Tips for Buying a Used Car

Everyone has heard the phrase of "kicking the tires", but what exactly does it mean? In the used car market, the term is often used and implies how one should proceed with inspecting a used car. Does the inspection actually involve literally kicking the tires, or does the phrase "kicking the tires" imply something entirely different? In order to understand the use of this phrase, a thorough explanation of the process of inspecting a used car is in order. You may make your own determination of the actual meaning of the phrase after reading the following guidelines for used car inspection.

Inspecting a used car is a carefully thought out step by step process. Being thorough is key. An inspection should involve every sense including sight, sound, and touch, but please leave your emotions behind as they have no direct connection to the quality of the used car that you are interested in purchasing.

To begin your inspection, you will rely upon your visual sense. Carefully eye down each and every exterior body panel. You are looking for any dents, or deformities that may indicate an accident or incorrect body repair. Check every body gap for consistencies, check the appearance of the glass for cracks, chips, or pitting, look for bent rims, inspect tires for wear and insure that all tires are matching in terms of size and brand of tire, and inspect headlights and taillights for cracks or condensation within the lens.

Once you have completed your inspection of the exterior, you will now turn your attention to the interior. We are still inspecting the car with our visual sense. Inside the car you will want to inspect the seats for abnormal or excessive wear, check the headliner for sagging or other damage, and visually inspect the dashboard for damage such as cracks, fading, or broken buttons or other accessories. Continuing on, check the seatbelts for fraying or other visible damage, check the carpet for wear, water damage and burns, and check the steering wheel for wear. Inspect the dash cluster for scratches, and inspect the door panels for loose trim, fading, or other noticeable damage.

Now your inspection will take you back outside of the car. At this time you can open the hood and trunk of the car. Beginning with the trunk, look for water damage to the upholstery, remove the carpeting and inspect the condition of the spare tire and the condition of the spare tire well. You are looking for rust damage in this area, a sign that water has been present for a significant amount of time. To finish with your trunk inspection, look around for any loose trim pieces or wiring that is out of place.

Now on to the engine bay. The engine bay is complex and it can be difficult to find any defects, so a simple inspection is all that is needed. Visually inspect for any leaking fluids. Check for leaks on both the top side of the engine bay and the undercarriage side. This will require you getting on the ground and underneath the vehicle. Next, look at the engine bay for any areas of rust. Inspect the underside of the hood for rust, or other defects.

You may visually inspect the fluids at this time by removing any dipsticks and checking the level of fluid. Do not be concerned with the condition of the fluid as sellers will usually change fluids prior to putting a car up for sale and fresh fluid will only indicate that the fluid was changed recently and will have no relation to the general level of maintenance of the car. Instead, you are inspecting the fluid to be certain that all fluids are full and driving the car will not damage any component.

The final visual inspection step will involve moving the car either forward or backwards to inspect the area directly beneath the vehicle. You are looking for any recent drips or stains on the flooring surface.

If the inspection has been successful to this point then you can rely upon your other senses to further inspect the vehicle. The sense of touch and hearing will be used together throughout the rest of the inspection process.

Return to the interior of the car. Insert the key and move it the accessory position. You will be checking the working condition of all interior items. Turn the blower motor to each speed setting and listen and feel for airflow. Tap the horn to make sure that it functions correctly. Turn the radio on and listen to make sure that it is in working order. Turn the wipers on and watch their action and listen for any squeaks on other noises coming from the wiper motor. Operate all of the windows, make sure they go down completely and come back up without any problems. Operate the sunroof if so equipped. Finally, check the operation of any additional options that are installed on the car. This could include but is not limited to heated seats, power seats mechanisms, or navigation units.

Our inspection will now move to the operation of the exterior lights. It is desirable to have two people for this process, but one person can accomplish this task. First turn on the headlights and visually inspect their light output. Turn on the high beam lights and inspect their functionality. Turn on first the left and then the right turn signals and check both the front and back of the vehicle to determine if they function correctly. Finally, inspect that the brake lights work. If you have two people, one can apply pressure to the pedal as the other inspects the brake lights from the exterior of the vehicle. If you are by yourself, you will need to place an object against the brake pedal to apply pressure and then go to the rear of the vehicle to inspect the brake lights.

Our final inspection procedure before the test drive will be a mechanical inspection. This requires some knowledge of what you are listening and looking for as well as a general knowledge of the vehicle that you are inspecting. However, this inspection is not extremely critical, as the test drive will answer most question or concerns related to the mechanical working order of the vehicle.

To begin the mechanical inspection, start the engine. The engine should respond quickly and start nearly immediately. Listen for any abnormal noise such as squealing, tapping, or grinding sounds. Turn the steering wheel side to side and feel the steering wheel for any binding, and excessive play. Get under the car and listen for any exhaust leaks which are usually associated with a ticking sound. Inspect the engine bay for any leaks now that the fluids are under pressure. Smell for any burning fluids. Any abnormal smells are usually readily apparent. Look for any smoke coming from the engine bay area. Smoke will also indicate a leaking fluid. Smell for gasoline, the presence of a strong gasoline odor will usually indicate a leaking fuel line.

If the inspection has proceeded to your liking, then you are now ready for the test drive. The test drive will provide vital feedback about the condition of the vehicle and is possibly the most important aspect of the inspection process. It is preferable to take a test drive without the owner of the car. This allows you to focus on the car and not be concerned about comments the owner may make, or any other distractions caused by the car's current owner.

During the test drive make sure that all onboard systems function correctly. Test the brakes by finding an empty road section or a parking lot and apply heavy braking pressure. Feel for any vibrations and note stopping distances. Listen for squealing and grinding. Test the cars suspension by turning sharply in the parking lot. Turn both ways. Feel for adequate shock absorption, responsive handling, and listen for any noise from the suspension components. Test the transmission by selecting each and every available gear and ensuring that it works and functions as expected. If the vehicle has an automatic transmission, make sure you manually select all available gears for this test. If the car has a manual transmission, feel for excessive clutch pedal play and note any slippage of the clutch.

Finally, test the engines responsiveness and its overall running condition. Note the idle and make sure that it idles smoothly. Accelerate moderately and makes sure that the transmission responds to your input. Take the car on the expressway to test for high speed stability, engine performance, and any alignment related issues.

If the car that interests you passes the inspection process listed above, you are looking at a fine example of a used car. The inspection is thorough and can be used to accurately gauge the overall condition of any vehicle. Emotion must not be present during the inspection process. If your heart is set on a certain car, you may overlook many flaws. The above inspection process is intended to remove emotion and to help you make an informed decision.

By following the inspection process listed above, you are on your way to selecting a vehicle that is in good working order and will provide you with transportation to meet your needs for years to come. Inspecting a car is time consuming, but the results of a thorough inspection will assure you that you have selected a car that is in sound overall condition.

So what does "kicking the tires" mean? This phrase simply implies that you complete a thorough inspection of a vehicle. By following the above inspection process you have not kicked any tires, but if you feel driven to do so, go ahead and give it a kick after the test drive. It won't tell you anything about the condition of the vehicle, but you can satisfy your need of fulfilling a phrase that has been associated with used cars for decades.