Before buying a used car, it is recommended to have a mechanic inspect the vehicle for any problems.
No matter who you buy from, always look over the vehicle thoroughly and take it to a mechanic for a complete inspection. Dress in old clothes and give the car a good going-over. You can learn a great deal just by using your eyes, ears, and nose.
Take along a friend for help. Do your inspection in broad daylight on a dry day. Floodlighted lots can make cars look shiny and can hide body defects. The car should be parked on a level surface and shouldn't have been driven for at least an hour before your inspection.
EXTERIOR
Body condition. Check each body panel and the roof, looking for scratches, dents, and rust. Examine the lines of the fenders and doors. Misaligned panels or large gaps can indicate either sloppy assembly at the factory or shoddy repair. The paint color and finish should be the same on every body panel.
If you think a dent may have been patched with body filler, put a small magnet on it; it won't stick to an area with body filler. If other parts of the car have been repainted, there may be signs of "overspray," or paint adhering to the rubber seals around the hood and trunk lid.
Minor cosmetic flaws and light scratches are no cause for concern, but rust is. Check the outer body for blistered paint or rust. Also inspect the wheel wells, rocker panels (the sheet metal beneath the doors), and the bottoms of the doors. Bring a flashlight for looking inside the wheel wells for rust or corrosion.
Open and close each door, the hood, and the trunk. Gently lift and let go of each door, particularly the driver's door. If the door seems loose on its hinges, the car has seen hard or long use. Inspect any rubber seal for tearing or rot.
Glass. Look carefully at the windshield and windows to make sure there are no cracks or large pocked areas. A small stone chip may not be cause for alarm, though you should bring it up as a bargaining point in negotiations. But cracks in the windshield will worsen and lead to a costly repair.
Suspension. Walk around the car to see if it's standing level. Bounce each corner up and down. If the shock absorbers are in good shape, the car should rebound just once; it shouldn't keep moving up and down. Grab the top of each front tire and tug it back and forth. If you feel play in it or hear a clunking or ticking sound, the wheel bearings or suspension joints may be shot.
Lights and lenses. Have a friend confirm that all lights are working. Make sure all light lenses and reflectors are intact and not cracked, fogged with moisture, or missing.
Tires. You can tell a lot from the tires. A car with less than, say, 20,000 miles on the odometer should probably still have its original tires. Be wary of a low-mileage car with new tires; the vehicle's odometer may have been rolled back. Also check that all four tires are the same. Any different tires may show that they have been replaced.
Tread wear should be even across the width of the tread and the same on the left and right sides of the car. Ask if the tires have been regularly rotated. If not, the wear is usually more severe on the drive wheels.
Aggressive drivers tend to put heavy wear on the outside shoulder of the front tires, at the edge of the sidewall. Assume that the car has been driven hard if that area is badly worn relative to the rest of the tire.
Tires that have been driven while overinflated tend to wear more in the middle than on the sides. Chronically underinflated tires show more wear on the sides. Cupped tires, those that are worn unevenly along the tread's circumference, may be a sign of a problem with the steering, suspension, or brakes.
Tires must have at least 1/16 inch of tread to be legal. Check the tread depth either with a tread-depth tool (available at auto-parts stores) or a quarter. Insert the quarter into the tread groove, with Washington's head down. If you can see the top of his head, the tire should be replaced.
Examine the sidewalls for scuffing, cracks, or bulges, and look on the edge of each rim for dents or cracks. And be sure to check that the spare is in good shape and that the proper jack and lug wrench are present.
It's the inside of a car that may matter most in the long run since that's where you'll be spending the most time with the car.
Odor. When you first open the car door, sniff the interior. A musty, moldy, or mildewy smell could indicate water leaks. Remove the floor mats, and check for wet spots on the carpet. An acrid smell may indicate the car was used by a smoker. Check the lighter and ashtray for evidence. Some odors can be hard to get rid of. If you don't like what you smell, find another car.
Seats. Try out all the seats even though you may not plan to sit in the rear. Upholstery shouldn't be ripped or badly worn, particularly in a car that's supposed to have low miles on it. Try all the driver's seat adjustments to make sure they work properly and that you can find a good driving position.
Pedals. The rubber on the brake, clutch, and gas pedals gives an indication of use. A car with low miles shouldn't show much wear. If the pedal rubber is worn through in spots-or brand new-it indicates high miles.
Instruments and controls. Turn the ignition switch, but without starting the engine. All the warning lights—including the "Check engine" light—should illuminate for a few moments. They should then go off when you start the engine. Note if the engine is hard to start when cold and if it idles smoothly. Then try out every switch, button, and lever.
With the engine running, turn on the heater full blast and see how hot it gets—and how quickly. Switch on the air conditioning and make sure it quickly blows cold.
Sound system. Check radio reception on AM and FM. If there is a CD or tape player, try loading and ejecting a compact disc or tape.
Roof. Check the headliner for stains or sags to see if water is leaking through ill-fitting doors or windows. If equipped with a sunroof or moonroof, check to see if it opens and closes properly and seals well when shut. Inspect the convertible top for tears by shining a flashlight up into it.
Trunk. Use your nose as well as your eyes. Sniff and look for signs of water entry. See if the carpeting feels wet or smells musty, and check the spare-tire well for water or rust.
UNDER THE HOOD: ENGINE-RELATED COMPONENTS
It's best to make these checks with the engine cool to avoid being burned. Look first at the general condition of the engine bay. Dirt and dust are normal, but be wary if you see oil spattered about or on the pavement under the engine compartment, a battery covered with corrosion, or wires and hoses hanging loose.
Hoses and belts. Squeeze the various rubber hoses running to the radiator, air conditioner, and other parts. The rubber should be firm and supple, not rock-hard, cracked, or mushy. Feel the drive belts to determine whether they are frayed.
Fluids. Check all fluid levels. The owner's manual will point out where to look. Engine oil should be dark brown or black, but not too gritty. If the oil is honey-colored, it was just changed. If the dipstick has water droplets on it or oil that is gray or foamy, it could indicate a cracked engine block or blown head gasket—serious problems. Transmission fluid should be pinkish, not brown, and smell like oil, with no "burnt" odor. The dipstick shouldn't leave visible metal particles on the rag, a sign of serious problems. With most cars, you check the automatic-transmission fluid with the engine warmed up and running. On some, the dipstick has two sets of marks for checking when the engine is either cold or warm. Check if the power-steering and brake-fluid levels are within the safe zone.
Radiator. Look into the plastic reservoir that's connected by a rubber hose to the radiator. The coolant should be greenish or orange, not a milky or rusty color. Greenish stains on the outside of the radiator are a sign of pinhole leaks.
Battery. Some "maintenance free" batteries have a built-in charge indicator. A green indicator usually means the battery is in good shape; yellow or black usually means it is dying or dead. These indicators reveal the condition of just one cell and may not give an accurate reading on how healthy the whole battery is. If the battery has filler caps, wipe off the top with a rag, then carefully pry off or unscrew the caps to look at the liquid electrolyte level. A low level may mean that the battery has been working too hard. A mechanic can check out the charging system and do a "load test" on the battery.
UNDER THE VEHICLE
If you can find where a car was usually parked, see if that part of the garage floor or driveway is marked from puddles of gasoline, oil, coolant, or transmission fluid. Clear water that drips from under the car on a hot day is probably just water condensed from the air conditioner.
Feel for any tailpipe residue. If it's black and greasy, it means the car is burning oil. The tailpipe smudge should be dry and dark gray. Look at the pipes; some rust is normal. Heavy rust might be normal but could mean a new exhaust system might be needed.
If the vehicle is high enough to slide under, you may be able to do some basic checks underneath. (If not, make sure you have a mechanic do a thorough professional inspection.) Spread an old blanket on the ground and look under the engine with a flashlight. If you see oil drips, oily leaks, or green or red fluid on the engine or the pavement beneath the car, it's not a good sign.
On a front-wheel-drive car, examine the constant-velocity-joint boots behind the front wheels. They are round, black, rubber bellows at the ends of the axle shafts. If the boots are split and leaking grease, assume that the car has bad CV joints—another costly repair.
Structural components with kinks and large dents in the floor pan or fuel tank are all indications of a past accident. Welding on the frame suggests a damaged section might have been replaced or cut out to perform repair work. Fresh undercoating may hide recent structural repairs.
TAKE THE CAR TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC
Before you buy a used vehicle, have it scrutinized by a repair shop that routinely does diagnostic work. A dealer should have no problem lending you the car to have it inspected as long as you leave identification.
If a salesperson tells you that an independent inspection is not necessary because the dealership has already done it, insist on having it looked at by a mechanic of your choice. If a private seller is reluctant to let you drive the car to a shop, offer to follow the seller to the shop where the inspection will take place.
Make sure the mechanic puts the vehicle on a lift and inspects the undercarriage. A thorough diagnosis should cost around $100, but check the price in advance. Ask for a written report detailing the car's condition, noting any problems found and the cost to repair them. You can then use the report in the negotiation with the seller, if you decide to buy the vehicle.
If you don't know of a repair shop with which you feel comfortable, try to get a referral from someone you trust. You could also ask for the name of a good shop at a local auto-parts store. If you can't get referrals, you can find shops in the Yellow Pages or on the Car Care Council's Web site.
This is an organization supported by the auto-aftermarket that educates consumers about vehicle care, but there's no performance criteria for shops listed on the site. To check for complaints about any shops you aren't familiar with, research them on the Better Business Bureau's Web site. If you're a member of the American Automobile Association (AAA), use one of its recommended facilities. You can get recommendations through its Web site, too.
If you're visiting a shop for the first time, see if it looks clean and well maintained. There should be up-to-date electronic diagnostic equipment next to the service bays.
Look for framed certificates or window decals from AAA or the National Institute of Automotive Service Excellence (ASE). AAA-certified garages must meet certain quality standards. ASE grants certificates to mechanics who pass exams in any of eight areas of expertise. The ASE does not certify a shop as a whole, but if 75 percent of the employees are ASE-certified, the shop can carry the seal.