Ask a Mechanic-Buying a Car from an owner
In this “Ask a Mechanic” feature, we will be asking a mechanic questions to help the rest of us with our love of buying and driving cars.
It is often said that one shouldn’t buy a brand new car. It’s value plummets, the minute you drive it off the lot. It’s much more cost efficient to buy a used vehicle. Many people buy previously owned cars from dealerships as they do lots of different inspections to insure it’s working correctly. A cheaper alternative can be buying a car directly from the owner, but it can be a little scary as you never know what you are getting yourself into.
Our mechanic says that when going on the test drive, don’t get caught up in the radio and all the little additions that the car might have, they can sometimes distract you from problems that will cost you. Listen to the engine and really try to feel how it drives, be aware of vibrations, and make sure that it drives straight. A lot of these signals are warnings of problems that will help put your mechanic’s kids through school.
Be aware of new paint. Some people see fresh paint as a selling point, but it was probably painted because of an accident and some bodywork that took place. When things need to be hidden, painting is a great way to do it.
Don’t let your guard down because the Car Fax report came out clean. You might have seen the commercials for this service where you put in the VIN and it tells you whether the car has been in an accident. It actually only tells you the accidents that were reported to an insurance company. If damage isn’t reported (either due to lack of insurance or to keep rates from rising) then it never makes it onto the Car Fax report. It’s not a bad thing to check, but don’t rely on it.
Used cars will have problems either tomorrow or further down the road; it’s inevitable. By listening to the engine and looking for red flags, you can help make sure that these repairs will come much later than sooner.
If you have a general question that you would like us to ask our mechanic, please let us know. Your questions could be the answer to someone else’s question, so don’t be afraid to speak up.