Be Your Own Used Car Auto Mechanic And Learn How To Judge A Used Car

Many people fear that when it comes to used car auto buying they will be ripped off. It is a common concern. But if you know what to look for it can save you a lot of time and heartache in buying a used car.

First of all, when walking up to the vehicle take a good look at it. Look for fluids underneath the vehicle. Is the vehicle sitting level or is it leaning to one side or the other? Fluids underneath the car could be a sign of an oil, transmission fluid or coolant leak. If the vehicle is not sitting level, it could be a sign of suspension damage.

If the car passes to this stage look more in depth. Check out under the hood and look at the levels of the oil, transmission and coolants. Low levels are very bad and you should stop there and look elsewhere. Walk away as well if you see the the oil or tranny fluid has a burnt or gas smell to them.

If it passes so far it is time to get to your knees and look under the car. Look for fluids dripping off the engine. Look for this off the transmission as well and notice any obvious damage. If you can look at brake pads and judge if the pads and rotors are in good shape.

When the seller of the vehicle hands you the keys and says “Start it up” politely hand the the keys back and ask them to start the car. Walk to the rear of the vehicle. When the vehicle starts, watch for smoke from the exhaust pipe. Blue smoke is a sign of excessive engine wear or abuse.

When test driving the vehicle listen for any unusual sounds that you normally wouldn’t hear a car make. During acceleration, does it speed up smoothly or does it jerk and vibrate? Acceleration should be smooth. The transmission shifts should be nice and smooth.

If you can find a stretch of road you can check steering. You do this by letting go of the wheel to see if the car stays in alignment. It should continue to go straight when you do. Step on the brakes as well as the car should stay in a straight line and not pull to a side.

When you get back to the seller look at the radio, wiper, air conditioning and the mirrors. Check all electrical systems as well. All of these steps will not ensure your used car auto buying experience is without worry but it will certainly diminish your chances of getting ripped off.

emergency cash assistance
Or

small personal loan
Or

bad credit  payday