Have you ever heard the expression, ‘there are no guarantees in life’? This holds true everywhere, including vehicles of any type. But car manufacturers cannot remain in business in this day and age if they do not produce perfectly reliable automobiles. Of course, there are those exceptions - they are not the rule.
Many times it is the seller of a used car that has rendered it a lemon. The vehicle manufacturers place an easy-to-read and comprehend manual in every car they make. If the owner of a car maintains it according to the manual, the vehicle is in for the long haul. Stories are told everyday by owners of cars who have just reached the 150,000 mileage mark and intend to drive their car well into the future. The fact is most cars are made to last beyond the 100,000 mileage marker.
Every car ad you see on TV squawks about the necessity to get a Carfax or some report like it on any used car you are interested in buying. Such reports cost around $10.00 each and you should consider buying at least five of them. We are not endorsing Carfax either, just solid advice on obtaining the VIN number and at least one maintenance report on that used car before you buy it.
Vehicle history reports investigate the car for major accidents, mileage turnbacks, multiple owners, frame damage, and flood and tornado damage, whether it was branded a lemon and even more informative facts. The car you are looking at is in your town now, but where did it originate? If it came from a hurricane, flood or tornado prone area was it there when the disaster occurred?
Always take someone with you who knows more about cars than you do. I am not saying that you lack mechanical ability, but not everyone can know everything and you are a smart shopper.
You and your mechanically inclined buddy will check the oil for cleanliness before you give it a test drive. If the oil is dirty, ask the seller when it was last changed. This owner/seller may not have properly maintained this vehicle. Check all the fluids you can.
Look at the tires: are they wearing evenly? If not, ask the owner when was the last time the tires were rotated?
Check everything you can with the dash: do all brake lights work; do both turn signals work? Do check the heat, A/C, radio and CD player.
The experts advise that you evaluate the acceleration from a complete stop when you do your test drive. Check for sluggishness and chugging, engine noise and any rattling under the hood when you accelerate.
How does the car handle in turns? If it’s not responsive, you may have some suspension problems. Check the brakes. Even ask the seller when was the last time new brake shoes were installed?
It’s a very good plan to have previous arrangements made with a trusted mechanic who for a fee will hook up a prospective vehicle to his diagnostics to evaluate it for any issues previously undiscovered.
As a matter of fact, maybe all you need do is ask the seller if he minds that you take the car to your trusted mechanic for a diagnosis. If he minds, you have your answer about that car. Now you can move on to another one.
Have you been questioning, how can I Sell my Japanese Car, talk to the guys at Trade-In Genie.