Guide to Buying a Used Car

Posted on September 26, 2011 by admin

If you have an older car that needs a lot of work to keep it running, you may be thinking about buying a new one. When that is not financially possible for you, a good alternative is to buy a newer, used vehicle. There is always a risk, however, that a used car may end up needing just as much work (or even more) than your current car. To reduce that risk, when you find a used car you want to buy, take it to a trusted repair shop and have it checked out. But before spending money on multiple vehicle inspections, you can do some inspecting on your own. Here are my recommendations:

1. It is usually better to buy a vehicle from a private party than from a car lot. Especially if the car is being sold by the original owner and they have records of the vehicle services that have been done. Vehicles that are sitting on used car lots generally were purchased at auction and will not have their service history with them.

2. Buying the vehicle from the owner also allows you to see/observe how that person may have taken care of the vehicle. For example, if the car is at a personal residence when you look at it, how is the upkeep there? Where is the residence? Near the beach? Possible hidden corrosion. In the hills? Possible extra wear and tear on the drive train and brakes.

3. Service paper work is valuable in order to determine that the important services were done at the right time intervals. This is the most reliable way to determine the likelihood of the vehicle lasting many more miles for the least amount of dollars. Poorly maintained cars cost more over their lifetime. Without the service history, you have no way of knowing, for example, when the oil was last changed.

4. You can inspect the exterior of the vehicle. If the tire tread is worn unevenly, this suggests possible suspension repairs will be needed. Look at the body from different angles in the sun and shade. If the shade of paint looks different on the fender versus the door, for example, it could indicate accident repair.

5. Look under the hood. In the engine compartment, a battery with corrosion, white or green on the terminals alerts you to the possibility that a new battery is needed.

6. Check the vehicle fluids – transmission, power steering, and brake system. Dark or black in color is not good. Engine coolant should not be rusty.

7. Finally, drive the vehicle both around town at slow speeds and on the freeway at higher speed. Any vibrations or noises could mean something is worn out. If you feel vibrations when applying the brakes, it means the brakes need attention.

If the vehicle passes your inspection, then it is a good candidate for a more thorough and complete inspection by a professional.

Donna McCord, Owner
Dean’s Automotive, Inc.
650-961-0302
www.deansautomotive.com
www.facebook.com/deansautomotive

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  • http://irene-turner.com Irene Turner

    GREAT list of very helpful hints when buying a used car Donna. I’ve bought many a used car over the years. It’s always made sense to me as a car is one of those products that decreases in value the moment you drive it off the lot. With all the used cars I’ve bought, I had only one lemon. So I will keep this list handy for the next time I purchase used! Thanks

    • Donna McCord

      Thank you Irene! A used car is only as good as its owner’s care for it, so getting the service history is critical in addition to the inspection. I am happy that you have had mainly good experiences! 

  • http://PatZahn.com Pat Zahn

    Honestly, it makes me nervous to buy a used car. I’m so skeptical that I don’t trust everything is being disclosed. I definitely would want a good mechanic to look it over. I wouldn’t trust my own judgement on whether the car was in good shape or not, I do appreciate your list of things to look at initially.

    • Donna McCord

      The list I gave is just a very basic look at the overall condition of the car. So, if it passes that first inspection, then you can bring it to a trusted shop for a more in depth, thorough inspection, which is definitely worthwhile. Having the service records for reference is so helpful, too. 

  • http://www.lauriehurleyonline.com Laurie Hurley

    I use an auto broker and let him do all the work. I always lease a new car every four years. We just bought my daughter a used Prius via the broker – it was in excellent shape and the price was right. Come to think of it, that is the only used car I have ever bought! Love my broker – he is an ex-mechanic, so I trust him to lead us down the right path!

    • Donna McCord

      You are apparently in good hands, Laurie, which is priceless! Hopefully your broker will be around for you a long time! 

  • http://www.thereflectivewriter.com/blog/ Judy Stone-Goldman

    I am surprised that a private individual is more reliable than a dealer–would have thought the opposite. I do save all the service records for my vehicle so that if I want to sell it, I’ll have a leg up by proving the good care. I hope I don’t ever have to buy a used vehicle (too nerve wracking!) but I can see that with the right information, it’s a more feasible option. Maybe I could hire you to do some hand holding!

    Judy Stone-Goldman
    The Reflective Writer
    http://www.thereflectivewriter.com/blog/
    Personal-Professional Balancing Through Writing

    • Donna McCord

      Judy, you gave me a good chuckle! Even if you buy a used car from a dealership, you can still request to take it to an independent for an inspection before you buy, so keep that in mind as well. We have had people bring in cars for pre purchase inspections that they were getting from the dealer, and sometimes they needed quite a bit of work — usually it is maintenance stuff that the owner was not taking care of.  The important thing to remember is that wherever you take the car for an inspection, make sure it is a place you can trust.  Hmmm…maybe I can begin a new business for hand holding! 

  • http://www.vickidellojoio.com Vicki Dello Joio

    This is incredibly helpful. I have only bought a new car once and it was totalled while sitting in a parking lot shortly after purchase. Otherwise I have always bought used cars. The only one that I had some issues with was one I bought at Enterprise Rent-A-Car. The others were all with private owners and all went through mechanics check ups. I appreciate the incentive and tips.

    • Donna McCord

      Thank you, Vicki!  Wow, your new car was totalled right after you bought it?? That is awful! Hopefully insurance took care of it, but I know that new cars depreciate right after they leave the lot, so that is tough. Buying a rental car is always a risk because you just don’t know who has driven it or how they have treated it, but you are definitely doing the right thing by buying from private owners and having inspections performed. Congratulations!

  • http://MagnoliaJazz.com/blog Robbie Schlosser

    Hi Donna,
    Thanks for this great list.  I’ve always bought used cars, after what I thought was a careful inspection each time.  But I missed a couple of the points that you mentioned, and I’ll keep your list handy for my next purchase.
    Robbie

    • Donna McCord

      Hi Robbie, so glad I could provide something useful! It’s good that you did the inspections, and I am guessing whatever you bought is still serving you well, so it was worthwhile!

  • http://julieannecasefromtheheart.com Julieanne Case

    Great tips on what to look for in a used car!  I’ll need to keep a link to this.   We provided the service records when we sold our car.  And we only sold it to get a car our aging dogs could enter more easily!  

    Julieanne Case
    Always from the heart!

    Reconnecting you to your essence, joy, vitality, youth.| Healing you from the Inside Out |Reconnective Healing | AgeLoc Skin Care |  Pharmanex Supplements

    http://thereconnectivehighway.com

    • Donna McCord

      Whoever bought your car is lucky that you were thoughtful enough to provide the service records. That is so invaluable to the new owner as well as the new auto service facility that will be taking care of the vehicle!

  • http://www.AimfortheStarsTutoring.com MeredithJacob

    Great guide and tips to purchasing a used car.  We just bought a used vehicle.  We love it!  My husband took it to our mechanic to have it checked out and it passed.  We will need another vehicle in the next year, I will keep this guide in mind.    Thanks for being the insider in a world that is pretty much a mystery to me.  

    • Donna McCord

      You are welcome, Meredith! It sounds as though your husband is already knowledgeable about what to do, and that is terrific!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1153733285 Jaspreet K. Mundeir

    Great tips, you never know what you are getting when you purchase a used car, so doing a little homework and checking under the hood is probably in the buyer’s best interest.  

    • Donna McCord

      Absolutely! So many car owners do not bother to keep up with basic maintenance and their cars are potential money guzzlers!

  • http://beachbodycoach.com/kirkzacharda Kirk Zacharda

    I dont think I will ever buy a new car even if I have the cash to do it. Seems like such a waste.  These are great tips for purchasing a used one, I have never taken one to a mechanic but I have bought used from a dealer and always had good luck.  I also have gone on my instinct before and had success and also bought on emotion and got taken so these are rational emotionless things to do when purchasing. Thank you.

    • Donna McCord

      Thank you for your comments, Kirk! That is great that you have had good luck at the dealer…so much depends on doing just what you have done which is listening to your intuition! But having a good technician verify for you helps you reduce any chance of disappointment.

  • Anonymous

    Thanks for breaking down some simple steps for evaluating a used vehicle before making a commitment to purchase a used vehicle. What about a post about how to get your used vehicle ready for sale to make sure you get top dollar? It reminded me to keep all my service records in one place and in chronological order for my current car. 

    • Donna McCord

      Thanks, Jennifer; I think you have made a huge important step in getting your car ready for sale by organizing and hanging on to your service records. As long as you keep the car in good shape both externally and internally and keep it well maintained with proof of what you have done, you should be able to get top dollar for your investment.

  • http://brandymychals.com Brandy Mychals

    Love this Donna – I’ll be returning to this blog when it is time to buy a new (to me) car…and yes, totally agree about getting a thorough inspection with your trusted mechanic. I didn’t know it was better to buy private than a resale lot – I thought the lot warranty was considered valuable? Great meeting you last week! Brandy :-)

    • Donna McCord

      Thanks, Brandy! When you buy a used car from the dealer, unless it is new enough that it is still under the manufacturer’s warranty (usually that is a 3 year period), it will most likely not have a warranty with it…it will be sold “as is”. You can always buy an extended warranty, but those are typically after market warranties and you just need to be careful about what they cover, possible exceptions and conditions, etc.  Either way, whether you buy from a private party or the dealer, it is worthwhile to have it inspected by a reputable independent shop. Loved meeting you, too, Brandy and seeing you in action! My sister also had a great time there, and we both learned a lot!

  • http://profiles.google.com/clintmoore87 Clint Moore

    Yep, buying a new car is indeed more practical than shelling out money to repair an old car that might break down again. There are some used cars that are just as good as brand new cars. Just weigh your thoughts carefully before deciding. :)

    • Donnam

      Thank you for your comment, Clint! new cars are great but they cost a lot of money and then they depreciate as soon as you drive off the lot, and then they become older cars, too! If someone has the income and resources to get a new car, that works…and sometimes an older car gets to the point where it becomes a money trap, so you are right that each person needs to make a wise decision based on their own circumstances!

  • http://www.aimmobileinspections.com/ used car inspection

    In addition to this check list, you should look at the undercarriage of the car to check for: rust, frame damage (bent), parts that look newer than the rest- especially bolts- indicate previous frame repair, and any fluid leaks. There are quite a few great third party used car inspection companies out there if you do not have a trusted mechanic to take it to if it passes your test.

  • http://www.clickablecars.com/dealers Used Car Dealer

    Before you think about which car to buy, you’ll need to work out how much you have to spend.
    • Work out how much your current car is worth, and whether you will sell it privately or part-exchange it with a dealer
    • Decide on whether you need to take out finance
    • Calculate how much your fuel, insurance and road tax costs are likely to be

  • http://www.tyrebaydirect.com/1007-Garage_Equipment.html Garage Equipment

    This is really interesting. Buying a used car is more harder than buying a new car. This is the very reason why we must be careful while checking and observing it. 

  • http://www.automobilereviews.co.in/ Auto Reviews

     A complete round up on buying a used car. This is definitely a useful guide. Thanks for sharing this vital info with your visitors.

  • http://usedcarslouisvilleky.net/ Blaine

    I bought a used car from a friend because he’s going away. I love it, it still runs.