business.
Here is where it stops, the unknowing customer will now be "in-the-know" and be confident when buying a used car.
1. First thing to look at is the mileage of course, people these days will and i have seen it done, roll back mileage on an odometer, it can be done!! if the car has unusually low miles for its year, just simply look at the pedals, if they look wore out chances are the miles are not correct. the rubber pads on the pedals wear as the car gets more miles,that's common. if the pedals look good and the car has high miles it will usually be highway miles, because they don't get used as much when you are driving the long haul on the highway.
"BEFORE THE TEST DRIVE"
2.Checking the fluids, before even driving the car check all of the fluids, that's common sense right?
checking the levels is not the only thing to look for when doing this, always check the condition of the fluids.
transmission fluid (on an automatic) should always be checked when the car is at operating temp and while running. it should be from red to bright red and with no real strong odor. if it is really dark and has an odor
i would ask the dealer to change it. A manual transmission requires a more in depth method to check fluid levels, the fill plug has to be located and removed, slightly put your finger in the fill hole. if fluid gets on your finger ,it is full. As for the brake fluid, if it is black, that means something is making metal in the system, a wheel cylinder wearing out usually or a caliper. Now to the engine oil, most everybody knows if its black it needs changing. but there is another thing to look for that most people don't know about. When you pull the dip stick out to check the level, smear a little off on your fingers and look at it in the sunlight while kind of rubbing your fingers together, if you see metallic looking bits like glittery looking this is a sign of something in the engine making metal. this is never a good thing to see, stay away from that one for sure cause the engine will most likely fail at some point soon.By the way while you got the hood up look at the inner structure of the car if you see newer looking paint that doesn't match right, on the inside structure in front of the strut towers, most likely its been wrecked and fixed. but don't let this deter you from the sale if the rest of the car checks out, the car will still be safe if repairs are done correctly, but i would bring it to the attention of the dealer just to see if they will confirm a past collision repair.
3.Tires. make sure the air pressures are correct and the tread depth is within acceptable limits.
"DURING THE TEST DRIVE"
4. Now its brake time. the pedal should feel firm and at the top, with no excessive travel. Now for the test drive, during your test drive there are many things that need to be checked, when coming to a stop feel for vibrations if there is, more than likely the rotors need changing. again ask the dealer to do this, they may or may not, some do some don't. because they are selling a used car they make you sign a as-is form and they really don't have to do this. also listen for grinding when coming to a stop, this would be a sign of worn pads or shoes. Another thing you should check is any wheel bearing noise. while you are driving if you can hear a slight roaring sound that gets louder when you steer either right or left, if you hear this it usually is the wheel bearing(s). determining if its front or rear will be apparent. Check the alignment. slightly let go (but not completely) to see if the car wonders to one side or the other. during the test drive you will need to drive the car in different places. Do some highway driving to insure the car for smoothness and check for any transmission slippage or clutch slippage, then do some in town to insure the cooling system is working properly. As for air conditioning that's either a it works or don't, personally a car without working air is not a determining factor to me i would likely buy the car anyway if everything else checked out, but that's my personal preference.
"AFTER THE TEST DRIVE"
after you have completed your test drive,give the car a once over. Raise the hood and check for anything out of the ordinary,leaking fluids,smoke....etc. Look underneath the car to see if anything is leaking out. Then check the interior to make sure everything works, all windows roll all the way up and down,all door handles and locks work correctly,all buttons ,switches and knobs work properly.
"TO BUY OR NOT TO BUY"
When everything is checked and tested and if there is any small things that can be negotiated with the dealer
its time for you to decide if you want to buy or not. At this point if the car has checked out, it is your call.
Armed with this in depth check guide, you should be able to buy with confidence and not have to worry if someone is trying to get one over on you. i hope this will be helpful to all, i have seen to many people waste their money on JUNK that is really junkyard bound. if you would like an even more in depth guide on this subject you can go here and for those of you that may want info on green ideas or want to know more about fixing your own car please
click here and join up and leave me some info. thanks for reading and buy with confidence!!!!
Gary Marshall
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