Be Your Own Used Car Auto Mechanic And Learn How To Judge A Used Car
Be Your Own Used Car Auto Mechanic And Learn How To Judge A Used Car
It can be intimidating when it comes to used car auto buying. Some have fear about being ripped off or having the vehicle break down as you drive up your driveway after buying it. There are some simple things you can do to ensure this is less likely to happen.
When you first walk up to the car take a really good look at it. Check to see if there are fluids under the car and if it is sitting at a level place. If there are fluids under the car there could be an oil leak or a leak somewhere else. If the car is not level there could be suspension issues with the car.
Then look more in depth to the car and open its hood and check it out. Walk away if you see low levels in the oil, coolant or transmission. Walk away as well if you smell a burnt gassy odor. These are signs the engine is damaged for lack of care.
Get on your knees and look underneath the vehicle. See if there are any fluids dripping off of the engine or transmission. Look for obvious damage. If you can see them, look at the brake pads. Are the pads and rotors 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.
Then get behind the wheel. Listen for unusual sound that should not be there. If there is any jerking or vibration you should be concerned as it should shift smoothly.
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.
Once all of that is done then you can look at mirrors for any cracking and that other extras work such as radio and air conditioning. It is not a guarantee that you will not get some problems but it lowers your chances to do so. Doing used car auto purchasing can be a whole lot less scary if you do these things or bring someone with you that knows how to.