Used car buying: EVEN a mechanic cannot tell you if a car is a lemon or not before you buy it?

Question

So , if you are planning on buying a used car , what if you want to have it looked at by a mechanic first, you think this is the right thing to do? Well, a tear down and re-assembly of the transmission alone will run between $500 - $1000, to inspect the transmisson, which is a major part of the vehicle where drivers often need repairs. Anyone who knows anything about cars, knows that , no matter how many transmisson shops you go to, NO shop will give you a free tear down of a transmisson to inspect it, so there IS NO way to be sure that any used car is not a complete and TOTAL piece of junk is there? There is no certainty, correct?

Answer 1

You are correct, there is no certainty.  There are few certainties in life period.  A healthy person can drop dead tomorrow.  Nobody on earth gets or gives complete guarantees.

But a qualified technician can test drive a car and with a close inspection of external components and some diagnostic testing determine if the car is in good shape and has been well maintained.

If you are suggesting that the only way to determine if a transmission needs service is to tear it down completely, you are exposing a lack of automotive knowledge.  

Most average citizens do not have the knowledge to even determine if a car has ever been repainted, needs new brakes or has a faulty muffler, let alone determine if the transmission needs servicing or the head gasket is about to go. But a thorough inspection by a certified mechanic can uncover these things.

If you are suggesting that a used car inspection is a waste of time and money you're providing bad advice to novice used car buyers who read this forum.

Answer 2

no one can know 100% - ever.  But taking a used car to a good mechanic is a safeguard that should not be skipped based on this logic.  A good mechanic knows wha tto look for, listen for, feel on a test drive.  They will inspect for undue wear or stress on suspension components.  Look for compression problems that may indicate major engine trouble; thoroughly look over the car from nose to tail.

Will they catch every problem?  No.

But by that logic, you should never have a physical because it doesnt include a CT scan and colonospcopy.

Answer 3

You are correct that NO shop will detect ALL the problem.  But a good shop will detect most of the obvious problems (low compression, sludge build up, worn suspension, etc.)

Good Luck...