How Can I Tell If The Car I Want Is A Lemon?
Posted by Ryan Letterman in Uncategorized, tags: auto, automotive, buying a car, car, car dealers, carfax, cars, transportation, truck, trucks, Uncategorized, used cars, used trucksHave you ever heard the expression, ‘there are no guarantees in life’? This holds true everywhere, including vehicles of any type. But car manufacturers cannot remain in business in this day and age if they do not produce perfectly reliable automobiles. Of course, there are those exceptions - they are not the rule.
Many times it is the seller of a used car that has rendered it a lemon. The vehicle manufacturers place an easy-to-read and comprehend manual in every car they make. If the owner of a car maintains it according to the manual, the vehicle is in for the long haul. Stories are told everyday by owners of cars who have just reached the 150,000 mileage mark and intend to drive their car well into the future. The fact is most cars are made to last beyond the 100,000 mileage marker.
You cannot hear enough about getting a Carfax or similar report on the car you will potentially purchase. If you have a set budget, back out $50 which should buy you at least five reports. This is not an endorsement for the Carfax brand, but rather solid advice on making sure you have the VIN number and at least one maintenance report.
Vehicle history reports investigate the car for major accidents, mileage turnbacks, multiple owners, frame damage, and flood and tornado damage, whether it was branded a lemon and even more informative facts. The car you are looking at is in your town now, but where did it originate? If it came from a hurricane, flood or tornado prone area was it there when the disaster occurred?
When you go to look at the potential vehicle, take someone with you who knows more about cars than you do. This is not fessing up that you are a mechanical moron - this is showing that you are a smart shopper.
Before you and your expert buddy take it for a test drive, check the oil for cleanliness. If it is dirty, ask the owner when the last oil change was done. You want to know if the owner maintained the car. Check all the fluids for that matter.
Check the tires for baldness or uneven wear. If they are suspect, ask the seller when was the last time he had the tires rotated.
Check everything you can with the dash: do all brake lights work; do both turn signals work? Do check the heat, A/C, radio and CD player.
Experts suggest that when you do go your test drive, evaluate the acceleration of the vehicle. After coming to a complete stop, accelerate and listen for any chugging or sluggishness, undue engine noise or rattling under the hood.
Make some tight turns on your test spin to see how it handles these. If it doesn’t handle them well, there may be some suspension problems. It’s also good to ask the seller when new brake shoes were put on particularly if the car has some mileage on it.
It’s always a good idea to make arrangements with a trusted mechanic and make a deal with him to hook up the vehicle in contention to his diagnostics to uncover any possible issues.
As a matter of fact, maybe all you need do is ask the seller if he minds that you take the car to your trusted mechanic for a diagnosis. If he minds, you have your answer about that car. Now you can move on to another one.
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