Used Car Warning Signs In Campbellville

Used Car Warning Signs In Campbellville

Posted on June 8, 2021

Buying a certified used car offers genuine reassurance that the car you’re buying is in good mechanical order and has been checked for any defects. If you’re buying privately, you don’t have that kind of protection so it’s up to you to identify any areas of weakness in the car. Our Campbellville car loan team outlines five used car warning signs to look out for when buying a used car.

1.   Panel fit

Panel fit is a check you make to ensure the car hasn’t been in a serious accident. It’s also something you don’t need experience as a vehicle technician to check.

Look at where all body panels meet to make sure the gap between them is the same all the way up. Panels that aren’t even can indicate the car has been in a collision and should be treated with caution.

2.   Smoke or noise on startup

If you’re visiting a seller at home, ask them not to warm up the engine before you arrive. If the car is running when you get there, switch it off and let it cool while you perform a physical inspection.

When you start it, have someone look at the tailpipe for blue smoke on startup and look for engine warning lights and strange noises.

Warning lights should all come on when you turn the key and then go off. Engines that make strange noises when starting up will require further checks by a qualified technician. The same for blue smoke.

3.   Irregular idling

Once you start the engine, take your foot off the gas and let it idle for a minute or two while you check the engine bay.

Does the engine idle smoothly? Does it skip a beat or sound ‘lumpy’? Are there loud whirring noises coming from the engine?

If yes, the engine may need a service or there may be issues with it.

If the engine runs smoothly and there are no strange noises, it’s safe to test drive.

4.   Unsteady handling

Test driving a used car is essential, even more so when you’re buying privately.

Find somewhere safe, drive at low speed and let go of the steering wheel. Does it pull to one side? If it’s safe, speed up a little and hit the brakes hard. Does the car pull to one side? Does it feel unsettled acceleration or braking?

These could be signs of damage to the steering or suspension and should be investigated further.

If the brakes squeal, that’s a sign of worn brakes and should also be checked out.

5.   Matching mileage

Does the mileage on the odometer match that on the service schedule? Do the numbers make sense? The vehicle mileage is added to every service stamp and should correspond with what’s on the clock.

Any discrepancy could mean the car has been tampered with and could have done many more thousands of miles than it says.

If you know your way around a car, buying a used car privately should be no problem. If you don’t know what to look for these used car warning signs will definitely help, but buying a certified used car from a reputable dealership is the best option if you're feeling anxious.

We can help you with that and with the Campbellville car loan you use to pay for it.

Contact Unique Chrysler for help, advice and competitive Campbellville car finance and leasing.

Be sure to connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, or LinkedIn to stay up to date on our latest great articles!