Check to see if smoke comes from exaust.check undeneath vehicle for leaks.Check tires for normal wear on one side or the other.Check fluid levels.Listen for knocking noises in motor or transmission,Ask about how much preventive maintenance was done on vehicle.Ask if the vehicle has ever been in accident before and get a smog certificate to see if vehicle is a gross polluter.
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There are a lot of things that can go wrong on a car but a car with proper maintenance and car can last a very long time. See if your friend has any documentation showing maintence that was done on the car. Things like routine oil changes, keeping the undercarriage lubed and maintained, and air filter changes can all help prolong the life of a car.
After that, check the oil level and color. Look at the transmission fluid level, color, and smell it to see if it smells burnt. Check the brake fluid and power steering fluid too.
Look for signs of leaks around the engine (top and bottom). Look for signs of fluid leaks under the car from the front to the rear of the vehicle.
Shake the car side to side and up and down from Verizon’s points around the vehicle. Listen for noises and check for the number of times it bounces. Good shocks shouldn’t rebound more than 1 1/2 times.
Listen for exhaust leaks but in the engine bay and under the car. Check for excessive corrosion around the muffler and all around the underside of the car.
Look at the tread of the tires. See if the wear pattern is even across the tires. If one side is more worn than another, you may have an alignment issue or other worn components.
Check for the amount of play the steering wheel has when you try to turn the wheel sitting still. Watch the tires as you turn the wheel left and right. There shouldn’t be any hesitation in the wheel turning with the steering wheel.
Then check electrical components. The horn, turn signals, wipers, a/c and heater controls (including the fan speeds at each level). Dome lights, hazard or emergency lights, rear back up lights, radio, gauge lights (do they all come on when the key is first turned on-check engine, air bag, oil, water, etc.) etc. There are a lot of components that can be easily checked while looking at a used vehicle.
From that point, drive the car and look for things such as vibrations at various speeds. How do the brakes feel at different speeds and forces applied. Does the car drift to either side when you let go of the wheel? How does it do on various terrains (speed bumps, rough roads, etc). Listen for rattles and squeaks as you drive it. Check again for leaks after the drive and smell for anything burning.
You always take a risk buying a used car but you can save yourself a lot of haste and frustration by doing a thourough inspection on it before you buy it.
If worse comes to worse, call some local mechanics and see how much they would charge to look the car over for you. Many shops will do this for a reasonable price.
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The fact that you are buying from a friend doesn't change anything. Have it checked out at a trusted mechanics place of business, your friend may have missed something.
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