The mechanically uninclined have known the taste of the “lemon” since the first used Model T car lots popped up many years ago.
Car buyers quickly became aware of the fact that unlike wine, cars do not get better with age.
Many may have heard horror stories about the purchase of a seemingly great used vehicle that fell apart the moment after the title changed hands.
In some cases, the buyer ends up spending more on repairs than they did for the vehicle.
The odds are that the unfortunate buyer knew little to nothing about automobile mechanics and bought the “piece” based on its appearance and/or a smooth test drive.
When the subject of engines and chassis and transmissions comes up, many automatically go deaf because they believe that they lack the “gear-head” gene.
Although science may some day prove this to be true, many people do not understand automobile mechanics simply because they never have been exposed or taught about it.
For the mechanically clueless who fear buying a used junker, here are some easy tips to help confidently and safely buy a used car.
The Search
When skimming through the classifieds or an Auto Trader for used vehicles, most ads will include several basic details, including the vehicles mileage, make, year and price.
According to Ron Deville, a used car salesman at Coleman Toyota, these details alone can tell you whether the car is worth looking at or not.
“NADA.com is free Web site you can use to price vehicles,” Deville said. “Just input details about the vehicle — the more the better — and the system will give you a pretty accurate price for what you should pay for it.”
He also said to keep in mind that NADA, or National Automobile Dealers Association, assumes the vehicle is in good condition.
Deville said that to calculate the the average miles per year the vehicle was driven.
“Twelve to 15 thousand miles per year is about normal,” he said. “Any more means the engine has had to work kinda hard.”
He also said to find out whether the car was driven primarily in the city or on the highway.
“City driving is much harder on the engine, with all of the stops and accelerating,” he said.
The cost of owning a certain vehicle is another important detail one should investigate before going to see it.
Gas mileage, insurance and cost of repair vary greatly between the different makes and models.
For example, the cost of owning a used Jeep Wrangler is considerably more than owning a Geo Metro.
Another resource one should consider using is ConsumerReports.org.
Twenty-six dollars buys a years subscription to the Web site, which contains research and findings on many used cars.
Consumer Reports does not accept money from advertisers, so the information they provide is unbiased.
Inspecting a Vehicle
The first thing one initially notices about a vehicle is the outward appearance.
Do not be surprised if it does not look like its grainy black and white photo.
Deville said to first inspect the outside of the vehicle.
He said to check the front windshield for large cracks in the line of sight.
“It may prevent you from passing your annual inspection, which means you’ll have to pay hundreds of dollars for a new windshield,” he said.
After checking the windshield, crouch down to see if the tires have any uneven wear on them.
Deville said uneven wear could indicate a bent frame, which means the vehicle may have been wrecked at some moment in the past.
While looking at the tires inspect the brake discs.
They are easy to notice — silver discs located a few inches behind the rim.
Excessive grooves in the disc indicate wear and may mean that need to be replaced.
Deville said a new brake job could cost from $70-300.
Another thing to look for are fluids underneath the vehicle, Deville said.
A pinkish fluid means a leaky transmission.
This could mean the vehicle needs transmission work, which Deville said could cost up to $2500.
“Transmission work can be very expensive, so be careful about buying a car with transmission problems,” Deville said.
Black fluid under the vehicle means the engine is leaking oil.
Deville said this could be a minor or a major problem and to investigate further before purchasing it.
Another thing to check out is the tailpipe.
“If black soot is caked in the tailpipe, then the engine is burning oil,” Deville said.
This may indicate that the vehicle has bad seals in the engine, which could cost from $300-400 to fix.
Under the Hood
Here is part where some people may get nervous.
“Not everyone is a mechanic, but there are a few things anyone can do to find obvious engine problems,” Deville said.
Deville said to check the end of the oil dipstick for scorching.
A scorched dipstick could mean the car was overheated, which could mean a list of big problems.
Deville said the worst case scenario is a cracked engine block, which would mean the entire engine must be replaced.
“Depending on the type of vehicle, a new engine could cost from $2000-5000,” Deville said.
Most car batteries are dated or have indicators that tell its age and condition.
Deville said car batteries are usually good for three years before needing to be replaced and can be purchased for less than $100, depending on the battery brand.
There are other indicators that one should look for that may indicate a worn engine, like cracked hoses and excessive taping.
Deville said to just use common sense when looking at an engine.
“You may not know the name of a part, but if it looks broken, then it probably is,” he said.
Driving the Vehicle
The first thing one should notice when driving a vehicle is how the engine started.
Keep your ears alert for odd noises, which can indicate engine problems.
“When putting the car into gear, be aware of how smoothly the transmission engages,” Deville said. “If the gears don’t shift smoothly when driving it, there’s a transmission problem and possibly other problems.”
If the vehicle grinds in turns, then the tire rods and CV joints
could be bad, Deville said.
New tire rods cost about $400 and new CV joints cost about $300, he said.
When braking, see if the vehicle stops smoothly and noiselessly.
Squeaking or squealing means the brake pads are worn down and need replacement.
Correlate any brake noise to what was seen while looking at the brake discs.
“If both brake noise and grooves in the discs exist, then the brakes definitely need work,” Deville said.
Research the Vehicle
Before making the decision to purchase a vehicle, Deville recommends that one first get the Vehicle Identification Number, or VIN, and do some research.
The VIN can be found on an insurance card, title or registration card, front driver’s side dash or the driver’s side door post.
“Some Web sites, like Carfax.com and Consumerguide.com, offer a service that lets you view the entire history of a vehicle, including past wrecks and maintenance, using the VIN number,” Deville said.