How To Avoid The Used Car Lemon

It doesn’t matter what type of car you’ve got your eyes on… new, used, or even the make and model, driving off in that new purchase of a car is a big financial commitment… even if you pay cash completely for your car.

For our discussion here, let’s talk a bit about buying a used car.

One decision that many of us have to come to terms with when considering the purchase of a used car is the fact that used cars won’t come with the peace of mind provided by a factory warranty (assuming the used car is beyond the factory warranty… which most all are at the time of purchase).

Because of this, there is a certain amount of risk that is at an elevated level with used car buying.

If you know how to look at a used vehicle and recognize some points that affect the dependability score, you’ll be able to avoid some of the anxiety of purchasing a used car.

Currently more than 8 out of 10 vehicles purchased are, in fact, used cars… so you’re definitely not alone here. This statistic really isn’t all that surprising since there is a great price difference between that of a used car and that of a new one.

However, if the used car you buy turns out to be in bad shape and requires large or constant repair, you can quickly give back all the savings you realized by buying a used car instead of a new car.

So, let’s take a look at some quick used car buying tips that you can easily use to help you evaluate the condition of a perspective used car.

The first really goes without saying… but just to make sure… have the car thoroughly checked by a mechanic.

Even before you get the car to your mechanic you should look on the inside of the door panels, on the seams of the hood and the trunk for over-spray. Over-spray is where the car has been painted in a body shop. Look closely. Even the best of body shops can’t blend the paint perfectly with the factory so they have taper off their paint job at natural seams or breaks in the body.

Look closely at the carpet on the floor of the car and even pull back a couple corners of the carpet to check for rust and water damage. A car that has been under water and refurbished can be a big problem down the road.

Check to make sure that the wear on the brake pedal seems to match what the mileage is on the odometer… a used car with higher mileage is going to have a brake pedal that looks almost new.

Look at the tires and check for even wear on the treads of the tires… uneven wear can be a sign of alignment problems of worn out components of the steering or suspension areas.

Also, when sitting in the car, crank the wheel to the max in both directions and listen for any ‘clunk’ or other type of noise. This could be a sign of worn CV joints. Joints that are not inexpensive to replace.

And while your in the used car be sure to check all the creature comforts as well as the heating and the air conditioning.

For the most part, if you combine these few tips with just taking your time and not getting into a rush, you’ll greatly increase your chances of purchasing a used car at price that won’t keep costing you later down the road.