Warning Sings to see before buying? Tips please?
VeeMon
07-20-2006, 06:32 PM
Hi everyone
I'd appreciate if anyone could give me tips.
I am not sure if ill get a chance to take a car Im interested in to a mechanic to have him look it over, so if anyone could advice me how to check for warning signs, trouble spots and meanings i would apprecaite that very very much!
For example i was interested in a GrandAM where the fuel gauge was going back and forth while i was driving. The dealer said its common with GM cars but he failed to mention that this practicular problem had to do with the fuel pump. SO if anyone has ideas like this then pleaseeee share because if my investment won't be too succesfull then im in serious trouble....cannot afford anything!
Any tips on how to check for common problems would be very greatly appreciated!
Thank you!!
I'd appreciate if anyone could give me tips.
I am not sure if ill get a chance to take a car Im interested in to a mechanic to have him look it over, so if anyone could advice me how to check for warning signs, trouble spots and meanings i would apprecaite that very very much!
For example i was interested in a GrandAM where the fuel gauge was going back and forth while i was driving. The dealer said its common with GM cars but he failed to mention that this practicular problem had to do with the fuel pump. SO if anyone has ideas like this then pleaseeee share because if my investment won't be too succesfull then im in serious trouble....cannot afford anything!
Any tips on how to check for common problems would be very greatly appreciated!
Thank you!!
roadxing
07-20-2006, 09:21 PM
well i dont know a whole lot about cars but i always like to share my thoughts
first of all, with the grand am (which personally i wouldnt recommend, its just my experiences w/ them hasnt been all that great), but it seems like every GM car/truck/van iv driven, the gas gauge floats. we had an '88 GMC Safari thats gas gauge floated the entire time we had it (over 250,000 miles) with no fuel problems at all.(other than that gauge floating)
also for any car, i usually check little stuff, like how well the car has been kept, the problem with this is people alway try to get them in there best shape when they sell them. i check stuff like how new/clear the oil is, a big thing i check is the tranny fluid. Make sure the level is right, as well as making sure there isnt an excessive amount of metallic particles on the dip stick and I smell the fluid to check for any burn like smells.
Other stuff is during a test drive, checking and making sure it down shifts fine, and it shifts to all gear when it should. I like to kind of take a hard take off the make sure it can stand the faster shifting, however you must always be careful and courteous with other peoples cars. Also check how the breaks feel. make sure to look for any smoke from the exhaust and seeing how smooth the engine runs. I know, I check trannys alot harder than motors, i have more luck working on the motors than any tranny problems.
AND if your buying a car, and you dont feel comfortable, take it to a mechanic if they dont let you, dont buy it! it may even be good to ask if you could take it to a mechanic just to see there response (they could be trying to hide something :shakehead )
another thing is to research about a car for common problems and see if the car you want has these problems.
just my :2cents:
GOOD LUCK! :grinyes:
first of all, with the grand am (which personally i wouldnt recommend, its just my experiences w/ them hasnt been all that great), but it seems like every GM car/truck/van iv driven, the gas gauge floats. we had an '88 GMC Safari thats gas gauge floated the entire time we had it (over 250,000 miles) with no fuel problems at all.(other than that gauge floating)
also for any car, i usually check little stuff, like how well the car has been kept, the problem with this is people alway try to get them in there best shape when they sell them. i check stuff like how new/clear the oil is, a big thing i check is the tranny fluid. Make sure the level is right, as well as making sure there isnt an excessive amount of metallic particles on the dip stick and I smell the fluid to check for any burn like smells.
Other stuff is during a test drive, checking and making sure it down shifts fine, and it shifts to all gear when it should. I like to kind of take a hard take off the make sure it can stand the faster shifting, however you must always be careful and courteous with other peoples cars. Also check how the breaks feel. make sure to look for any smoke from the exhaust and seeing how smooth the engine runs. I know, I check trannys alot harder than motors, i have more luck working on the motors than any tranny problems.
AND if your buying a car, and you dont feel comfortable, take it to a mechanic if they dont let you, dont buy it! it may even be good to ask if you could take it to a mechanic just to see there response (they could be trying to hide something :shakehead )
another thing is to research about a car for common problems and see if the car you want has these problems.
just my :2cents:
GOOD LUCK! :grinyes:
VeeMon
07-20-2006, 10:12 PM
Thank you very much for your reply, it helps a lot to take a look at a car looking more knowledgeable
About the particles in the tranny fluid (im sorry i dont know too much about it:screwy: ) what does it mean if its too much? The transmission is shreding meaning gonna go soon or did i just said something totally crazy?
But thank you again for your reply
About the particles in the tranny fluid (im sorry i dont know too much about it:screwy: ) what does it mean if its too much? The transmission is shreding meaning gonna go soon or did i just said something totally crazy?
But thank you again for your reply
roadxing
07-21-2006, 10:40 AM
well the particles in the tranny is mostly just pieces of the clutch or the bands that have been worn and come off. of course with a used car there will be some little clutch pieces but if you can feel them on the dip stick you might have a problem. when you check this its not alway a dead giveaway to bad tranny.
like i had a '90 Grand Prix that had TONS of crap on the dip stick. it had enough that i wouldnt even think it would move the car. the dip stick looked bad, but the tranny was fine. it would slip alittle when you turned fast and up hill (simultaneously), but it would catch again real fast and be fine. i ran that car over 50,000 and the tranny never gave me any problems (the motor was a different story, leaked oil like a sift). On the same note i had an '88 LeBaron that had great looking tranny fluid w/ no metal/clutch pieces on the dipo stick but 3rd gear was going out.
this is just kind of a warning sign, if you can feel the clutches you may want to ask when the last time the at least changed the tranny filter. Since if they had when it was suppose to have been changed then they would have more than likely cleaned off the magnit in the tranny pan and you wouldnt see all these little pieces of clutch/bands. And if it feels fine during a test drive than it would probably be alright but it gives you something to get the price down alittle :naughty: .
if you bought it you MIGHT what to change the filter and the fluid that drains out. i personally wouldnt flush it since if that isnt done routinely it might cause more problems than benifits, but thats just my opinion.
good luck on you car search! i hope i helped alittle :icon16:
like i had a '90 Grand Prix that had TONS of crap on the dip stick. it had enough that i wouldnt even think it would move the car. the dip stick looked bad, but the tranny was fine. it would slip alittle when you turned fast and up hill (simultaneously), but it would catch again real fast and be fine. i ran that car over 50,000 and the tranny never gave me any problems (the motor was a different story, leaked oil like a sift). On the same note i had an '88 LeBaron that had great looking tranny fluid w/ no metal/clutch pieces on the dipo stick but 3rd gear was going out.
this is just kind of a warning sign, if you can feel the clutches you may want to ask when the last time the at least changed the tranny filter. Since if they had when it was suppose to have been changed then they would have more than likely cleaned off the magnit in the tranny pan and you wouldnt see all these little pieces of clutch/bands. And if it feels fine during a test drive than it would probably be alright but it gives you something to get the price down alittle :naughty: .
if you bought it you MIGHT what to change the filter and the fluid that drains out. i personally wouldnt flush it since if that isnt done routinely it might cause more problems than benifits, but thats just my opinion.
good luck on you car search! i hope i helped alittle :icon16:
'97ventureowner
07-21-2006, 11:39 PM
Other things to check out on a car you are interested in:
1) Tires- look for uneven wear which could signal front end problems or the need for a front end alignment.
2) check for odometer "rollback" . See if the numbers are properly aligned and even. One thing to check is the rubber pad on the brake pedal to see if it has a lot of wear, especially if the vehicle is older, but the odometer shows a low number of miles. Also how are the seats? Worn out or in fairly decent shape? Also check any maintenance records or service due stickers to see if mileage is correct.
3)Check the vehicle's body for straightness and signs of bodywork to conceal accident damage or rust.
4)Check all the "bells and whistles" for proper operation. This includes power window/door switches, air conditioning/heater,{check carpeting for signs of heater core leakage, this can also be identified by a film on the inside windows that is hard to remove, (not to be confused with cigarette smoke residue,) and a sweet odor, similar to maple syrup.}wipers, cruise control, rear defogger, if equipped and possible,the radio,( make sure cassette or cd player is operable,)gas door release,trunk release, and hood release, interior light to name a few.
5)The vehicle's title. This is an important document. You should check to make sure it hasn't been altered, if there still are liens listed, the owner has the releases for them, and make sure it's not a "salvage title". Make sure the VIN numbers match the vehicle and title, and all the descriptive information is correct,(color, year,former mileage,(make sure it is less than what is currently on the vehicle.)
6) Look for possible damage from floods. This is fairly new on the list, but with all the news reports about hurricane damage and regional flooding due to unusual weather patterns, it is something to think about. There were thousands of cars, new and used that made it through Hurricane Katrina. A lot of these were cleaned up and shipped to different areas of the country. To check for possible flood damage look at the carpeting and upholstery. Check the trunk, look for a "water line". If possible look under the dash or inside the doors. Also check for a mildew odor.
7) check for leaks under the car. Familiarize yourself with the different colors of automotive fluids to determine what the vehicle is leaking.With engine cool, check radiator fluid for signs of oil or rust.
8) make sure the vehicle is properly equipped to pass your local or state's safety and or emissions inspection
9) Finally, if possible run a Carfax on the vehicle to check for any inaccuracies. This is becoming more commonplace for consumers to run these checks before buying a used car. I have even started doing this before i purchase a vehicle for myself or a family member. There are some posts on this site that I have seen that offer a free check by a member who has purchased a pass for more than a one vehicle check.
I hope i didn't overwhelm you with all the info I presented. I try to be thorough when looking at used cars, because in today's society you have to be. Good luck!
1) Tires- look for uneven wear which could signal front end problems or the need for a front end alignment.
2) check for odometer "rollback" . See if the numbers are properly aligned and even. One thing to check is the rubber pad on the brake pedal to see if it has a lot of wear, especially if the vehicle is older, but the odometer shows a low number of miles. Also how are the seats? Worn out or in fairly decent shape? Also check any maintenance records or service due stickers to see if mileage is correct.
3)Check the vehicle's body for straightness and signs of bodywork to conceal accident damage or rust.
4)Check all the "bells and whistles" for proper operation. This includes power window/door switches, air conditioning/heater,{check carpeting for signs of heater core leakage, this can also be identified by a film on the inside windows that is hard to remove, (not to be confused with cigarette smoke residue,) and a sweet odor, similar to maple syrup.}wipers, cruise control, rear defogger, if equipped and possible,the radio,( make sure cassette or cd player is operable,)gas door release,trunk release, and hood release, interior light to name a few.
5)The vehicle's title. This is an important document. You should check to make sure it hasn't been altered, if there still are liens listed, the owner has the releases for them, and make sure it's not a "salvage title". Make sure the VIN numbers match the vehicle and title, and all the descriptive information is correct,(color, year,former mileage,(make sure it is less than what is currently on the vehicle.)
6) Look for possible damage from floods. This is fairly new on the list, but with all the news reports about hurricane damage and regional flooding due to unusual weather patterns, it is something to think about. There were thousands of cars, new and used that made it through Hurricane Katrina. A lot of these were cleaned up and shipped to different areas of the country. To check for possible flood damage look at the carpeting and upholstery. Check the trunk, look for a "water line". If possible look under the dash or inside the doors. Also check for a mildew odor.
7) check for leaks under the car. Familiarize yourself with the different colors of automotive fluids to determine what the vehicle is leaking.With engine cool, check radiator fluid for signs of oil or rust.
8) make sure the vehicle is properly equipped to pass your local or state's safety and or emissions inspection
9) Finally, if possible run a Carfax on the vehicle to check for any inaccuracies. This is becoming more commonplace for consumers to run these checks before buying a used car. I have even started doing this before i purchase a vehicle for myself or a family member. There are some posts on this site that I have seen that offer a free check by a member who has purchased a pass for more than a one vehicle check.
I hope i didn't overwhelm you with all the info I presented. I try to be thorough when looking at used cars, because in today's society you have to be. Good luck!
ilgoldstein
07-22-2006, 08:39 PM
A reputable car dealer will let you take your car to a mechanic. If you have AAA, they have a program with listed mechanics for a flat rate inspection. No guarantees, of course, but they will catch the red flags.
VeeMon
07-22-2006, 11:44 PM
Thank you again for all these VERY useful replies! I went to look for cars today and just disappointment after disappointment... they tried to tell me the cars were not leaking engine oil while I'm stepping in an oil puddle...hmmm... and I looked at a nice Chrysler Cirrus, fully loaded for $3750..guess what my final price would have been after "administration" fees(meaning signing 4 papers:disappoin )and taxes? $5186! HHHHMMMMMMMMMMMMM most expensive 14%tax and administration i ever saw
Sooo now i'm panicking because I have to buy a car by Wednesday and it is almost Sunday now, or my insurance policy will be canceled and restarted. Talking about pressure!! But thank you all again very much! I even printed your replies and took it with me, people just look at me with a whole new perspective :naughty:
Sooo now i'm panicking because I have to buy a car by Wednesday and it is almost Sunday now, or my insurance policy will be canceled and restarted. Talking about pressure!! But thank you all again very much! I even printed your replies and took it with me, people just look at me with a whole new perspective :naughty:
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