I am about to help my sister buy a used car and need advice!!?

Question

i am going to the dealership to look at the car- what do i need to do to make sure the car is in good working condition? I dont know any mechanics- can i just take it to Midas or something and have them look at it? If it turns out to be a dud, are we entitled to a refund under the lemon law? we are in florida. I am also getting a carfax report. we need to make sure the car works, because she needs to get to and from work. Help with advise PLEASE!

Answer 1

Preppyhater69 has a great answer.

Other things to check...

Brakes: BEFORE you do this make sure noone is directly behind you or you could get rear ended. Speed up to at least 30mph and then slam on the brakes. Does the car pull to one side or the other? If it does it will need a front end alignment. Any grinding? Might need brake pads and/or rotors.

Tires: Check your tread depth. A good depth is roughly 1/8 inch. If it's 1/2 that the tires will need replacing ASAP. If the depth is ok check the overall condition of the tires. Rubber feel hard (but not from air pressure)? Deepish cracks in the sidewall? Tires MUST be replaced even if the tread is ok.

Automatic trannys...exception to what Preppyhater said...the Volvo 240, 740, 940 sedans and wagons. If the car has the 3 speed Asian Warner automatic transmission it WILL shift hard. That's the way it was designed. If it's a soft shift there is something very wrong with it. I owned a 240 sedan for 6 years.

btw...the Volvo 240 is an excellent car, safe, and reasonably reliable. Downside...not so good in the gas mpg department (expect nothing better than 23mpg). The car also goes thru lots of brake pads, expect them to need changing every 15,000 - 20,000 miles. I'm nost sure if the frequency was from the type of brake pads used or if its just the way Volvos are. Parts and service can be pricey if you're not a do-it-yourselfer.

Answer 2

If you're not qualified to help somebody determine the mechanical condition of a car, so you need to hire a mechanic you trust, that you have a long relationship with, to give you his opinion.  If you don't have somebody like this, decline to help.  Let somebody else help that has some resources.  Midas is a place that puts on mufflers.  If you want an opinion of the muffler, then that's fine, but if it's anywhere more complex than that, I don't think they're adequate.

If you do get an opinion, this will only be an opinion of the car's current immediate condition; no mechanic knows the future.  The owner is totally responsible for taking care of the car.  Repairs and maintenance WILL BE REQUIRED and you pay for that.  All cars require repairs and maintenance.

You don't get a refund.

Answer 3

You seem to be doing fine w/ what you are doing ~ my only advice since you are getting a used car is that you get her either a

Honda ~ great never break down

Toyota ~ great on gasoline no matter which type

Ford Mustang ~ pretty good and affordable

or BMW/Lexus if you role like that ;~)

Don't get

Pontiac ~ gas gulper

Mazda ~ they break down a lot

Answer 4

You can take it to any mechanic's shop. Make sure they are certified, and be prepared to pay $100 or so (well worth it). If the seller refuses to let you do this, back out immediately and look elsewhere. The Carfax report (make sure it's a complete one) is worth it, but will not show you ALL issues the car may have had.

No, there is no Lemon Law in place for used cars. Once you sign the papers and drive off, it's yours, along with any problems it has. There is no "buyer's remorse", "cooling-off", etc in place either. You don't have a set time where you can return it. If you work some sort of "return period" out with the seller, make sure it's in writing. So, make sure you know what you're getting ahead of time.  

Answer 5

You want to of course test drive it. And DON'T be nice about it. Slam on the gas and make sure it picks up speed okay. If it is an automaitc look for hesitation and long drawn out noises before it shifts. Or if it shifts hard those are signs that it is a bad tranny. Also let it sit at an idol while you are either looking over the car or talking to the salesman. If the car overheats while just sitting there that is obviosly a bad sign. Those are the two main things. And of course make sure the little things work because if the little things don't work that can be a sign of bigger problems ahead. Good luck.  

Answer 6

preppyhater69 gave a pretty good answer, however if you do not know much about cars try having someone that does know a little accompany you. There are a lot of people trying to get rid of old cars. BE AWARE!