O.K…so, let me start this off by making the following statement:
I am a computer guy…not even remotely close to being mechanically inclined.
Another statement:
I just got burned buying a used car.
Yeah…I know, I should have used my formidable computer skills to find information about checking out used cars…but I was kinda in a rush as I needed the car for transportation to work.
I’ve done the requisite homework now…but, would like some guidance/direction about what to check out on a used car before spending my hard earned cash.
You could grow oranges in Kansas, to some pitiful degree, but you can do a whole better growing wheat. And you could grow wheat in Florida, but you’d do a whole lot better growing oranges. The sensible thing is for the Kansas wheat farmer to raise wheat and buy oranges and for the Florida orange grover to raise oranges and buy wheat.
So what you should check is how the car feels to you. Does it drive nicely? Is it comfortable to sit in? Is the layout of the controls satisfactory? Is there something in the design that will irritate you every time you drive it? You can also check out the operation of things like windows, door locks, air conditioning, etc. – stuff that you as a driver will interact with and know how to use. But as far as the mechanical health of the vehicle, do what PastTense recommended – have a professional mechanic check it out. Don’t try to grow oranges in Kansas.
In addition to what you’ve been told, check the presets on the radio. Hard rock, rap, or outlaw country gets a demerit. Easy listening, NPR or classical gets a plus. Trust me on this.
Well there are exceptions to every rule, but you will find hard rock, outlaw country, and NPR on my radio. And I am OCD about my car.
I was going to make a list of what to check for, but this site summed it up nicely.
Long story short, look for signs that body work was done like paint overspray. Drive it a little hard to see if it stays composed under stress.
But overall used cars are a calculated risk, no one can tell you 100% whether something will fail 500 miles down the road.
One more thing to add…if you live in the rust belt and plan on buying a very well-used (older) car, rust is a major consideration. Rust will kill a car and its components ridiculously fast after a certain mileage - which I suppose might depend on the vehicle, and how well it’s been maintained and garaged.
Get the extended warranty … my ex-wife and her husband were both car salesman and they went car shopping together. They fall in love with a used Subaru Baja and paid cash and took it home.
The engine falls apart needs valves and a whole new short block. They didn’t want to pay extra for the dealer offered extended warranty. Cost them a ton of money.
But check the fine print on that extended warranty, and who is offering it. Years ago I bought a Chevy pickup with a piece of shit 305 engine (I didn’t know better at the time) and (again, I was younger and naive) got the dealer-supplied warranty. Within months the truck was smoking like a sumbitch and my warranty claim was denied because of “normal wear and tear” or something. The truck was barely two years old with about 20K miles when I bought it.
