A flashlight

A rag

A notepad

A friend who isn't colorblind

45 minutes for each car you see--perhaps less as you gain experience.

Inspect the car in daylight. Faults like scratches, dents, rust and shabby interior are more difficult to see in shade or darkness. A waxed and shiny car is made more impressive by overhead lighting that's in a garage for example. This effect may distract from more serious damage.

The art of bargaining: If the ad says "make an offer," certainly offer about 30-40% less than you think the car is worth. Then you'll have some bargaining leverage if the seller wants more. If there's an established price, offer 20% less than the offered price. Important: note any repairs that are necessary. Speak to a mechanic about the repairs listed here and get a rough estimate. Use these costs in your argument for a lower price. This way you'll have some hard numbers with which you can argue a price reduction. Also, if the car is messy inside, use that as a possible sign of neglect in other maintenance issues. If the price is listed as "firm," but the car needs some repairs, point these out, quoting your mechanic's price, and ask for a reduction.

Hidden agendas: Beware of any seller who seems more intent on getting rid of the car than finding a right fit between vehicle and new owner. If the seller won't let you test drive the car or tells you that you've got to jump right now this moment don't wait, offer polite thanks and find a different car.

2torial #0523: Learn2 Check Out a Used Car This could be the beginning of a beautiful relationship... Buying a used car can be exciting. It can also be a gut-wrenching experience if you don't know what to look for. A smooth-talking seller mover can easily gloss over the effects of an accident or irreparable damage. This doesn't mean drop it all and opt for a high-interest lease: private-party buying is still the most affordable option. Of course, taking the car to your own mechanic for a lookover is always recommended. Since this gets expensive after a few passes, you can narrow the field of choices by being better informed. This 2torial explains several good omens in a used car, and also some warning flags that you should be on the lookout for. When you've found a good candidate, take it into your mechanic for the final run. Note: There are certain exceptions to these guidelines for diesel engines. This 2torial may not assess all of those exceptions. Either on the phone or in person, ask the seller a few general questions to evaluate both their knowledge and the car's condition, as well as possible problems. Be forewarned that car sellers might not be aware of any troubles. Even if they do, they may understate them. Here are good questions to ask: Are you the first owner? If the owner has cared for the car, there will usually be receipts to prove it.   What's the mileage? Don't emphasize this too much, but do take it into account. Ask if they drove mostly on highways or in the city. Highway miles are better, but this is still only one indicator. Accurate mileage can be assessed through maintence records or by checking the stickers on the inside of the driver's door.   Why are you selling the car? "Because I had a baby," is a good answer; "I just feel like it," can make you wonder if the car has needed continual repairs.   What condition is it in? The "Get What You Paid For" theory certainly applies to used cars. Ask how often the car has been maintained (oil checked, timing adjusted, tires rotated) just to get a general idea. Ask to see the receipts for this work.   Has it been in an accident? An accident can alter anything from the car's steering to the engine's performance; front-end damage can be especially problematic.   Has the car been emissions-tested? Different states have different regulations, so find out what's need in your state. Be careful--this can require complex repairs if the car isn't up to standards.   Any other problems? These might include problems with: the engine (strange noises while running, oil leaks), the transmission (clunking sounds while shifting, slipping out of gear), the clutch (sticky, stiff, or difficult to shift), the brakes (pulling or locking--see Step 6), and the body (rust, dents). Note your first impression   Ask yourself: what's the initial feeling you get from your first look at the car ? A closer look will reveal if the owner took care of the car. Does the car appear to be well-cared for, perhaps bearing signs of the owner's affection? Examine for rust, an epidemic that can destroy a car's integrity.   Beware of newly painted cars. That's a possible cover-up for more serious damage to the body.   Has the car been parked outside or in a heated garage?   Are there considerable dents, mismatched paint areas, or poorly fitting parts? Wavy-looking panel surfaces or flaking paint can mean a cover-up for an accident.   Look inside the car for wear and tear on the seats and pedals. This is another indication of the quality of the owner's car care. Check the underside and tires Look under the car up and down its entire length. Any fluids dripping to the street? Look around the area for dark patches on the ground.   Study the fluids. Oil or manual transmission fluid is black, while automatic transmission and power steering fluid is red.   Antifreeze or coolant are thin, watery liquids, usually green but sometimes red.   Gas and water are clear and mostly colorless. It's not unusual for a used car to leak a bit of oil from the engine block or some water after running the air conditioner, but have your mechanic examine the source of any leaks.   Take a look at the tires--including the spare, which is often the most worn. A tread that's uneven to one side is a sign of poor alignment or balance. A lack of tread on the outside or inside of the tire usually means over or underinflation. Check under the hood Look under the hood, but make sure the engine has cooled off before you touch anything. Any mismatched bolts or offset paint may mean a front end accident.   A sprayed black film on the underside of the hood usually means oil leaks or oil pressure.   Examine the engine belts for wear. These are thin, black ovals of rubber that are attached to certain parts of the engine. After long use they start to show white, frayed strands on their edges. Perform gauge and listening tests Leave the hood open. Make sure the emergency brake is on and the car is in Park (or neutral in manual transmissions). Turn the key to the On position. Look for the oil pressure, brake pressure and alternator (battery) lights on the dashboard. If the car has gauges for these systems, they may not light up. (But if there are no gauges and these light up before you start the car, that's good. If they don't, they are either burnt out or disconnected.) Start the car and see if the lights go off. If not, ask the owner what the problem is.   Does it start right away? If so, check the tachometer. This is a gauge that indicates how fast the engine is running, measured by the number of revolutions-per-minute, or rpm. Look for a gauge with these letters. Most cars will rest steady a little below 1000 rpm when warm. Depress the accelorator pedal a few times and watch the tachometer rise, holding it at about 3000 rpm for a few seconds. Listen to the louder, higher-pitched sound of high rpm. Then let off the accelorator pedal. Does the engine stay at that high level for a bit, then settle back at a comfortable range once you've released the pedal? Or does it maintain a high, loud sound? If it stays at the high, loud level, the idle needs to be adjusted. Fortunately this is not too expensive.   Although a consistent ticking while idling is usually normal, a loud chatter or refusal to hold at a certain rpm level are sometimes the harbinger of hefty mechanic bills. On the other hand, the infamous knocking and pinging sounds may only require a tune-up or change of gasoline: high-octane gasoline will often silence the knocks and pings.   Watch the tailpipe while depressing the accelerator, looking for the color of the exhaust. White is OK when the engine is cold, but could indicate a serious problem if it's already warm. Blue means engine work is likely needed, and black means a minor adjustment. Once the tailpipe is cool (be careful), wipe the inner surface of the tailpipe with a rag or your finger: white or gray dust is normal. Thick, greasy soot means the car burns a lot of oil--this can be serious. Check the oil and brake fluid Some people consider gasoline to be the lifeblood of a car, but really it's the oil that keeps everything running smoothly. Car owners who neglect the oil levels in their car are taking years of its life--the engine runs very hot and it puts stress on many other parts as well. If you've ever been two quarts' short of blood, you can appreciate what it does to a car. So if you're looking at car that shows signs of oil neglect, know that the engine has taken a lot of wear and tear. Once the engine is warm (has been running a few minutes), turn off the ignition and carefully locate the engine's dipstick. Pull it out and wipe it clean with the rag. nsert the dipstick, pull it out again and check the oil mark left on the dipstick by the oil.   There's usually a three-tiered measurement on the dipstick: low, safe, and full. Dark oil is OK, considering fresh oil soils quickly; but it should be somewhat thin, not thick and globby. Since oil is the easiest maintenance to attend too, a seller's neglect in this manner should be duly noted--they may have neglected other important maintenance or repairs. If the oil is still clear and the seller claims not to have changed it in over a month, you have a sign of recently added oil. This may mean they've driven the car with low oil. As noted above, this is very bad for the engine.   Check the brake fluid. It should be located under the hood in the back right-hand area. Removing the rubber cap will reveal the fluid level. Without brake fluid, the brakes can't stop the car.   With automatic transmissions, check the transmission fluid. With the engine idling, pull out the dipstick (under the hood nearest the firewall) and check the level and make sure the fluid is reddish in color. As with oil, low levels (possibly a leak) or a thick, greasy substance (indicates grinding) mean problems. Check the shock absorbers and lights Walking around to each corner of the car, bounce the car up and down several times. When you release it, you should feel the car bounce back twice. Good shock absorbers will have no more than two bounces in them. More bounces mean shock absorber replacement.   Test all lights: brakelights, headlights and reverse lights. Do this before you take the car out. Also test the horn and turn signals. Check for play Play is the amount that a part can move before it engages. A little play is good; too much means you have less control over the car. Check for play in the steering wheel, clutch and brakes. The steering wheel: This should not move more than two inches in either direction without turning the wheels.   The clutch: Once you've put the car into first gear, how far does the clutch rise before the car moves? If it doesn't work until it returns to its original location, the clutch may need an adjustment or replacement. Note: a clutch replacement is often $400 or more.   The brakes: These should not move within two inches of the floor when pressed. Press the pedal as far down as possible. Hold it there for 45 seconds. The brakes should hold firm; if they don't, there may be a leak--be very careful when driving. Take it for a drive Make sure to put on your seat belt, and drive especially carefully in an unfamiliar and untested car. Here are some things to test: The brakes: Don't test the car if you don't feel good about the brakes. But if you do, test them at the beginning to make certain they work. Then test them at 15 mph to see if they pull to one side, make a screeching sound, fade (a difference in stopping range) or stick. Pulling may only mean an easy adjustment, while screeching and fading could mean the brake shoes are worn and work is needed, as can fading. A shuddering movement may indicate an uneven brake rotor, which is an expensive repair. If you're comfortable and away from traffic, test at 30 mph and 50 mph for the same symptoms.   The steering: If the wheel shakes when making a turn, there may be a suspension problem. If all seems well, take the car up to highway speed and up some hills to test the car's performance. If the steering wheel vibrates at high speeds, there may be an alignment problem.   The manual transmission: Is it difficult to get the car in gear when shifting up or down (i.e. sticky or stiff)? If you hear a grinding sound, there may be transmission or clutch problems. If the sound is isolated to one gear, transmission problems are more likely. Just after shifting into a new gear, does the transmission pop out or jump out of gear? This can mean a worn clutch as well.   The automatic transmission: Note if the transition between gears is jerky. With either manual or automatic, put the car in reverse. Accelerate and stop a few times. If you hear a clunking sound, you may have a bad differential (expensive to replace).   The exhaust: Put the car in neutral. Have your friend check the color (see Step 3) as you depress the accelerator. -end- Learn More!