Used car shopping can be intimidating, especially when you’re entering with little to no preparation. When so much information is being thrown at you, it can be difficult to maintain focus on the vehicle’s most important aspects.
No two vehicles are alike, and when you shop Charge-A-Car‘s large inventory of cars, trucks, SUVs, and hybrids, you’ll be presented with a multitude of disparate options. Here are five tips to help you pinpoint exactly what you should be looking for in a vehicle to ensure you’re driving off our lot with a reliable ride:
Look Up the Vehicle History
Just as we all have personal records documenting our lifetimes of accomplishments and mistakes, every vehicle has its own recorded history. Researching a car’s history prior to purchasing it is vital, as it chronicles all previous owners and any accidents they may have been involved in.
Like when a sports team balks at offering a player a long-term contract due to their concerning injury history, you should be cautious when investing years of your future to a vehicle with a lot of baggage in its past. Use CARFAX, AutoCheck, or a similar VIN history service to get the dirt on your potential next vehicle before you commit to it.
Check the Mileage
If a vehicle’s history gives you its comprehensive life’s tale, a simple look at the odometer is often enough to give you the gist of its story. Missouri boasts the fourth-highest per capita mileage in the country, trailing only Wyoming, New Mexico and Mississippi for the highest average of miles driven annually.
Knowing this, you’ll want a car with that either a.) has a relatively low odometer reading, or b.) is made by a brand with a reputation for building cars with longevity. Do your research before you arrive at the dealership and compare any potential vehicle’s odometer reading with its age to determine how much wear and tear it’s already endured under previous ownership.
Thoroughly Inspect the Interior and Exterior
Be as thorough as possible in checking every crevice of both the outside and inside of the vehicle. Some exterior damage will appear obvious, such as dents, scrapes, and frayed paint. But you’ll also want to closely review the tread of its tires and the condition of everything under the hood. In doing so, you should be able to confirm the information purported in the vehicle’s history.
Don’t neglect the interior of the car either. We recommend a test drive (see below), but at the very least, turn the car on to make sure electronics and other features are starting properly. Be aware of any unusual odors or blemishes to the upholstery. Even if these imperfections don’t impact the performance of the car, it may be enough to talk you down to your preferred price range.
Take It for a Test Drive
There’s no better way to get a feel for a car’s health than putting yourself behind the wheel of it. Insist on a test drive before you make a decision, and don’t be afraid to put the car through its paces. Drive it both fast and slowly, make turns both sharp and wide, and take it on a variety of surfaces, from highways to off-road terrain.
Your new vehicle is responsible for keeping you on the road in a variety of scenarios, so make sure you test out as many of those scenarios as possible before you permanently drive it home.
Get a Second Opinion
When making any major life purchase, it never hurts to have a second pair of eyes. Ideally, you’ll be able to get an expert’s opinion; making an appointment with an independent mechanic before you purchase, though time-consuming, will alleviate much of your car-buying anxiety.
At the very least, bring a friend with you to the dealership, preferably one with automotive knowledge. Share with them your checklist of details you want inspected before you purchase, in case you get personally sidetracked in dealing with the salesperson.
Drive Off Happy Today
If you’ve followed all these steps and you’re satisfied with your findings, you should be good to go! You’ve researched the car, taken its odometer reading, inspected it inside and out, driven it for yourself, and gotten a supplementary opinion.
Schedule your test drive at Charge-A-Car today. The biggest remaining problem you’ll have? So many of our vehicles will meet these criteria that choosing which you’ll drive off our lot will become a dilemma of its own.