Buying a car is as exciting as getting a new pet or having a baby. You put your time, effort, and emotions into finding the perfect ride that you’ve always liked. But sometimes, your options become a little bit narrower because your budget is limited. So, others might resort to buying a reliable second-hand car. Good thing there are lots of car owners out there that have chosen to sell their old babies in exchange for a reasonable amount of money.
The best thing about second-hand or used cars is their price. Whatever your budget may be, for sure you’ll be able to find a car that could provide for all your needs. On the other hand, many are still hesitant to doing such a move because they see more disadvantages than benefits. One of these is the risk of purchasing a supposedly nice car only to find out that it’s a lemon.
Let’s be clear on what lemon cars really are. They are second-hand cars that are poor in condition, and specifically too far to be at par with other used cars of the same type and year model. Their manufacturing defects and flaws are too great to serve their initial purpose. So definitely, once you end up buying one, you’ve unfortunately just wasted your hard-earned money.
We’re here to share with you our expertise on the matter.
Here are the most important things you should remember so you could avoid buying a lemon.
To Acquire a Reliable Second-Hand Car, Do Your Own Research
Some believe that when you’re buying a car, the first (and sometimes the only) person you should trust is yourself. Why? Because unfortunately, not because the person you’re talking to is an expert in selling cars, that doesn’t automatically mean that he or she has your best interest at heart, right? It’d be really nice if you have a mate who’s a car expert or even a mechanic. But if not, our advice is that you rely on yourself first. Besides, you’re the one who’s going to pay for it and you’re the one who’s going to use it.
So once you’re already eyeing a specific used car, make sure that you do your research on its specific model before really making your decision. Take note of that car’s specific strengths, weaknesses, etc. If possible, find out also how much the dealer has bought the car before. By doing this, you’ll be able to do the next step more efficiently.
Do a Personal and Professional Inspection
This is probably the most important part; but apparently, some people tend to forego (or breeze through) this part just for the sake of it. That you should never ever do. As a matter of fact, we really suggest that you do this in two parts. The first one you do by yourself is backed by the thorough research you have done as we’ve mentioned earlier. A professional mechanic did the second one. Thorough spot checks are really important, but we also recommend that you do a test drive as well.
Here are some of the things you should look out for:
- Mismatched paint or freshly painted used car
- Strong smells
- Severely damaged interiors
- Stiff bumper
- Window and lock problems
- Surprisingly low oil content
- Loose steering wheel
- Unusual sounds (knocking, hissing, etc.
Investigate!
You may do this first or last, but never ever do the mistake of not ever doing this step if you’re buying a used car. There are many ways to go about investigating the car you’re eyeing. Get a vehicle history report from service providers like CarFax or AutoCheck. Go to your city’s government agency that handles vehicle reports and registrations. Let them check on the car’s VIN.
Let these things be signs that you should already consider looking for another car to buy:
- Series of previous accidents
- Skimpy warranty
- Sketchy history (where it came from, when it was bought, etc.)
- Undisclosed recall
- A salvage or reconstructed title
There’s absolutely no one who says lemon cars aren’t driveable. And if you honestly don’t mind getting one (maybe for its cheap price), then there’s really no reason for us to stop you from doing so. We’re just here to educate and maybe warn you of the things you could face in the future if you do end up with a lemon without knowing it.
So there you have it. With these 3 important steps, it’ll now be a lot easier for you to purchase a reliable used car at a price that’s easy on your pockets.