Here are some tips to look out for prior to making that commitment and spending your hard-earned cash on a used vehicle.
1) Initial Inspection
Look underneath the car for rust. A used car with a rusted frame isn't structurally sound. While a rusted frame can be salvaged, it can be expensive and time consuming.
Check the tires and wheels. Look for even tire wear. Uneven wear in the front could mean the wheels or suspension are out of alignment.
Inspect the exterior. Look for recent paint jobs as this may indicate body damage. You can sometimes detect paint jobs by finding over-spray on the rubber window molding. Tap along repainted areas and listen for a change in tone that reveals patchwork.
Check the interior. You don’t want a used car that’s been torn to shreds on the inside. When inspecting the interior, check the odometer. If the car says it has low miles, but the wear and tear on the inside looks like it’s been to hell and back, something might be up.
Look under the hood. If you see rounded or stripped nuts and bolt heads, it could be an indication of shoddy repair work. While you’re under there, check the spark plugs to see if they’re newer than the rest of the engine. If they are, that’s a sign the car has undergone regular maintenance and tune-up. That’s a good thing.
2) Test Drive
Drive it cold. A cold engine will tell you a lot more then a warm one will.
Turn the key. Does the car start easily? Does the engine make any funny noises while turning? Do you have to turn the key a lot to get the car started?
Check controls. Test the wiper, lights, radio, and air conditioner controllers. There shouldn’t be any noticeable drop in engine performance when you turn on the A/C.
Check the transmission. If the car is an automatic transmission, it shouldn’t make any loud clunking noises or hesitate when you switch gears. A manual transmission should shift smoothly. If you hear any grinding noise when shifting it could mean the synchronizers are bad. Also, check the clutch of a manual transmission by going slowly uphill in a higher than normal gear, like 3rd or 4th gear. If the clutch is good, the RPM will decrease and nearly stall. If the clutch is bad, the engine will rev but won’t go anywhere.
Check the brakes. Find a road without any traffic and accelerate to about 60 kmph. Hit the brakes hard. If the car pulls to the right or left, it may mean you have a loose brake caliper or there’s not enough hydraulic fluid on the side it’s pulling to. Also, if you feel a shuddering when you brake, it could mean the brakes are warped. The brake pedal should also feel firm when you press down on it. If the brake sinks all the way to the floor, you may need to replace the master cylinder.
Check the alignment. While driving, take your hands off the steering wheel for a moment and see if the car pulls in one direction. If it does, you might have some front-end alignment problems.
Take the car over a bumpy road. Check out how the car responds to the bumps. If you feel the bumps a lot, the shocks are probably worn.
Listen. If you hear rattles, groans, and clunks, that’s a problem. Sure, the ailment might be repairable, but why waste your time or money?
Finally, when in doubt, it is always best to have the vehicle inspected by a professional. It may entail shelling a little bit for the mechanic to check it out but at least you are guaranteed that the car you are about to purchase is in tip top shape.
3) Do your Research
Compare prices online. There are a lot of local resources on the internet that you can use as basis for prices on used cars. Just google the specific year and model of the unit you intend to acquire and you can look at current Philippine prices.
Note: Manila prices are cheaper by P10-25k compared to Cebu prices, just for your consideration when doing your research.
Read Reviews. You can read car reviews about a specific model and hear what other people have to say about a specific unit. You might stumble upon something about a certain car that you may or may not like.
Personal Tip: Apply due diligence!! Sometimes an offer is made that is too good to be true, if that’s the case then better be vigilant. A used car that is sold at a low price may entail inherent damages that the original owner is not sharing and could well be the very reason that he is selling the unit in the first place.
Happy driving!!
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