This article will help
you determine whether a used car is a good investment or trouble! ~ Brought to
you by Partsavatar Vehicle parts.
Buying a car especially
a used one is not any easy job. You cannot afford wasting your hard earned cash
on any vehicle. It is necessary to pay attention to a few relevant
considerations before actually making a purchase. Parts avatar
advises some tips by which you can determine where the used vehicle is a good
investment or a potential trouble.
Check
the tires
Tires are very
expensive part of an auto vehicle. So while buying a car first look for the
condition of tire. Tire wear should be even across the width of the tread and
the same on the left and right side of the car. Wear of a tire has its own
pattern in regards to inflation. Over inflated tires tend to wear in the middle
while under inflated tires wear to the sides.
Heavy wear on the
outside shoulder of tire indicates that the car had been driven hard. If you
notice cupped tires they can indicate various problems with the steering
suspension and brake system of car. So check
the tire wear pattern as it indicates whether the car has
been properly maintained or had been rashly driven.
Reliability
Record
Check the history of
the automakers and the models to see the reliability record of that car you are
thinking to purchase. It would be wise to purchase vehicle with a good reliability
report. Read the history, survey reports and recall status of the model. Just
check how beneficial that car is going to be for you.
Ask the seller for
recall service documentation and check if any recall service had been performed
on the vehicle. Automakers are required to perform recall service free of
charge regardless of vehicle’s age or how long ago recall was issued.
Under
the hood check
Checking under the hood
auto parts is very important as it reveals the condition of the car and gives
you properly knowledge of the auto parts which are on the verge of aging and auto
parts replacements to be done in near future.
Visually inspect the
car radiator, engine and its parts, battery and make sure they are grease free.
Car’s
Belts and heater
hoses should be pliable and unworn.
Melted wires, tubes or
lines are signs of overheating. There might be fluid leakage if you see wet
spots. Check all the engine fluids to be clean, filled to the mark and do not
have any leak. You can use dipstick to determine how clean the fluid or oil is.
Note than different colors of oil indicate different engine problems. Normal
engine oil is brown or black in color. Check the color of transmission fluid
after driving the car for a while.
Do not turn off the
engine, put the car in neutral mode and check transmission fluid’s condition. Transmission
fluid should be bright red in color. Strong smell and metal shavings can
indicate severe wear.
So make sure to check
under the hood components thoroughly as there may be problems related to engine
misfiring or engine overheating. Make sure that transmission
fluids are of good quality and all other oils and coolants
are filled to proper level.
Check
steering and suspension
With the car idling,
turn the steering left and right and check that there isn’t any clunking noise
coming from steering. Excess play may
indicate worn steering gear. While taking a test drive, make sure that the
driving isn’t wandering off on normal speed drive. Misalignment
of wheels often results in a shaking steering wheel which is
very risky.
Keep in mind that car’s
driveline, steering
and suspension systems auto parts make the framework of your car and at the same time
very costly to repair due to high labor costs. Give it a deep thought, if you
want to buy a car with shaky steering wheel. Be pre informed about possible
causes and symptoms of a bad steering and suspension of a vehicle.
Check the suspension
system of car by pushing down hard on each car
fender and letting go. Make sure that the car is
rebounding softly once or twice. Car Shock absorbers
and auto suspension air struts need replacement of you notice more than two severe
rebounds. You should drive the car over bumpy road at normal speed. If the car
bounces and slams at normal speed, it means car may have a damaged suspension.
Check
exhaust
Don’t panic if you
notice white smoke upon start up, it is common and can be caused due to condensation
inside the exhaust system. Black smoke is a warning. It can be caused due to dirty
air filter, car's
oxygen sensor that demands replacement or overly rich air
fuel mixture. Blue smoke indicates oil burning which can require expensive auto
parts replacement and repair in future.
Damaged head gasket and cylinder heads
are very expensive to repair due to their complex structure inside engine. If
you notice billowing white smoke, it means water has entered the combustion
chamber and head and gasket, cylinder heads are on the verge of damaging
completely.
Notice the smoke color
carefully. Exhausts emissions are very hard to deal with so don’t make a way
for future expensive repair bills. Replacing car air
filters and auto oxygen sensors
can be easy but we are not investing large sum for future repairs. So beware.
Step
on the accelerator
Check
the interior of car
Visually inspect the
interior of the car as it may indicate issues like cracked dashboard, missing
knobs and handles, frayed seat belts and worn pedals. Discolored carpeting and
electrical problems are the signs that the vehicle had been the victim of flood
damage. Prematurely worn pedals show that the vehicle has very high mileage. The
odometer should show fair readings so detect and avoid
odometer fraud.
Check
the exterior
Thoroughly inspect the
dents, scratches, broken lamps or lights, chipped windows and paint. A body
panel repair may be needed if you find paint over spray on rubber trim on in
vehicle’s wheel wells. Doors, hoods and trunks should close properly. Ensure
that all the electrical, headlights, taillights and indicators are working
fine.
When looking for a used
car, there are potential benefits and drawbacks of buying it from a private
seller. Know
your rights as a buyer according to your state laws and
don’t let yourself scammed. Carefully consider the above stated tips and buy a
good car!
