With the chip shortage in the last few years, new cars have been harder to find. If you want a new car, you may have to endure a long wait or even months of searching before you find the one you want available. That is why many people are turning to purchasing used cars.
Buying a used car comes with its own struggles. Most importantly, you need to ensure you are purchasing a solid car that will work well without much maintenance. You don’t want to immediately be forced to bring your new used car to a mechanic right after you purchase it. To avoid this inconvenience, you should check for certain things before purchasing a used car.
Three Things to Check Before Buying a Used Car
If you were to ask your mechanic’s opinion before buying a used car, they would tell you to check for these three things.
1) The car’s history.
It is important to get as much information about the car’s history as possible. Paid services like CARFAX are available to provide the history of used cars. However, there are other online resources where you can run the car’s VIN and pull up the history.
When you get the car’s history, you should look for a few important things. Take note of the vehicle’s owners. Is it a one-owner car, or has it had a lot of owners? The more owners, the better the opportunity for someone to mess something up. You should also see if the car has been in a wreck if it was ever declared as salvage, and look at its major repairs. All of this information will tell you what the weak spots of the car may be and if it will be reliable for you.
2) Look for rust.
Rust is terrible for cars. Many used cars will have rust, especially if there is salt on the roads during the winter. Rust eats away at the metal parts of the car and can cause major body or structural damage.
Before buying a used car make sure to check for rust all over. However, the following locations are the most crucial.
- Frame rails.
- Wheel wells.
- Underneath the car (including the exhaust and suspension).
- Car doors.
- Under the carpet in the trunk.
3) Check the engine.
While completely checking an engine requires expertise, there are some things you can look for before buying your new car.
- Make sure to look under the hood. The enter engine area should be clean and have no rust or oil.
- Look under the car. This can help you find leaks and other damaged spots.
- Check for oil or other fluid leaks.
- Don’t forget to turn on the car.
- Ask a trusted mechanic to look over the engine for you.
Even checking a used car properly does not guarantee there will be no problems. If your new used car has issues and you live in the Cache Valley, you need to call Ethan’s Honest Automotive. Our technicians will find the issue and give you an honest and fair quote. To learn more, call 435-222-5093 or send us a message today.
