Shopping For A Used Car

It makes total sense to shop for a used car if you’re wanting to watch your financial health. It will cost you a lot less money than a new car, and you'll probably be able to pay for everything up front, which will let you avoid those sketchy financing deals. And depending on where or who you buy it from, there might be some other positives too. There’s something about a “freshly cleaned” used car that makes your brain want to relax immediately. If it smells clean, the seats look tidy and the dashboard isn’t covered in dust, you might think you've found your perfect used car.

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But to be brutally honest, that’s where people get in trouble and miss important details. A clean car feels reassuring. But that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a good car. It’s easy to confuse “this looks nice” with “this will be reliable.” Read on for tips on how to tell the difference.

The “Looks Great” Stuff Can Still be a Red Flag

This probably doesn’t make any sense at all when reading it. Because you would think it would be reassuring if it looks nice, clean and tidy. But it could be hiding some serious flaws. So don't let that pristine look distract you from your inspection and make sure it runs well.

Look for things like wear patterns that could be the result of problems. Take a look at the steering wheel. If it’s worn smooth, sticky or peeling, it may not be the end of the world, but it could be a clue pointing to there being something wrong. It's the same with the pedals. If the pedal rubbers look heavily worn, the car’s had a lot of use, even if it’s presenting well. You should also look at the seats, the flooring, the lights and everything else. 

Look for things like panel gaps not matching, paint that looks slightly different across the panels, overspray around the trim or headlights that look mismatched. All of these could be indicators for underlying problems that should be thoroughly checked out.

Check the Service History

While you can doll up a car, the actual truth is going to be in the service history of the car itself. What you want to see is a boring, consistent service record with dates that make sense, mileage that tracks and receipts for brakes, tires, headlights and things like that. Even if you look into something like Jaguar approved used cars or buy from a car dealership, you should still be able to get the service history for any vehicle you're interested in. And the advantage of buying from a dealership instead of a private individual is that they usually inspect the vehicles they sell. So that's just an added bonus for your peace of mind. 

A Test Drive Can Tell You Enough

Although test drives can feel awkward due to you being in the vehicle with the seller, you still need to do it. Ignore the awkward silence and focus on how the vehicle handles, how it feels. If there's anything that feels off, don't ignore it. Ask questions. Inspect things, or have someone that you trust who is knowledgeable in car mechanics to inspect it for you. Basically, there shouldn’t be any alarm bells that go off when you’re test driving a car.  If there are, then thoroughly inspect it to make sure you're not potentially buying a lemon.

This is a contributed post.