A few Weapons in the used Car Battle
Purchasing a used vehicle can be daunting. Someone who is unfamiliar with how vehicles work can easily make a grave error when buying a previously owned vehicle. However, with a few crucial bits of information it will lower your risk considerably. Used car dealers will rarely give you a true assessment of a vehicles shortcomings and surprisingly often are unaware themselves. Whenever possible bring along someone who may know a little about cars but even if you do you will still need to be your own expert. Here are a few pitfalls and things to look out for.
The first thing to consider is mileage. A vehicle can look stunning, it can smell clean and have a dazzling paint job but underneath hundreds of thousands of miles worth of wear can paint a different picture. Don't be fooled by appearance, reliability and safety can't be observed from the outside. Many vehicles have important maintenance work that is required at certain mileages, it is necessary to be aware of those required services and to be able to ascertain if they have been done. If prior service records are available that is obviously a plus.
One very important factor is to determine if the car or truck you are thinking of purchasing has an interference engine. An interference engine is very common and why it is relevant is because these types of engines require the replacement of the timing belt at a specific mileage interval. Typically it is 90,000 but can be as low as 60,000 or as high as 120,000. If the timing belt is not replaced it will eventually break and the engine will not run, and depending on the engine design can cause severe internal engine damage. This is one reason it is very important to be aware of the vehicle's mileage. If a vehicles mileage is near or past that 90,000 mile mark you will definitely want to know if the timing belt has been replaced. Often times there will be a sticker on the engine denoting the mileage and date it was replaced but not always. Knowing this can also be a useful bargaining tool. When negotiating the price you can inform the salesman that you are aware you will need to have this costly service performed upon purchasing the vehicle and use that information to lower the price.
Something else to look for is if there are any warning lights on the dash that are illuminated. A check engine light can mean any of a wide spectrum of problems are present and recognizing this can be critical. Other warning lights can also indicate possibly costly future problems. Traction control system and emissions system warning lights are often overlooked but can lead to extensive diagnostic charges due to the complex nature of those systems.
It is important to keep in mind that if a vehicle has a manual transmission that the clutch disc is a wear item and will eventually need replacement, again higher mileage means maintenance soon is more likely. If the vehicle is equipped with an automatic transmission and quick inspection of the fluid on transmission dipstick can tell you much as to the state of the transmission. Burnt smelling or black transmission can mean maintenance has been neglected whereas clear reddish fluid is a good sign the previous owner invested in maintenance.
These are a few things that can be checked quickly and can tell you much as to the state of used vehicle but perhaps the best insurance one can get in this situation is the pre-purchase inspection. Most repair facilities will offer a comprehensive inspection prior to purchase that can give you a much better insight into the condition of the vehicle. If, for instance, any of those warning lights are on they will be able to scan the vehicles computer and tell you why. Such inspections will often include a full inspection of the brakes system and check all the vehicles fluids. If a seller refuses to relinquish the vehicle for a pre-purchase inspection that in itself is very large red flag.
Flashy paint and shiny wheels can be alluring but don't get fooled and end up regretting what could be an easily avoidable mistake. If you find a car that interests you do your research. Find out the maintenance schedule and check it against the vehicle's mileage. Most major vehicle failures give little or no warning so give yourself every advantage and after you are satisfied take it to a professional and listen to what they have to say.
