What to Consider When Buying a Used Car
Most people will have to buy a car at some point in their life and it can be an exciting experience for many. People often love their cars and enjoy driving them. This makes sense considering we typically use them every day. The important thing to remember is that cars are not cheap to buy and often are not cheap to maintain. This is why it is important to only buy a car that is in good shape and being sold for a good price. This is not always easy to do but with some searching around you will be rewarded heavily in the long term by not having to worry about your vehicle having problems and costing a fortune to repair.
This post will cover a few of the important things to consider when buying a used car to ensure it is in decent shape. Another great option is to check out the nearly countless videos on the internet that go into much deeper detail on how to do certain tasks. This is just more of an outline of things to remember. There are certainly many more things to check and each vehicle will have its own set of known issues to look out for.
One of the most obvious things to check for is the fluid in the car. There are many different fluids in a vehicle and they all have important roles to play. A few of the most common ones are the engine oil, brake fluid, coolant, and transmission fluid. Depending on the age of the vehicle, there could be serious issues if the previous owner forgot to properly maintain these fluids over the years.
Another common issue to watch out for is rust. Thanks to modern technology, carmakers are getting better at making vehicles that are more resistant to the dangerous effects of rust. This is not to say that every car is immune to this problem. Especially if you live in a “rust belt” state such as Illinois, older vehicles tend to show their age well with how much rust they have. Minor surface rust is common and should not be a reason for alarm but if the rust is so severe that parts of the frame are crumbling apart then it is recommended to avoid that vehicle. Typically this is one of the easiest things to check yourself.
One of the most important things to do is actually drive the car! Take it out on the road and drive it at a variety of speeds. Turn off the radio and see if it is making any strange sounds. Get some speed on the interstate and see if the car can maintain a straight path or if it wants to pull towards one direction. These should all be red flags to watch out for. Floor the gas and see if it accelerates smoothly or if it is rough and jolts from each gear change. Hit the brakes hard and ensure they work properly. These are all simple tests that anybody can do but are too often forgotten about until it is too late.
If there is anything you are unsure about it is always a good idea to take the vehicle to a trusted mechanic. They can perform a full and professional inspection to ensure that the vehicle is safe for the road. They can also check the computer in the car to make sure there are no hidden problems.