| car may not be worth all that money you are planning | | | | overhaul due to some extensive damage. Rust is a |
| on spending! | | | | bad sign of body damage, so is dampness in the trunk. |
| If you are on a really tight budget, and don’t | | | | 2. Check Suspension |
| care too much about the prestige of having a brand | | | | Go to each corner of the car and push down on them. |
| new car, purchasing a used car might be the best | | | | If the car bounces more than once, you may need to |
| option for you. Why do we say that might be the | | | | have shocks installed. |
| better option? | | | | Try nudging or pulling the wheels from beside the car. If |
| All you have to do is pick up a used car listing to see | | | | the wheels can be nudged, or if they move in or out, |
| that brand new cars lose anywhere from 30 to 40 | | | | there could be serious damage to the CV joints or the |
| percent of their original price in as little as two years. | | | | bearings. |
| That’s a pretty steep number. Here’s | | | | If tire wear is uneven, this is indicative of bad |
| another number, 65 percent – this is the amount | | | | suspension. If the car you are checking has new tires, |
| you save if you buy a used car that is five years old | | | | you will have to exercise more caution and test the |
| instead of a brand new one. | | | | suspension thoroughly. |
| Theoretically speaking cars of this age, as long as they | | | | 3. Check the Insides of the Car |
| have been well cared for will perform just as well and | | | | Make sure the upholstery, odor, and condition of the |
| are just as reliable as their brand new counterparts. In | | | | car’s interior are acceptable and in line with the |
| fact, they may even be better customized for daily | | | | age of the car. |
| use since it has already been broken in and properly | | | | 4. Take It for a Spin |
| set up. | | | | Have a friend observe you while you take the car for |
| Of course, you cannot discount the possibility that the | | | | test drive. The car should be stable and should not |
| used car you are looking at is not in the best of | | | | show signs of shifting from side to side. If so, there |
| conditions. Therefore when surveying used cars to | | | | could be a major problem with the frame or |
| purchase consult the following tips. | | | | suspension. If you can, have a mechanic look at it too. |
| 1. Check the Exterior | | | | The internet has changed the way everyone does |
| The first thing to look at is the overall condition of the | | | | business. Businesses have begun to explore how the |
| car’s body and finish. Look out for paint | | | | internet can facilitate better, faster and more |
| blotches and poor body fit. Also look for body filler. | | | | convenient operations. This has resulted in businesses |
| You may want to use a simple magnet to help you | | | | that offer anything online - from selling clothes and |
| pinpoint suspicious spots. Finding any of these is | | | | shoes, to ordering pizza online and even searching for |
| evidence of a previous car collision. | | | | available realty. Believe it or not, you can even search |
| Also look out if the car is newly painted. You may | | | | for used cars online too. |
| want to inquire why this is so. It may mean a major | | | | |