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(#13) Listen To The Engine
From Redditor /u/edge_basics:
Crank up the car, open the hood, and just take a few moments to listed to the engine. Some sounds are normal, but listen for loud tapping or clunking sounds.
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(#7) Watch Out For Curbstoning
From Redditor /u/creativenewusername:
Curbstoning. It is an illegal practice where a (usually small, usually shady) dealership will pretend to be a private seller. Private sellers face less scrutiny and have different legal requirements than a dealership, so a shitty shop may try to pass off the sale of a salvaged or otherwise undesirable vehicle as a private sale to avoid scrutiny.
If you're going to look at private sale and they tell you to meet them at a small dealership, red flag.
If they claim they are selling it on behalf of anyone not physically present, red flag.
If they ask you to make the check out to anyone but the name on the title, red flag.
If you Google the contact information listed by the (supposedly private) seller and it turns up multiple ads for other vehicles, major red flag.
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(#12) Only Buy From Reputable Dealers
From Quora user Martin Sparks
A car dealer that is authorized generally has a good reputation and must answer to manufacturers. Never buy from a dealer that is not reputable, you may live to regret it.
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(#1) It's Best To Get A Professional Opinion If You Can
From Quora user Kenny Muir:
A lemon car generally refers to one (or more) of three things.
This refers to the motor or other mechanical components in the car being faulty, or just purely worn out. This could be worn engine seals, leaks in the cooling system or a variety of other issues. Thoroughly inspect all mechanical components before buying or get a professional to inspect [them] for you.
A defect in the chassis or body exists that poses a safety risk and/or prevents it from passing a safety inspection. This could include rust, unrepaired body damage or worn out structural components. Again, make sure you get a mechanical inspection before [making a] purchase if you are unsure what to look for!
If you want a solid, reliable car, don’t buy an old Lada. It doesn’t matter if the Lada has only done 50,000 miles, it will NOT be good value for money! Stick to Japanese cars if you can; otherwise, seek advice on other makes/models that are well known for reliability before buying.
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(#2) Don’t Buy From A Seller That Refuses An Inspection
From Quora user Craig Good:
Before buying a used car you should insist on (and pay for) a pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic. If the seller refuses, it [is] probably a lemon.
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(#9) Make Sure The Car Hasn’t Been Warmed Up
From Redditor /u/ace_deuceee:
If the engine is warmed up when you go to test drive the car. There are a lot of issues that only affect cold start or cold driving, especially on older cars. The seller would warm the car up right before you get there to remedy this. It's important to observe the car warming up on your test drive.
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About This Tool
Why do more and more people choose to buy used cars? Cheap price is the biggest selling point for used cars. With the same money for buying a new car, you can buy a higher-grade used car. Therefore, from the perspective of reducing the cost of buying a car, it is a wiser choice for the general public to buy used cars. Some beginner drivers have just obtained a driver’s license but their skills are not strong, so they might as well buy a second-hand car to practice. As an ordinary consumer, how to buy second-hand cars and how to prevent "accident cars"?
This random tool collates 13 items from some advice from mechanics, which can help you to choose a better car.
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