What to Look for in Good Used Car

Buying a used car can be an intimidating experience especially if you are not that familiar with the mechanics of a car. I know because I recently purchased one and had no idea at first what to look for in a good used car. I did my homework and research and thought I knew what to look for in a good used car, but I still felt uncomfortable about the whole idea.

I'm not a mechanic and I know very little about car engines but luckily for me my father in law is a mechanic and he came along with me to help out. I'll describe everything he looked for in the used car and exactly why he looked for these things.

First off he opened the hood of the engine and checked the oil dipstick to see if it was completely black. He told me that if the oil dipstick is completely black this indicates that the car has been poorly maintained. Then he checked under the car for any oil leaks.

Next he turned the car engine on and and checked the exhaust pipe to see if it was emitting smoke. That's a bad sign too. He also told me that he listened to the sound of the engine. He doesn't like a loud engine. He likes the engine to purr.

Then he walked around the car to see if he could detect any damage. He told me that if a car has been in an accident and worked on you will be able to detect a slight change in color from a painted over area that was damaged. And finally, before taking the car for a test drive, he checked for any rust.

When we took the car for a test drive my father in law made sure that the radio was off and the windows were rolled all the way down. He wanted to be able to listen to the engine for any noise as we drove along in the streets. He also told me that any knocking or rattling sounds were a sign of transmission problems. And the last thing he listened to were the breaks when we stopped. He didn't want to hear any squealing from them.

The car had passed all my father in laws test to this point. But my father in law wanted to give it one last test. He wanted to take the used car into his shop to give it a thorough going over. My father in law told me that the most important thing a person can do when purchasing a used car is to have an independent mechanic give the car look over. And he told me that a lot of people don't do this.

Well, the used car checked out okay and now it is my car. And even though I now know what to look for in a good used car I still think I'd take my father in law with me if I ever bought another used car.