Fast, reliable, cheap. Pick one or two, because you can’t have all three. That’s the general rule of thumb when looking for a used car. Of course, there are some exceptions, but those are unicorn cars. We can dream, but we want to try and stay in the realm of reality here.
Tips
Regardless of what you want, these few tips should be applicable to any vehicle at any price point.
Check vehicle history
You always want to try and get your hands on some sort of service records, a Carfax report, the title, or anything that will tell you a little bit more about the history of the car. You want to make sure the car was treated properly by the past owner/s. As car enthusiasts, we all cringe when someone thrashes a beautiful car beyond its limits, so make sure what you’re buying has been well-kept and cared for.
Bring an OBD-II port scanner
No one wants to be ‘that guy’ when looking at a used car, but you work hard for your money, so make sure it’s not spent on a pile of junk. Try to scan any car you may be buying before you finalize anything, make sure there are no codes being thrown and that all the electronic systems are happy.
Test Drive
An OBD-II scanner and service history won’t always tell the full story; the only way to truly tell the condition of a car is to get behind the wheel. Plus of course, you want to see if you like the way the car drives. When driving, ask the owner if it’s alright before doing anything drastic like a hard pull. After all, you don’t want to piss off the person you’re trying to buy a car from. But it is important to do things like hard acceleration or to throw it into a corner; you need to get a proper feel for the car. It will also tell you if there are any mechanical gremlins that you weren’t able to find in service records or a scan.
Negotiate
No car is perfect. You can use this to your advantage as a customer. When looking at the car, obviously you should be looking out for visual flaws, scratches, paint swirling, dents, etc. Any that you notice can be used to bargain for a lower price. Mechanical flaws are a bit more tricky, the owner will likely knock the price down if, for example, the water pump has gone. If you are sure you can fix that for lower than what has been slashed from the original price, then by all means go for it. However, if the engine is knocking, or there is some undiagnosed issue that the owner can’t find the solution to, then buy at your own discretion. If you believe in your ability to fix the issue at a low cost, then buy, but just know you may be digging a huge money pit. For those of us that are not so mechanically inclined, it’s best to stay away from any cars with major issues.
You should also always do a quick google search and see what the market is like for the car that you’re looking at. Make sure the seller is not trying to pull a fast one on you and that his price is similar to what others are asking for a car in similar condition, similar mileage, spec, etc.
When to Run
Some issues just aren’t worth the headache or the money for most people. If you’re a wizard with a tool kit and a garage, then this section is not for you. But for the rest of us, here are some potential problems that mean you should just move on to another listing.
Frame damage
Rod knock
Major underbody or surface rust
Transmission issues
Rebuilt title
Salvage title
Flooded (especially salt water)
Unusual number of owners for car age
Unusually high oil consumption
Failing or failed suspension (especially air suspension)
