Checking over the goods.
Credit: Myself | ©Free to any who want it
These are some tips on how to properly buy a cheap used car, or just a fun beater.
My first general suggestion is for you to go to your local scrap yard and see what they have the most of. Consider buying one of those makes/models of cars. Get a manual for it, but don't bother doing a job that costs more than the car is worth.
Don't buy a cheap car from a used car dealer. Look outside the city, the more rural the better the prices. Trailer parks are great bargain bins.
The car should start with a turn of the key, not with a bunch of pumping and primping. You should not smell gas before or after you start it. There should be no soot around the tail pipe. Drive at 25 to 30 mph try to find an incline to cruise up the tranny should not be slipping in and out of gear. Under normal acceleration it should not shift hard enough to snap your head back. Expect to buy a new battery and do a tune up and don't expect great tires.
Aways sniff over car in daylight. Night is the lying bastard's friend.
Carry a screw driver and check the important bits of the chassis for serious corrosion. Sill, chassis members, door pillars and any areas that are critical to the integrity of the passenger cell should you hit something. Suspension mounts corrode without being noticed, get on your knees and check where the bouncy bits join to the chassis/shell. Brake and fuel lines should not be that bad on that vintage of car. If they are heavily corroded walk away or budget for replacement. Brake disks should not have deep scoring (concentric rings more than 0.5mm deep) on them. Beware of rumbling noises from wheels in a straight line. Bearings mostly and they need replacing if noisy. If it rumbles when front wheels are turned it could also be CV joints and other expensive nasties. Check the spare tire as well as the road wheels for condition and pressure. Good sign if it is fit and to the right pressures. One sided wear patterns on tires are not a good sign.
Check that all the locks open with the key in your hand and have not been forced. Check all the numbers on the registration documents against those on VIN plate and chassis plate and engine. Accept no excuses, if they differ walk away.
My first general suggestion is for you to go to your local scrap yard and see what they have the most of. Consider buying one of those makes/models of cars. Get a manual for it, but don't bother doing a job that costs more than the car is worth.
Don't buy a cheap car from a used car dealer. Look outside the city, the more rural the better the prices. Trailer parks are great bargain bins.
The car should start with a turn of the key, not with a bunch of pumping and primping. You should not smell gas before or after you start it. There should be no soot around the tail pipe. Drive at 25 to 30 mph try to find an incline to cruise up the tranny should not be slipping in and out of gear. Under normal acceleration it should not shift hard enough to snap your head back. Expect to buy a new battery and do a tune up and don't expect great tires.
Aways sniff over car in daylight. Night is the lying bastard's friend.
Carry a screw driver and check the important bits of the chassis for serious corrosion. Sill, chassis members, door pillars and any areas that are critical to the integrity of the passenger cell should you hit something. Suspension mounts corrode without being noticed, get on your knees and check where the bouncy bits join to the chassis/shell. Brake and fuel lines should not be that bad on that vintage of car. If they are heavily corroded walk away or budget for replacement. Brake disks should not have deep scoring (concentric rings more than 0.5mm deep) on them. Beware of rumbling noises from wheels in a straight line. Bearings mostly and they need replacing if noisy. If it rumbles when front wheels are turned it could also be CV joints and other expensive nasties. Check the spare tire as well as the road wheels for condition and pressure. Good sign if it is fit and to the right pressures. One sided wear patterns on tires are not a good sign.
Check that all the locks open with the key in your hand and have not been forced. Check all the numbers on the registration documents against those on VIN plate and chassis plate and engine. Accept no excuses, if they differ walk away.
- A general rule of thumb is that if that noise sounds expensive to you, it probably will be.
- Kelly blue book means nothing.
- Always sniff over car in daylight. Night is the lying bastard's friend.
Comments
Very in depth article about buying a used car! Just last month my brother bought an 89 Cavalier Z24 with 160K miles on the body (only 20K on the upgraded 3.1L engine) off a guy next to a junk yard for $600... all it needed was some seat covers and new tires! He might just be able to smoke my 05 Cobalt if he tunes it right.
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