Buying a Used Car

Start your examination by walking around the car, looking for signs of body repairs and patches of paint that differ slightly from the original. Telltale signs include one headlight that looks newer than the other, resprayed wheels – anything that points to accident damage repairs. You might even take along a small magnet to check for body panel repairs; since body filler isn’t ferrous, the magnet won’t stick to it.

Any Credit Auto Loans

Rust is a serious problem, especially at the coast. It often starts in hidden places, such as the insides of doors and gutters, from where it eats its way through the metal. Other vulnerable spots are door sills, wheelarches, boot and bonnet edges, headlight and tail-light surrounds, the spare wheel well, and the floor (under the carpet). Don’t forget to look for rust spots underneath the car, at the same time checking for signs of oil leaks and other defects.

Auto loans -- Bad Credit? No Credit? No Problem!

Lack of maintenance usually shows up in the engine compartment. Corroded battery terminals or holding bracket, an oily engine, frayed wiring, and cracked hoses are all signs of neglect. The radiator core should not show any signs of leaks, nor should the cooling fins be bent or clogged with gunge.

Get your auto loan NOW - FREE 60 Second application

Remove the radiator cap and start the engine from cold. Look out for air bubbles surfacing in the water, which could indicate a defective cylinder head gasket. A coating of oil or sludge on the inside of the radiator cap is also cause for alarm, potentially necessitating a costly repair job.

Get an Auto Loan in 1 Minute!

Examine the car’s interior for signs of wear and tear that don’t coincide with the car’s claimed mileage. In this case, the brake and clutch pedals might provide a clue. If they look too new, they might have been replaced for the wrong reasons; if they look old and worn, the car may have covered a bigger distance than claimed.
Ensure that all the controls (including heater, wipers and so on) are working as they should. Examine the windscreen, an expensive item to replace. Minor scratches and chips can be fixed, but cracks and impact craters are another story.

Any Credit Auto Loans

Next, ask the seller to start the car, and position yourself so that you can see what comes out of the exhaust. Vapour will be visible on a cold winter morning, but if you see a puff of blue/grey smoke as the engine starts, it could mean worn valve guides or valve-stem oil seals. If the smoke persists, the car could need new pistons and rings, or even a complete overhaul.

Bad credit? No Problem--Auto Loans for EVERYONE

Black smoke, or a sooty black deposit inside the tailpipe, points to a very rich mixture. If the deposit is wet, the engine is using oil. However, don’t be confused by a car that has been fed unleaded petrol, which results in a black exhaust deposit.
Listen to the engine with the bonnet open; at idling speed a slight ticking noise from the valvegear may be acceptable, but there should be no knocks or whines. Quickly rev the engine and listen for a knock, which could indicate worn big-end bearings (then again, it could also be something more prosaic, such as an exhaust pipe knocking against the underside).

Car Loans - Bad Credit Car Loans from CarCredit.com, your car loan resource, for people with bad credit or bankruptcy.

No matter how small the engine, it should pull willingly, and should not hesitate or misfire when you press on the accelerator. A test drive is essential. Jab the accelerator a few times to check for free play in the transmission, but be aware that some makes of car have a small amount of transmission snatch even when new. However, if it feels excessive, you have grounds for concern.

Bad Credit Car Loans - CarCredit.com, we have the car you want and the credit you deserve!

The clutch should take up the drive smoothly, and not judder. If the clutch release bearing rumbles when you depress the pedal, it can get worse with time, and can be fixed only by removing the gearbox. Examine the clutch free play before you start, and remember the setting as you drive. Too little play may cause the clutch to slip excessively as you change gear, whereas too much will usually cause the gears to grate. Excessive slip on pullaway, or during gearshifts, can also indicate a worn clutch. The gearbox itself should operate smoothly.

Bad Credit Auto Loans - Fast and Free application. Affiliated dealers in your area.

Steering feel varies considerably from model to model, but in all cases the car should run true if you let go of the steering wheel on a straight, level road. The wheel should be in the correct straight-ahead position. Although correcting any deviations here could entail no more than a slight adjustment, it could also indicate suspension damage.

Car Loans for All Credit - Free applicaton , No obligations. Expert dealers in your area.

Inspect the wheels for dings that could indicate suspension or tyre damage. Also study the condition of the tyre sidewalls, and check the tread for signs of uneven or excessive wear. Although an assessment is best left to an expert, as a general rule if the tyre is worn in the centre it has been over-inflated, whereas wear along both edges indicates that the pressure is too low. Wear along one edge only usually indicates incorrect camber, and uneven wear is often a sign of defective shock absorbers.

Apply Today---and Drive Away Tomorrow!

A noisy rear axle (yes, there are still a few rear-wheel drive cars on the market) is always expensive to repair, although this may not necessarily signal the imminent collapse of the drivetrain. If the noise worsens when you take a corner, the cause is more likely to be worn wheel bearings. To check this, jack up the car and spin each wheel by hand. A worn bearing will feel rough and make a growling sound.
Check the CV-joint boots (protective covers). If they are torn, it probably means the joints themselves have been damaged. Test the joints by driving slowly on full lock in both directions; worn joints will make a clicking sound.

1-800 AUTOYES!

Finally, ask the seller to drive the car while you follow in another vehicle. Buckled wheels will show up, as will a bent chassis (giving the car a crab-like movement), which indicates a major accident repair.
Your examination complete, bear in mind that the faults you discovered need not rule out the car as a prospective purchase. What you have done is arm yourself with the information needed to make a sensible decision, and perhaps also the ammunition to talk down the price.