5 Red Flags When Buying A Car
Getting The Best Vehicle For Your Money
Whether you’re exploring the inventory of a dealership or a private owner, there are a few things you want to consider before you buy. Some of these apply to new vehicles, though the focus here is on used cars. Consider the following red flags before you either finance or purchase a vehicle:
If The Owner Won’t Tell You Why They’re Selling, That’s A Red Flag
No Title? Massive, Angrily Waving Red Flag!
Lack Of Use Is Another Red Flag To Consider
Strange Noises Or Smells Should Flag Your Nose
Hard Shifting And Hard Acceleration
If The Owner Won’t Tell You Why They’re Selling, That’s A Red Flag
Owners who are too eager to sell, and won’t give you a direct answer when you ask them why, are probably hiding something. Maybe they know the transmission is on its last legs, or there’s some engine issue. If you can’t get a good reason why they’re selling, don’t buy.
No Title? Massive, Angrily Waving Red Flag!
When everything checks out on the car, but the owner is “waiting on the title” or “doesn’t have it with them”, then you shouldn’t give them any money. Don’t give them a check, don’t give them a dime. A salvage title will do, but you’ve got to have some title of ownership to validate the transaction. Otherwise, you may not actually own the vehicle you just paid for. Also, check the fine print on the title.
Lack Of Use Is Another Red Flag To Consider
When a car isn’t used for too long, it gradually falls apart. Rodents may creep into the vehicle’s insides, spiders, ants, and snakes also creep in, so does dust, the sun beats down on the paint job—plenty of things damage a car that’s just sitting. Even if it’s under a tarp in a garage, the tires will probably be flat, and you may need a new battery. A car that hasn’t been used for a few months may be okay. But when it hasn’t been driven in a year, you’re asking for a domino-effect of issues to just keep backhanding you each time you get the previous one fixed.
Strange Noises Or Smells Should Flag Your Nose
When you can smell antifreeze, gasoline, or smoke as you drive, there’s probably an issue that will cost you between $500 and $3,000 to fix. It’s hard to know, but if you can smell it before you buy, something is amiss. Take it as a red flag, act accordingly. Similarly, if you hear bad noises, they probably have a bad cause. Squealing and thumping aren’t good.
Hard Shifting And Hard Acceleration
If it shifts hard, the transmission may be on its last legs. Or, you might get another 50,000 miles out of the rig; you’ll just have to drive it carefully. It depends on what you want to do, what you’re willing to put up with, and your resources. Generally, though, bad shifting means you’ve got a transmission on the way out, and that will cost you anywhere from $3k o $5k. If you’re noticing this when you’re about to buy, you might want to save yourself the trouble.
Similarly, if the vehicle has trouble accelerating, you may want to take a pass. That probably means some sort of engine trouble; though do take in mind the weight of the vehicle. An old RV may be just fine even if it has a little trouble with hills; you just have to be careful.
Buying Better By Avoiding The Red Flags
These are by no means your only red flags, but they are some substantial ones you want to look out for. The worst red flags may not totally invalidate a purchase; sometimes you’re just looking for the make and model so you can part the vehicle out.
That said, hard shifting, hard acceleration, strange smells, strange sounds, no titles, and evasive sellers are all hard red flags. To learn more about key indicators you should consider when purchasing a vehicle, as well as many other automotive tips and purchase opportunities, be sure to subscribe to the Anybody’s Autos blog.