Don’t Drink the Snake Oil

March 30, 2010, By Jeff Waddle 0 comments

If ever the old advice Buyer Beware applied, it’s to used cars. No doubt, buying a used car is fraught with danger because resting underneath that shiny exterior can be a bunch of problems so bad they’ll make you want to throw your driver’s license away.

Fortunately, there are lots of reliable used cars out there that will give you years of good service. But the trick is finding one, and avoiding getting stuck with a clunker or worse, a rebuilt wreck.

Here’s how other people have done it.

Don’t Be Shy

You’ve got to do a lot more than kick the tires when it comes to finding a reliable used car. It’s no time to be shy. Ask the seller in a straightforward yet respectful manner:

is there anything wrong with the car that’s not readily apparent
has it ever been in a wreck or sustained flood damage
if he knows the history of the car—how long has he owned it, who owned it before him, how many miles did he put on the car, etc.
how many miles do the tires have on them.

Most sellers are eager to tell you about their car because the more they talk it up, the better their chances of selling it—unless it’s a clunker or they’ve got something to hide.

Of course, take it for a test drive and make sure you get it on the highway. Notice if it pulls when you take your hands off the wheel briefly or hit the brakes a little hard—it could signal an alignment problem or even a bent frame from a wreck.

Check out all the lights, windows, stereo and controls to ensure they’re in good working order, and look at emissions to be sure it’s not burning oil.

Consider Hiring a Mechanic

You usually can get an independent auto repair shop to inspect a car for around $100. An inspection could reveal oil leaks or other chronic problems, pending reliability issues that will require costly repairs and if the car generally has been well-maintained.

Whether you hire a mechanic or not, you should give the car a good “once over” by:

raising the hood to see if oil has been thrown around the engine
inspecting the body for signs of rust or damage that may have been fixed—paint shade differences suggest it’s been in an accident
looking for mold or mildew (smell or physical evidence of it) under the carpet in the trunk or upholstery which could mean it sustained water damage.

Use Available Resources

Thanks to the computer age, used car buyers have valuable resources at their fingertips including:

Kelly Blue Book where you can find the suggested value of used (and new) cars.
CarFax where you obtain a car’s history for just $30. Enter the car’s vehicle identification number or VIN and you can see who owned the car, if it’s ever been wrecked or rebuilt after a total loss, been part of a flood and other revealing information. Many dealers now offer CarFax reports on their used cars.

Consider Certified

If buying a car from another individual makes you uncomfortable, consider buying a certified used car from a dealer. Most new car dealers now have certified used car programs that offer a limited warranty that’s backed by the automaker.

Certified cars are usually more expensive but they typically come with a list of checks and service the dealer performed to ensure the car was brought up to tip-top shape. That can give you an extra layer or protection and a little more peace of mind when buying a used car.

Know the Law

Many states offer some sort of “lemon law” to guard against deception in used car sales, so it’s a good idea to know your rights when you enter the used car market. As hard as you tried, there’s always a chance you just drove off with a clunker.

Jeff Waddle is a featured contributor to ManoftheHouse.com.