Every car is a piece of complex machinery. Like the human body, problems are not always immediately obvious at a glance. If you are in the market for a car don’t depend on your eyes or the dealer’s conscience to assure you that the car you will be counting on to get you to work is up to the job. Skip the important step of inspecting your car and you could sour your car buying experience with the purchase a very expensive lemon.
Before you buy be sure you understand what you are getting in your pre-owned car. You can hire a mechanic to give the car a once over for about $100.00 depending on where you live. That’s a small price to pay for the peace of mind that comes with a car you can depend on. You should also understand the laws in your state with regard to pre-owned cars. Remarkably, there is no shortage of buyers that find themselves with a dud instead of the dream car they imagined, and with no legal recourse.
Following are a few tips to help you make sure that buying your dream car doesn’t become a nightmare.
- Research your prospects – Talk with friends or family that have cars you are considering. Find out what they like and don’t like about the car. What problems have they had? Would they buy again? You can also use the Internet for access to Carfax.com and similar sites that can give you an in-depth look at the car you are considering. For example, you provide the VIN number and the service will give you information about accurate odometer readings, titles, repaint jobs, and even any accidents the car may have been involved in.
- Consider visiting the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) to learn about any current or previous technical service bulletins. A technical service bulletin or TSB announces problems that have been identified, and are in need of repair, for the car in question. When you visit the site, simply enter as much information as you have and the site will return any bulletins in the database.
- Again, engage the services of a mechanic. Buying a car is a major purchase and you should do all you can to protect yourself throughout the process. The mechanic should inspect all major systems including the air, engine, electrical systems, and the brakes. Don’t overlook smaller components during the inspection. Small problems can become big headaches over time.
- Employ the 24 hour rule. You’ve probably heard this one before. No need to rush into such a major decision. Sleep on it and give yourself time to process all of the information that you have collected. Twenty-four hours will give your voice of reason time to surface, making it difficult to ignore any nagging doubts or concerns that beg to be addressed.
Buying a pre-owned car can bring just as much satisfaction as buying a new car, perhaps even more if price is a consideration. You can keep your level of satisfaction high by doing some research and approaching the process with a level head.
