What should I know before buying a used car for the first time?

Loren: What should I know before buying a used car for the first time?
So I am planning to buy a used car but I know nothing about them.
I basically need help.
I am not asking my family because they never have time and aren’t very dependable.
I am learning to drive right now so I want a good reliable car.

I basically need tips.
What are things that I should ask when buying a used car?
What should I look for in a used car?
What are warning signs?

Your answers and tips will be of so much help!
Thank you!

Answers and Views:

Answer by monkeydamour
Check under the engine for leaks. If the car is parked on gravel, red flag! Gravel is great for hiding oil stains.

Take it out on the freeway and have a friend drive behind you. Check for blue smoke in the exhaust (burning oil). Also see if the car is “dogtracking” (aligned perpindicular to the freeway or slightly off). If it is dogtracking, it means it was in a frame-bending accident.

Check the seams around the trunk lid, doors and hood. This can also help you determine if it was in an accident.

Pay to run the VIN through an online service. Make sure you aren’t buying a flood-ravaged relic.

Answer by Andrew B
You need to know/find out the following

Mileage (can be found by looking at the dashboard)
Engine size
How much Tax/MOT does the car have? Also find out how much is it to Tax
Has the car been involved in any accidents?
Is the car modified in anyway? (If so your insurance may be higher)

Answer by Journeyman
well, you can start by asking what repairs have been made/what repairs need to be made?
– what parts have been replaced?
– how many kms? dont go over 250,000km when buying used.
-check the tread on the tires to see how much is left. check brakes.
– pull the spark plugs from the engine to see what condition they are in.
– give the car an overall inspection, check for rust spots, dents…etc so you can negotiate for less.

Answer by Mazar
To buy a used car, make sure its below 60,000 miles if its an American car such as GM, Ford, or chrysler or 80,000 miles or less if its a Honda, toyota, acura, infiniti etc..
make sure it has no problems with engine and transmission
make sure engine light is not on
make sure the tires are not worn out, otherwise ask for a lesser price as tires can cost up to 700 dollars or more
make sure you get a carfax report but do not fully depend on the report.
ask if it has been in an accident
ask how many owners for the car so far, less is better
ask for all of the maintenance receipts that they have done so far for the car so you can keep them as a reference of what has been done for the car.
its better to buy a car that is less than 8 years old unless you will be using it lightly
Thanks

Answer by Erwin Sennett Wu
A quick way to tell if a car is taken care of is to look at the interior. Is it damaged or taken good care of? The owner’s level of care of the interior is generally on par with how they take care of the car in total.

That said, always get a carfax report.

Answer by Melb_in_OZ
just few quickes here.
get compression test if possible , it tells the engine is in good condition and will take only 10-15min depending on the car, some cars could be longer.

MOST IMPORTANT, take the OIL CAP and SEE FOR WHITE MOISTUTRE,it means the engine is on its way out (do this first) and you can save your time

1st Oil Leakage , start the car put something under the car and let it run for 20min, then rev it high little bit and see if the car overheat!

2nd, look for tyres, brakes

3rd wheel alignment and steering alighnment are 2 different things, google it.

4th CV JOINTS, do a full hard UTURN and if you hear CLICK CLACK then the joints are gone, also check the rubber boots , if they cracked then it will cost you

5th if its manual then see if the gears smoothly

6th make sure no rattling noise or rapets noise, and the idle is smooth

also, check the oil level and coolant level (if the guy used water then he never looked after his car)

well, there are more things but then you will have to contact me…

Answer by Fuzzy
That is a little difficult to help you with, but let me try.

Determine if the company is reputable, and gives perhaps 3 months guarantee on the engine and transmission under normal driving conditions.

Check the oil in the car you really are interested in. It is surprising how many cars on the lots are left the way they come in.
Very dirty oil shows how the owner treated it.

If it has all new tires on (which is nice) then you know that the car has driven an awful lot. About tires, check that the front tires (if old tires) are not wearing down a lot compared with the rear. That might indicate a serious alignment problem.

Check for water damage in the trunk, and under the front mat perhaps.

Check its paper history. If it has been assembled at a junk yard from many other cars, don’t buy it.

If when the engine is started (need two people – one to start and one to watch) whitish smelly smoke comes out of the exhaust pipe when first started, then the engine is too worn. (if it does so continually the engine is in need of a burial)

Usually, a light knocking with a knuckle around the body on some parts that usually gets banged up will tell you if the car has had a lot of body work that now is covered in non-metal work. It is easy to hear. Just try it first with a car you know or a newer car. The sound is quite different.

Answer by meowcat
The price!!! I would compare the price of used car you’re interested in with price of a new car. Here’s a good place to do it:

https://autos.yahoo.com/

Answer by Car Girl
1. Get a Vehicle history Report, but don’t pay the 30 Bucks for them, i will tell you where to get them for $ 2.25
2. Check out the car for Accident Damage. Check for Hidden VIN #s on each body panel there are approx 11 in total.
3. If it is Automatic, put it in drive or reverse, if it takes longer than 2 seconds to engage especially followed by a jolt or jerk, the trans is toast, walk away.
4. Check the tires on the inside of the wheel where it is hardest to see, if you find fine metal wires protruding, the car is unsafe to drive, have the owner replace the tires first.
5. check all the dash lights come on when you start the car and then go off after a few seconds. if any lights don’t com on, or they stay on after the car has started then walk away. Lights you need to really look out for are Air Bags, ABS, Check Engine
6. Check the engine oil for Black sludge or Mayonnaise, if you find these RUN away…
7. Push down on each corner of the car a couple of times “firmly”, if it bounces like a basket ball, the suspension is gone and it is unsafe to drive.
8. Pull really hard on each seat belt, if it stops instantly it is safe, otherwise, walk away. The seat belt is Kaput and will not save you from flying through the window in an accident!
9. Check in the cigarette lighter holder for Penny’s, this is a fire hazard a can cause the car to burn to the ground or will continuously cause major problems like alternator burn outs, fuses blowing, or even complete electrical loss.
10. Get some Expert Help and Advice from people that know Exactly what they are talking about. Every thing listed above and by the other people on the page is really good stuff, but to effectively buy a used car without getting ripped off you need to cover all your bases and this can not be done with a few simple answers!

For Free Videos, Free e-Book, $ 3 Vehicle History Reports, Simple Vehicle Crash Tester and way more good stuff visit; https://carreality.com/

Kindest Regards and Good Luck!

Answer by Michael D
There are some really great answers in here, however no one has talked about not getting scammed on the price. I wrote a article on how to negottiate a car deal check it out.

Remember stay strong and dont give in.