Things to Check When Getting a Used Car
How do you determine that the used car you’re planning to purchase is a great deal or not? Apart from bringing your trusted mechanic with you to assist you in checking the vehicle, listed below is a list of the things you have to look out for and consider to help you decide which one is the best car to choose from your trusted car dealership in Elkhart.
Inspect the undercarriage of the vehicle
To check for potential rust buildup, make sure to inspect the bottom of the car if you can. Inspect below by taking it to a service center that offers either an inspection pit or a car lift.
Inspect the body of the vehicle
Ensure that the car is clean to check and take a look at the surface properly. Also, look for any signs of scratches, rust—indicating that the vehicle is exposed to moisture and rain most of the time—and discoloration that could imply that it’s been exposed to acid rain or repainted.
Inspect the car interior
Don’t forget to sniff the vehicle interior. Commonly, flooded cars provide a particular smell. Once the scent is okay, try to inspect for lumps within the seats. That’s one way to determine that the interior is exposed to a flood before. If that’s the case, make sure to stay away from those. Moreover, try to inspect the seats for signs of tears, rips, or stains that may need to be cleaned or repaired.
Test drive the vehicle.
Before buying a second-hand car, make sure to try it out and have a test drive. This is a good way to determine whether it is the best one to invest in. Try to drive it at 40-50 kph and try to step on the brake firmly yet smoothly.
If you can sense a vibration that comes from the brake pedal, it can sign that it needs new pads, or there’s probably issues on the brake rotors once the vehicle swerves while braking, which could indicate faulty brake calipers or worn steering components.
Inspect the engine bay
It’s best to take a closer look below the hood to know a lot about the vehicle’s engine and body. Scratch marks on bolt heads above the fenders could indicate that the past owner has realigned or replaced the front panel. Meanwhile, bolted or welded frame indicates that the vehicle’s been in a front-end.
Inspect the tires
Make sure that the tire wear must be equal on every corner. Once they are uneven, it possibly means that the tires have not been appropriately rotated, or worse, due to frame damage, bad wheel alignment because of suspension components, or worn steering (or both).
Inspect all fluid levels
See to it that all the required fluid levels of the vehicle have been loaded, particularly the important ones like brake fluids, engine oils, transmission, and power steering.
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