Extensive Consumer-Friendly Checklist When Buying from a Used Car Dealer

Buying your next car or even your first car is a very big deal. Let's face it; our cars get us everywhere that we are going like work, errands, to visit friends and more. When buying from used car dealers there are some tips you need to know before ever leaving the lot.

Check the Used Car for Good Shock Absorbers

Shock absorbers are important on all cars whether the car is new or used. Not only that but these things are expensive to replace. Put your body weight on the corner of the car that you are thinking about buying. If the car bounces up and down at all when you release your body weight there is a problem.

Guess what? If the car bounces, it probably needs new shock absorbers or will need them very soon. Ask the used car dealers if they are going to replace the shocks for you prior to your purchase and taking the car off the lot.

Radiator Condition

The condition of the radiator is important. Pop the hood of the car that you want to buy and make sure that the radiator has no rust. Remove the radiator cap and check the radiator fluid for rust. If there is any type of rust on the radiator, there are probably hidden mechanical problems. You do not want to buy this car and should select a different one.

Oil Condition

Ask used car dealers to turn the engine to idle. Allow the auto you want to buy to idle for several minutes. Measure the oil and look at the oil. The oil should read as full. You should not see any white bubbles when you remove the oil cap. Also, the oil should not be white. Oil that is any shade of white indicates some major, major engine problems that are going to cost you a fortune down the road to repair. You want to skip buying a car that has any problems with the oil.

Clean or Dirty Tail Pipe

If the rings are worn or the valves in need of repairs, this can become extremely costly. Guess what? The warranty will probably not cover these repairs! Check the tail pipe of the auto you want to buy for any dark or black gummy, goopy or smutty build up. A dirty tail pipe will let you know that the auto you want to buy is going to cost you a fortune later on. Move onto the next vehicle on the lost.

Leaky Car?

No-one wants to get stuck with a car that leaks every time that a hard rain comes in. But how in the world are you going to check for something like this when it is bright and sunny the day you go to the used car dealerships to car hunt? You can't very well spray the car down with a water hose to test it for leaks!

The good news is no matter how well the used car dealers clean up the auto you want to buy, leaky cars or cars that have gone through a flood have a musty odor to them. That odor is your indication that the car leaks or has been in a flood that the used car dealers didn't bother to tell you about. Either way, you don't want to buy it unless you like going around in a wet car all of the time.

Good Steering?

Well we all know that having good steering can make or break the experience of driving a car. It can also be an indication if there is a power steering mechanical problems to fix later down the road. You guessed it, most of the time the warranty won't cover that. You will want the steering wheel of the auto you want to buy unlocked. Move it around without the engine on. Ideally, there should be no more than around two inches of play in the steering wheel.

Super Low Miles

So you find the perfect car and find out that it has super low miles for the age of the car. Oh no problem. The used car dealers tell you that the car was owned by a little old lady that drove her car once a week to the grocery store. She of course died and the poor family needed money so they traded the car in to pay their bills. Think again!

Check the brake pedal. A worn brake pedal pad means that car was not driven by the old grandmother once a week or month to the grocery store.

Check under the floor mats on the driver side. If there is wear and tear on the gas pedal side in the actual car flooring, the car has a lot of miles on it. The used car dealers can put on new brake pedal covers but they can't just rip of the flooring section under the gas pedal.

If you notice significant wear and tear on the car that doesn't seem to quite go with the amount you'd expect for the miles that are showing on the odometer, it is time to move to other used car dealers. The one that you are talking to has more than likely tampered with the odometer to get a higher price out of the car. No telling what else is going to be wrong with the car with such a dishonest, lying dealer!!!

Hidden Frame Problems

Hopefully when you go shopping at used car dealers you don't just go by yourself. When you have picked out the auto you want to buy, start the engine. As you drive out of the parking space and around the lot a minute have your trusted friend watch the back tires. If the tires on the back move toward one specific direction, guess what? There are major hidden frame damages. This could be an indication that the car has been previously wrecked. It is not even worth your time to test drive the car. Dealers are supposed to disclose previous wrecks and major repairs.

Conclusion

Be wary and cautious with used car dealers. They're not all crooks. In fact, most of them are not crooks at all. But at the same time, you need to watch your back. Follow the tips in the above check list to protect yourself and to get the most for your money. You deserve the best and your car is going to get you everywhere you want to go!