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A Paranoiac's Guide to Buying a Used Car, Part 3 Ed. Note: This is the 5th installment from our paranoiac. December's Paranoiac's Guide to Winter Driving seemed to strike a chord with at least some folks, and January's Guide to Auto Defects stirred some others, so we again invited our paranoiac {who, obviously, prefers to remain anonymous} to give us his take on Buying a Used Car. If you missed Part 1, click here. ... If you missed Part 2, click here. ... In Part 1, we talked a little bit about the culture of used car sales and what to look for before you start it up. In Part 2, we covered what to look & listen for when you start it up, but before you go anywhere. If you missed either Part, let me urge you to begin at the beginning. There's nothing more anxiety-provoking for a true paranoiac than to think that something's been overlooked. ... As Always, a Review of the Basic Rules:
Ok? Ok. ... Part 3: Taking It for a Spin ...
As You Start: You can learn a bit about the car from the first few yards down the road, or even out the driveway. ... If the brakes are rubbing, you might notice that. If the clutch is slipping badly, or if the automatic is sluggish, you'll probably notice that. Even something like a lousy CV joint might give itself away as you turn onto the road. ... We'll talk about what to look & listen for in more detail for each of these, but for now, just note anything that doesn't feel right, even if you can't pinpoint it right away. Check Those Brakes: Before you get too far down the road, and definitely before you get to an intersection or a light, pump the brakes a little then come to a full stop. How do they feel? Firm? Spongy? Is there a low pedal, or do they grab high? ... Once you're sure the thing can stop, you can give the brakes a better test by coming down fairly fast and firm. You don't want to lock them up, so braking from 30 mph is plenty to tell you if the brakes are strong and, more important, if their braking evenly. You can even loosen your grip on the wheel as you brake and see if it pulls. If the thing comes to a reasonably solid and straight stop, fine. If there's a pull, or if you hear or feel something shaky, make a note of it. If it doesn't stop well at all, turn around and park the thing where you found it. ... The last thing you need is to pay for a car you're test-driving after you crash it because of lousy brakes. The Trans: If it's a stick, you should use the next bit of time to wind it out a little in each gear, backing off the accelerator quickly in each gear. You really don't need to tach past 4 or 5 grand. If the thing stays solidly in gear, fine. If it pops out, pop back and park it and go shopping elsewhere. For an automatic, simply shift through the gears, taching about the same as for the stick. Then, come down to low speed, put it in drive, and accelerate fairly slowly and smoothly. It should shift through the gears smoothly and without slipping. If it doesn't, stop daydreaming about the thing and bring it back where you found it. The E-Brake Again: I know. We checked the e-brake when we were still in the driveway. But that was for a different set of circumstances. Right now, there's one basic question: Will it actually stop the car while you're moving down the road? Bring it up steadily & firmly until you've brought the beast to a stop. If it won't, that may not be a show-stopper, but it's good to know now that you don't want to depend on the e-brake if you find yourself in an 'e' situation. A Couple of Hard, Slow Turns: This is where you find out if the CV joint is on its way out. ... Come to a full stop at an intersection, preferably one without any traffic. Turn the wheel as far as she'll go, left or right, then accelerate slowly into and through the turn. Now do the same in the opposite direction. Everything should proceed smoothly. If you feel a jerk or a pulse in the wheel, odds are the CV joint is on the way out. This isn't necessarily a deal-killer, since CV joints are more susceptible to wear or fairlure in some makes and models than others. In other words, it isn't necessarily a sign of abuse. But it'll cost, so you'll want to take that into account if and when you make an offer. Check the Brakes ... Again: No paranoiac worth his salt would stop with checking the brakes once. ... Jump on them without locking things up. If they lock up too easily, either you don't know how hard you an jump on brakes under your current driving conditions, or you've got a car with problem brakes. Figure it out. ... And while you're at it, glance at the dash when you hit those brakes and see if any of the idiot lights come on. That's Why They Call Them Idiot Lights: Now that you've been tooling around in the car for a while, it's a good idea to glance at the dash and see if anything is lit up. If it's a brake warning light, make sure it isn't because you left the e-brake handle part-way up. If the oil light came on or flickered when you jumped on the brakes, it could mean a faulty switch or sensor, or an engine that's about to become someone else's washing machine. If the alternator light comes on, it's less likely to be a faulty switch or sensor. ... Finally, if you're lucky enough to be looking at gauges instead of idiot lights, then simply take the readings and do the math. Ok ... Time to head back. One more thought that bares repeating {again} ... Nothing, and I mean nothing, is an absolute prohibition when it comes to buying a used car. For example, when one of the kids started driving, we spent $200 on an old Pontiac LE with oil obviously pooled up around the air filter. Why? Two reasons. ... First, winter was coming and we wanted the kid to have a tank, not because we were worried about his driving, but because it seemed like the best measure for the sake of defensive driving for someone new on the road. Second, because winter was coming, we didn't want to risk a better rig for his first solo test runs on winter roads. But third, and most important, since we all knew {including the genuinely honest seller} that he'd be needing to clean the air filter housing and feed this thing oil regularly, he learned to take care of the car as part of the routine experience of driving. So, no car is out of the question. The only real question we're trying to answer here is what to look for in a used car, and, within reason, what to pay attention to and pay when you think you've found what you're looking for. Ok. That's it for now. ...
Questions?
Let me know. I'll be happy to try and answer them next time around. The
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