| As used cars age, finding them for sale in good | | | | |
| condition becomes increasingly difficult. At the | | | | Unusual sounds such as whining, whistling, howling, |
| same time, they continuously lose marketable | | | | grinding, rubbing, rattling, knocking, tapping, or |
| value. How can we find good values when | | | | anything else which stands out. Listen in all places |
| purchasing, and get a fair price when it comes | | | | while car is idling and driving including, underhood, |
| time to sell? Continue reading to find | | | | suspension, transmission, exhaust, rear of vehicle, |
| out...BuyingWhen buying any used car, overall | | | | ect |
| condition must be evaluated and weighed against | | | | Unusual odors such as strong sweet smell, |
| the asking price. This includes the condition of | | | | burning, gasoline |
| interior, exterior, and mechanical components. | | | | Uneven engine idle, backfire, or misfire |
| Common issues to watch for on used cars | | | | Transmission grinding, slipping, or hesitation while |
| follow:Check the Interior for: | | | | driving or changing gears |
| | | | Clutch engagement near end of pedal travel, |
| Fading or Cracking Dashboard, steering wheel, | | | | excessive pedal play, slipping or revving when |
| pillars | | | | shifting/accelerating |
| Carpet damage, spills under seats, shoe wear | | | | Excessive engine or shifter movement, indicating |
| Strong musty odor, especially during HVAC | | | | possible torn mounts |
| operation | | | | Spongy pedal, whistling, grinding, or shaking when |
| Worn seats including adjustment, buttons, | | | | braking, fading or low stopping power |
| upholstery, cushions, air support | | | | Low, dirty, or contaminated fluids especially |
| Unevenly worn pedals indicating possible | | | | coolant, oil, and automatic transmission |
| mistreatment | | | | Suspension leaning, excessive bouncing, harsh |
| Smoke damage including falling headliner, used | | | | ride, pulling, poor handling, or dog tracking. |
| ashtrays or lighter, burns, thick film on glass or | | | | Smoke from exhaust or underhood, excluding |
| other smooth surfaces | | | | thin light-colored condensation buildupSome minor |
| Malfunctioning gauges, moonroof, windows, vanity | | | | issues are to be expected with a used purchase, |
| lights, controls, electric accessories | | | | and the price you pay should be adjusted |
| Leakage under dash including clutch and brake | | | | accordingly. A common method of pricing used |
| fluid near pedals, coolant near floor vents, | | | | vehicles is to determine the fair market value |
| waterCheck the Exterior for: | | | | then deduct the average cost of repairs. Tools to |
| | | | determine fair market value include the Kelley blue |
| Rust around rocker panels (especially under | | | | book and points of sale such as newspaper |
| ground effects of SC), wheel wells, under floor | | | | classifieds, ebay, and autotrader magazines. Price |
| pan, doors, suspension components, spoilers, trunk | | | | of a used vehicle may be influenced by rare |
| Signs of accident damage such as repainting, | | | | models or packages. Car clubs specializing in the |
| bondo, ill fitting body panels, frame/unibody | | | | rare model can offer help in these |
| denting | | | | cases.SellingWhen selling your car, several factors |
| Damaged paint and clearcoat especially bumpers, | | | | should be considered to receive the best price. |
| ground effects, and roof | | | | |
| Damaged or missing trim, molding, lamp | | | | Level of cosmetic and mechanical maintenance |
| assemblies (esp LED taillights and yellowing lenses) | | | | Logs of maintenance, repair, and modification |
| badging, ground effects, air dam, antenna, | | | | history |
| windows | | | | The type of person buying your car, and where |
| Wheels damaged or bent from curb rubbing and | | | | to find themA car which is clean, well maintained, |
| other abuse | | | | and in good overall condition leaves a positive |
| Sagging doors due to hinges worn from | | | | impression on potential buyers. This concept is |
| excessive load bearingModern vehicles have many | | | | clearly demonstrated by car dealers when you |
| complex mechanical components, and condition | | | | visit their used car lots. Also, presenting logs or |
| should be verified by qualified personal. If you | | | | receipts to help buyers verify your cars history |
| encounter the following symptoms or others you | | | | will increase their level of confidence when it |
| are unfamiliar with, it is wise to seek an expert: | | | | comes time to make a purchase from you. |