Buying a Used Car? Don’t know much about cars?

Here are 15 things to look for that can help you out ….

Information taken from AARP Magazine

1. Interior: This is the best starting point, a quick look at the interior can tell you how well the previous owner looked after the vehicle. If the things you can see look bad, then the things you can’t see probably look worse. Look for red flags signifying a hard life, like wear on the driver’s seat and armrest, stains, burns, tears and rips are other things to look for. Also looking at the driver’s side door, make sure it closes smoothly and with a good solid sound. Looking at the rubber covers on the pedals can also be an indicator of how much hard use a car has had.

2. Electrical System: Here’s a quick tip on how to check the charging system, which is part of the electrical system, including the battery. Turn on the headlights and leave them on for a coup of minutes, if possible point the headlights toward a dark wall. Then start the car, the battery should turn the engine quickly, even thought the lights were left on, when the car engine catches, the lights should brighten noticeably.

3. Engine: When starting the car, the engine should start up almost immediately and the oil light and any warning lights on the dash should go out. If there is an oil pressure gauge the needle should go to the half way mark or higher of the gauge. Cars make odd sounds when its cold, but there should be no loud clacking, whirring or grinding noises once the engine is fully warmed up. The car should ideal comfortably, without shaking the car and without noticeable changes in engine speed. After warming the car up and when your taking it for that test drive here’s a good tip for checking for engine trouble. Take the car down a long hill and coast for 10 to 15 seconds with your foot off the gas. Then give it gas and look in the rearview mirror looking for smoke, a whiff of smoke is acceptable, but a large cloud of smoke signals engine trouble and you probably forget this car and start looking for somewhere else to spend your hard earned dollars.

4. Brakes: While the car is running and sitting still, push on the brake. The brake should sink just a bit to engage the brakes, but then the resistance should be firm not soft or mushy. When your driving find an open road when the road is safe and open bring the cars speed up to about 30 miles per hour, and brake gently while loosening your grip on the steering wheel. The car should slow smoothly, without any shaking or pulling to one side or the other. If the car shakes when braking or pulls to one side or the other, you have some brake problems and should probably pass on this car.

5. Steering: When the car is parked and the engine is running, turn the steering wheel an inch or so, the wheels should react and turn while you turn the steering wheel. If the wheels don’t turn when you move the steering wheel an inch this is called free play. It is not a problem that should deter you from buying the car, but it is a problem that will need fixing. When the car is sitting still, and the wheels are pointed straight ahead, the steering wheel should be centered and not turned slightly to one side or the other. If it is not then the car has had some serious steering or alignment problems that were never corrected. Other quick tests for the alignment and steering: while driving the car, after you have rounded a corner, lighten your grip on the steering wheel, the car should straighten out by itself, without assistance. If it does not straighten out by itself there is an alignment or steering rack problem, so it might be best to forget this car. Caution: remember to keep an even throttle as you conduct this test, and just to be safe do it when no other cars are around, since you may have to grab the wheel quickly.

6. Automatic Transmission: With the warmed up car sitting still, put the transmission in drive, now with your foot placed hard on the brake, give the car some gas. You should feel the car trying to move right away, and then it should seem like it is about to stall. If it does not, that’s a bad sign. Next, keeping your foot on the brake, without giving it gas, shift from drive top reverse, reverse to drive and park to reverse. Loud, big clunking sounds are bad.

7. Clutch: A common problem used car buyers could face when looking at stick shift cars is the clutch. To test it while driving, rev the engine pretty high in second and shift it quickly to third, popping out the clutch and giving it lots of gas as soon as you are in third. If the engine seems to be speeding up more than the car is and then the engine sound comes down to match what the car is doing, the clutch is slipping. Clutches are expensive to replace and this car may need a new one soon.

8. Drive Shafts and Axles: As you’re test-driving the car speed up and slow down a couple of times. Loud clunking sounds of any kind are a bad thing. They can mean that one of the axles are worn or out of oil (which mean that it will have to be replaced in the near future.) The problem could also be used U-joints (connections to the ends of the drive shaft). Either Way, forget this car and move on to the next.

9. Anticipate Future Shock: Notice, from a distance of about 15 feet, if the car sags in the rear- this sagging will represent tired rear springs. Push down hard on the car at both ends of the vehicle. As you release the pressure, the car should quickly come back up and then stop, it should not bounce up and down. If you find that the car keeps bouncing after you let the pressure off it, it means that the shock absorbers are going to need to be replaced, which costs usually around $300, see if you can use that fact to barter down the price or have the dealer- owner put them on for you.

10. Don’t Trust the Rust: Any time you see rust on a used vehicle it is a warning sign of trouble to come. Once started, rust spreads quickly and is unstoppable. Rust will eat away at the body of the car from the inside out. Try checking under mats and carpet in the back of the vehicle, the rear sections of cars is the most susceptible to water leaks and rust damage. Rust should be taken as a warning sign not to buy that particular car, no matter how pretty the vehicle is on the outside.

11. Beware of Repairs: Take a magnet and hold it to the body of the automobile in a couple of different places. If the body was repaired the wrong way, with cheap non- metal filler, the magnet will not stick or stick extremely lightly. If there is metal right below the paint on the car the magnet will stick well. Also opening and closing the doors on the car to see how the fit is a good thing to look at. Gaps and marks that are different from door to door and front to back or side-to-side indicate that a vehicle has been hit and repaired poorly.

12. Question a Way too clean Machine: When looking under the hood of a used vehicle, keep in mind that it is a used car and the engine compartment should look like a used car. If you open up the hood and the engine is sparkly clean it could be a sign that the dealer/ owner is trying to spruce up a bad deal. For example, if the painted surfaces feel greasy, it could just be a whole lot of Armor All. This could be a sign of the owner trying to cover-up neglect.

13. Look for Leaks: The best way to check for oil leaks is to park the car, after it has be driven, on a clean piece of concrete where there are no other leaks from other cars. Anything more then just a drop on the concrete means that there is a problem waiting to happen. Check under the back of the engine, a leaking main rear seal is an expensive problem to have, and often very difficult to fix.

14. Check under the Hood for What’s Not Good: The first thing to look at and make note of, is if there is corrosion around the battery terminals. The next thing to make a mental note of is if there is any oil drips on the motor, this could mean and old worn out engine. Now look at the power steering pump, which is always run buy a belt and always found near the front of the engine bay. This could also have an oil mist near the pulley, if it is worn out. Now start looking around at the wiring in the car, see if they are looking whitish, feathered, or torn and repaired. Next pull the engine dipstick; black oil means the car has been neglected. Pull the transmission dipstick; transmission fluid that is not rosy-pink or that smells burnt means trouble.

15. Avoid old Tires: Look at the outside edge of the front two tires. If the tires have a worn, feathered edge to then or look roughed up, someone has been cornering the car hard or there is an alignment problem. The old penny test is an excellent way to see if the tires are worn out. Put a penny in the tread, with Lincoln’s head toward the axle. If you can see the top of Lincoln’s head the tires are worn out.