Don’t give me wrong purchasing a used car is a great way to save money and if you can find a reliable long, they get you from point a to point B every day why not. However, car buyer still need to be aware and do their do diligence when buying a secondhand car.
Some people may not have the eye to know what a not so obvious problem or know how to pinpoint the indicators for a used car.
High miles can mean high risk
Though it is normal to see high miles on a used car, know that high mile used cars are at a higher risk of having damage or repairs that can be costly. But you’re talking about high miles on a used car the first three things that usually go on the vehicle are the spark plugs, tires, and brakes.
If you see high miles on a vehicle, you should take a closer inspection of the car and have it looked at once over by certified mechanic local to the Detroit area before you commit to a purchasing price.
Ask if there’s a warranty still on the vehicle
If there is no warranty with the car, you might wanna ask why or just walk away. Most car buyers are advised to ask if there is a warranty from the manufacturer and if it’s still in place or it’s close to expiring. If the vehicles warranty is expiring soon, see if you can contact the manufacture and work out an extension. If the warranty extension is too expensive, it is up to you if you want to purchase the vehicle but know that if you do without a warranty on the vehicle, you might be left on the hook for any repairs that the vehicle needs.
Do a good car inspection
When buying a used car in Detroit, you want to listen for weird noises any thing coming from the used car can indicate an issue such as your struts, sharks, or bearings. If you are hearing any of this noise from the test drive, this could be a sign that there’s just a lot of wear and tear on the vehicle and then there will be repairs coming soon. It might be in your best interest to negotiate with the seller to see if they will take care of the repairs before you purchase the vehicle.
If you notice any damage to the frame or body of the vehicle such as dings, scratches, paint damage or rust are all red flags on used cars in Detroit. An inspection of the vehicle should look at the underbody of the vehicle, the windshield, mirrors, and lights.
During a car inspection, you should take your book under the hood for any warning signs. Keep a close eye on the engine to look out for leaks, cracks, rust , or smoke you don’t want any burning smells.
Do you want to check the car body work for any kind of corrosion? Do you want to look underneath the car especially around the wheel arches for any kind of rust. Know that rust can be covered by sealant or paint so keep a close eye out for that. Rust is a sign of neglect so the car wasn’t taken care of a very well and couldn’t be more prone to costly repairs down the road. It’s a Point that you’re going to want to make before you make any buying decisions.
Get a valid history report on the car
Nowadays, it’s pretty easy to pull up a car history report. You can actually ask the dealer to see the title and any kind of history information. What you want to look for is there any accidents or water damage that has happened to the car. Do you want to make sure that the history report includes repairs and that you have all the documents for the repairs that have been done to the vehicle.
Uneven wear on tires
If you spot uneven tire wear, it could be a problem with the suspension or the alignment of the vehicle. Auto repairs like this in Detroit can be expensive down the road and you just want to make sure that you have yourself covered. If the vehicle needs tires immediately after you purchase it, that should be considered into what you’re offering when you’re buying the vehicle.
The price tag could be a red flag
The price tag isn’t always a red flag. Yes you can find some pretty good deals especially on this website as we can connect you with local car lots in the Detroit area that have a solid amount of inventory. All you have to do is put in your ZIP Code, and you’re off to the races.
But know if the price is too good to be true from the research that you have done on your own don’t hesitate to ask the seller or the dealership what the story is.
The vehicle may be a salvage title, or have water damage or just being poor condition structurally. And this can be hard to tell from online photos so it’s always imperative that you take the car for a test drive and see it for yourself.
We have a number of car lots in the Detroit area that incentivize car deals every day so if you want to be connected to a local car dealership start online right now. Shopping the right used cars in Michigan can be helpful.