Buying a Used Car Tips: Avoid Buying a Lemon

Are you thinking about buying a used car? Do you lack knowledge when it comes to cars? If so, buyer beware. Although used cars can save you a significant amount of money, unfortunately, there are unscrupulous dealers and used car sellers out there. Consequently, so you don't get ripped off, it is important to know what to look for. Otherwise, you might regret it later. :Nowadays, car repairs can run from hundreds to thousands of dollars.

After deciding on your needs, it is very important to test drive the car. When you're test driving the car, there are certain conditions you should look for.

• Go to an empty parking lot or deserted road. Accelerate to 30 mph and come to a sudden stop. If it takes too long to stop or your car pulls to one side, it could mean your brakes need to be replaced.
• How far will the brakes go down to the floor when you brake.
• Check the brake fluid. If it's not the right color or looks watery, the brake system probably hasn't been serviced for a long time.
• Brakes go out frequently on cars. Consequently, you will want to check the condition of the brakes. Are there any sounds coming from the wheel area? Most brakes have a wearindicator. When the brake pads wear down to 1/4" or less, a metal piece wears ,One of the most common signs the brakes need to be replaced is a high pitched squealing or grinding sound from the wheel area. However, just because there is no noise, it doesn't mean the brakes are good. The indicator could have broken off.
• While you're driving the car, if the steering wheel wiggles in your hands when you come to a stop, it could mean your rotors are bad.
• Is the emergency brake weak?

• Does the car slip gears when you try to accelerate?
• Do you have to let clutch almost all the way out before it will engage?

• Are there any red stains on the pavement underneath the car?
• Does the car vibrate when shifting gears?
• Are there any grinding or whining noises coming from underneath the floorboards?
• Check the color of the transmission fluid. Is the fluid a color other than bright red to purple color? Does the fluid have a burnt smell?
• Does it feel like the transmission is slipping or having difficulty going into gear?

• Is there a record of the oil being changed every 3,000 miles. If not, the car probably hasn't been adequately maintained.
• Check the oil. Is it low? If so, this could possiblly mean the car is buring oil. Is the oil back or gritty feeling? This isn't a good sign either.
• Is the engine compartment really clean? If so, the owner may have had the engine cleaned to cover up problems.
• When you start the car up, does blue smoke come out the exhaust pipe? If so, this is an indication the car is burning oil.
• Do you hear any tapping noises or does the engine knock while you're driving the car? If so, walk away.
• If you're looking at a car for sale from a private owner, are there any recent oil leaks on the driveway.
• If you know where the spark plugs are located, pull them out. Is there any black discoloration, build-up, or wetness? If so, it's a bad sign.

Uneven tire wear can often indicate alignment or suspension problems.

• Under normal driving conditions, tire wear should be the same on all four tires.
• If tires are wore out on one side or the other, the front end could need alignment.
• Run your hands across the tires. If the tread feels bumpy or scalloped, it could mean you need new shock absorbers or struts.

Sometimes in their excitement about buying a car, a shopper will forget to check out some things. Be sure to check the heater, the air conditioner, the lights, the window wipers and other electrical accessories.

It can be really difficult to tell whether a car has been wrecked or not. Although paint jobs may not necessarily mean the car has been wrecked it can be an indication. Below are some signs that the car may have possibly been in a wreck.

• Does the paint match all the way around the car?
• Do the VIN numbers match on all the doors?
• Are there indications the car has been repainted ie. overspray on trim, rubber, chrome, etc.?
• Does the airbag system still work?

If you suspect the car may have been flooded, check some of the following areas.

• Does the car have unusual or musty odors?
• Is the carpet discolored or have mildew in the car or trunk?
• If the uphostery is fabic, is there any water discoloration?
• Is there any fogging in the head lights or tail lights?
• Is there any rust on the under carriage?
• Is there any dirt build up in usual areas like the glove box, seat tracks?
• Is there any rust on the arms of the brake or gas pedals?
• Check the air filter to see if there is water discoloration marks?

If a car passes the muster on the previous check points, before purchasing the car, check the Bluebook price. The Kelly's Bluebook is a car valuation guide. It publishes real-world information about new and used cars based on actual transaction information from wholesale acutions, independent dealers, franchised dealers, and other places. It provides three pieces of information: the estimated retail price, the estimated trade-in value, and the sale price of used car in a private deal for the previous 15 years.

If you're negotiating with a dealer on a price, he may pull out the dealer version of the book (Yes, there are two versions: one for the consumer and one for the dealer.) and show you the retail value. However, what he doesn't tell you is that this is just the suggested retail value. It doesn't necessarily mean the dealers will get that price.

In the process of researching this article, in addition to the Kelly blue book, there is also a website called Edmunds.com. At this site, it gives you the true market value or the price dealers actually sell cars for rather than the suggested retail price. When negotiating with dealer, if he pulls out the Kelly blue book, ask him what the true market value is at Edmunds instead.

You can either buy a blue book or to view a free evaluation site online, click here.

Buying a used car can be a good deal. You just have to be careful. When you've finally decided upon a car, it would also be a good investment to take the car to a trusted mechanic to get checked over. If you did get stuck with a lemon car, most states have lemon laws, but they vary between the states. Hopefully, these used car buying tips will hope you to avoid lemons and costly repairs.

Happy car hunting!