Looking for a Used Car? These Six Tips Can Help

Does the idea of shopping for a used car make you cringe? You’re not alone. Even among the most experienced auto buffs used car shopping stirs mixed emotions, from anxiety to gusto. Although many shoppers fear ending up with a “lemon”, they still enjoy the anticipation of landing the perfect vehicle at a fair price.
The Car Care Council suggests the following tips for consumers who are eyeing the used car market.

1. Mind over matter - Finding the right vehicle can be an emotional decision. We tend to fall in love with our cars, a relationship which can become "love-hate" when the used car becomes somewhat of a clunker. For this reason it's important not to let your heart override your common sense. Shop with another person to ensure that a second opinion is close at hand.

2. Clean out your comb - Used cars are just that...USED. The new car warranty is either gone or waning, so make sure all guarantees are in writing. Go over this paperwork with the proverbial fine tooth comb.

3. High mileage/high value - Don't be frightened off by high mileage. Shoppers who traditionally have ruled out older cars with high mileage now are discovering that these can be excellent buys. The median age of a vehicle now exceeds 8 years, an increase of 50% during the past decade. Vehicles are more durable, and we're putting more miles on them. Naturally, your planned use for the vehicle should be a consideration.
"People are keeping their vehicles longer", confirms R.B. Grisham, Executive Vice President, National Independent Automobile Dealers Association. "Add to this the higher price of new cars, and you can see why the used car market is overtaking the new."
A high mileage vehicle (100,000+ miles) may be relatively trouble free for years, says the Council. If it has had proper care and the maintenance schedule has been adhered to, major components, including the engine and transmission may be good for many more miles.

4. Don't skip "history class" - A big factor, of course, is the vehicle's service history. Beware of the private seller who boasts, "I never had to do a thing to it." It could be an accident or a breakdown waiting to happen. Sooner or later lack of maintenance will catch up...sometimes with the new owner.
The service history can also be used to help verify the odometer reading. Although laws and the increasing difficulty of the practice itself have reduced this form of fraud, buyers should still beware. The whole-mile digits of an odometer that has been "rolled back" or otherwise tampered with, may appear out of line with each other. If the brake/clutch pedal pad is worn through but the odometer reads disproportionately low, ask questions.

5. Play the Price is Right - At your bank, library or stationary store you can borrow or buy an appraisal guide. These books, published by the National Automobile Dealers Association, Kelly's Blue Book, Edmonds and others, help determine if the seller's price is in the right range. This information is also available on the Internet.

6. A checkup before a check - Used car shoppers should invest in a thorough inspection of any used vehicle. Due to complex systems in today's vehicles, analysis of these sophisticated systems demands more than a trained eye. They may also require specialized equipment for complete evaluation.
"It's not that the buyer should 'borrow trouble' or look for an Achilles Heel to use against the asking price," explained Donna Wagner, Vice President of the Car Care Council." "But he/she should do everything possible to avoid buying a bomb. A valuable ally in this procedure is a well trained and equipped technician."

Check Engine” light? Better check it out!

In today’s complex vehicles it is not as clear as it once was, when vehicle maintenance should be performed. Cars that were made 25 years ago had much less efficient systems than the cars of today. A good example is the ignition system. Contact point sets and condensers (found in the ignition distributor) were much more prone to failure than today’s Distributorless Ignition Systems (D.I.S.). The contact point sets were parts that gradually wore out and lost their efficiency. As they degraded, fuel economy would suffer and tailpipe emissions would rise to dangerous levels. The only real “advantage” of this system was that the gradual wear gave the motorist some advance warning that the system needed attention and repair. Tune-ups every 8 to 12 thousand miles were common, as motorists would sense the impending trouble and avert breakdowns with preventive maintenance.
Two goals – a common route
Driven by the Clean Air Act of 1972, the Federal government mandated that the car manufacturers do two things: improve fuel economy and reduce harmful emissions from the tailpipe. Both of these problems had some common, high-tech solutions. Igniting a leaner mixture in the combustion chamber was one. It improved fuel economy while burning fuel more completely, thus reducing the amount of unburned fuel that would come out of the tailpipe. This unburned fuel, known as hydrocarbons, was one of the chief pollutants that the car manufacturers were trying to eliminate. To do this they needed a “hotter” spark at the spark plug. This required an improved ignition system. Contact point sets and condensers had to go. They were replaced in the early to mid 70’s with a control module and a magnetic pick-up. The principal difference was that these new parts did not come in contact with each other. They replaced the old, wearing points. They operated electronically, hence the name: Electronic Ignition. As time went on, these electronic ignition systems continued to evolve and become more sophisticated. By the mid 90’s most cars were operating a computer controlled ignition system that probably did not contain a distributor. These new D.I.S. systems receive information from a variety of sensors. With the help of these sensors the computer determines when to open the fuel injectors and for how long, and the optimal time to fire the spark plugs. This system is highly efficient compared to those of the 60’s and 70’s. Most importantly it has allowed the vehicle manufacturers to improve fuel economy and reduce harmful pollutants.

A better system brings a new warning: “Check Engine”

The only drawback that the average motorist has encountered as a result of this sophistication is the loss of the maintenance-needed warning due to deteriorating performance. The old systems went bad gradually, and you knew when to expect trouble. These new systems may go bad without any advance warning. Or, put differently, you might find yourself sitting on the side of the road waiting for the tow truck as you were on your way to an important appointment.

Enter the “Check Engine” light. To compensate for this lack of warning, the car manufacturers installed the “Check Engine” (or equivalent) light on your dashboard. This light is there to warn the motorist about possible problems with the operation of the vehicle. Sometimes this light goes on when there are no apparent symptoms or problems. BUT don’t take this lightly. It is the car manufacturers way of giving you as much advance notice of potential problems as possible. In many cases this will be the only warning that you will get before a crisis hits.
The key point to remember is that when you see the “Check Engine” (or equivalent) light, you should seek professional advice. This advice can come from any qualified service technician, and not necessarily the dealership where you bought the vehicle. Most qualified, ASE Certified technicians can assist you when the “Check Engine” light comes on.

Remember, “Check Engine” means just that – have it checked out.

The article has been provided as a public service By Paul D. Rennie of Richter’s Service – Ridgewood

What kind of service might your car need?
Every car is different, so always refer to your owner's manual for guidelines. Here's a sample of what may be needed:

30,000mile service

Change oil & replace filter

Change transmission fluid /lubricant

Change coolant & inspect cooling system

Replace air cleaner element, spark plugs

Inspect/adjust front wheel alignment

Inspect brake system, exhaust system,

fuel lines, steering system, suspension,

drive belts, power steering fluid.

60,000 mile service

Change oil & replace filter

Change transmission fluid/lubricant

Change timing belt

Change coolant & inspect cooling system

Check catalytic convertor

Replace air cleaner element, spark plugs, fuel filter

Inspect /adjust front end alignment

Inspect brake system, exhaust system, fuel lines,

steering system, suspension, drive belts, power-steering

fluid, PVC system, distributor cap & rotor, EGR system,

idle control system, ignition wiring

90,000 mile service

Change oil & replace filter

Change transmission fluid /lubricant

Change coolant & inspect cooling system

Replace air cleaner element, spark plugs, timing belt

Rotate tires

Inspect/adjust front wheel alignment

Inspect brake system, exhaust system, fuel lines,

steering system, suspension, drive belts, power-steering fluid