Look under the car
The car may look great all the way around it. A used car can easily be maintained cosmetically, but in order to really know what the car is like, you need to look underneath it. Check to make sure the car is rust free underneath or with minimal rust spots. You also, want to check under the hood. Make sure the engine is clean of rust. It can be dirty just not rusty.
Inspect the Car for Rust
Rust is inevitable in a used car, but you want to be sure there aren’t rust spots in places that are dangerous. Look for rust under the car, around the wheels, and in the engine. Try to find a used car with less rust in those areas.
Check the Mileage
You may not realize it, but mileage plays a key role in how much longer the car has left. If a car has more than 100,000 miles on it, you may have some maintenance that will need to be done soon. Look for cars with lower miles for the best performance.
Take the Car to the Shop
One thing that doesn’t get told to many used car shoppers is that when you take the car on a test drive, you can stop at the shop. You may have to pay to get it looked at, but if there is a serious issue, it is worth it to know before you buy.
Test Drive it on the Highway
You may not realize there is any issue with your vehicle until you take it at high speeds. Before purchasing a used car, it is always a good idea to test drive your vehicle on the highway. Listen for any noises and pay attention to shaking. If you notice a problem, talk to the dealer about it, or take it into the shop before buying.
Don’t Make Impulsive Decisions
Take your time choosing a car. Don’t impulsively buy the first car you like. Test drive several cars, narrow it down, and take time to think about it. If you go home without a car, and it is gone the next day, it wasn’t meant to be.
When you get a new or used car, you want it to be worth the money you spent on it. The folks at Palmer Dodge Georgia want to help answer those questions and get you in the perfect car for you.
What other tips can you give when buying a used car? We would love to know in the comments below!
Lillian Schaeffer says
These are some great tips, and I appreciate your advice to test drive a used car on the highway before purchasing it. I’m going to be moving out in a few months, so I want to buy a vehicle so I can get around. I’m going to buy used so I can save some money, so I’ll definitely make sure to test drive it on the highway to see if everything’s in working order. Thanks for the great post!
Faylinn says
I find your tip about not making impulsive decisions very useful to me, because I will be buying a used car next month. I definitely plan on test driving several cars before I choose one, just like you said. However, what exactly should I be looking for when I test drive one?
Kenneth Gladman says
I like your advice on taking on the freeway during your test drive. You want to be able to check on the feel of how it handles and accelerates. I would also keep the radio off when test driving so you can see how it sounds.
judy wilson says
I liked your tip to inspect used cars for rust and other damage. You’re right about how it’s best to buy a car that doesn’t have rust around the wheels, under the car, and in the engine. I haven’t thought to check for that when looking for a car to replace my old one, so that will be on my list of things that I need to look at while car shopping.
Brian says
I always sleep on it before I buy a car. They’re such huge purchases, so it’s important to not make impulsive decisions.
Kathleen says
I love your post though I am not very interested to buy an used car if I have chance to have new one in the same price. Can you suggest me how I can purchase new one with low rate?
John says
I like the article’s suggestion to take the car for a test drive on the highway. Like the article says, this will allow you to listen for noises that may seem abnormal. I’ve been looking at getting a car that gets better gas mileage, but I don’t want to spend a lot of money. I’ll probably look at a couple of used car dealerships, but I’ll definitely be sure to keep these tips in mind when I go about buying a car.
Ryan says
These are really great tips for buying used cars! I really liked your idea about taking to the shop, its a great idea to get it inspection to make sure if its in good or bad condition before buying! Thanks for sharing!
Caden Dahl says
I like how you mentioned that test driving a car on the highway before buying is a good idea. I’m going to be buying a used car, and I was going to test drive it before making the purchase, but I was just going to drive it around the neighborhood. I hadn’t considered that it might perform differently at high speeds, but I’ll make sure to test it on the highway as well.
Bernard Clyde says
I like your tip to be conscious of the mileage of the pre-owned car you are looking at since it plays a role in the life of the car. That way, you can have a better idea of what to expect for how long your used car will last. It’s important that you have some idea of the time value of a vehicle you are looking at buying so that you can make a good choice now and into the future.
Laurel Santos says
Great tips. I’ve been thinking of buying a new car but I heard that used ones are as okay and you just need to be more careful in choosing the right one. Looking forward to more helpful posts.
Taylor Hicken says
My husband and I have been thinking about purchasing a used car for my daughter for her birthday, but we need to find the right car. We knew that it’d be best to not buy her a new car, that way if she does anything reckless it’ll be cheaper to fix. I’ll just have to make sure that we check the mileages on the car first.
Noah Carter says
When you buy a new car lot of speculation were going through in your Mind and when you used a car, then you have to look at like how the car look like. Check whether there are any rust and also engine should clean of rust. Another tips you can look at how often and how many miles your car has run at and it is advisable to look for slightly lower miles for better and decent performance. Nice and have blend of precise and helpful tips.