by
8. December 2009 19:36
How to choose a used car with good reliability history at good price
If you are planning to buy a certified pre-owned/used car from a dealer, a private sale or neighbor, it will do you a world of good to thoroughly read Consumer Reports for a safe used car buying experience.
Trouble-free used cars do NOT come just by a stroke of luck. It involves good research and a keen eye to spot potential problems. Choice of a right and reliable used car can save you angst about possible Lemon law issues sooner or later.
You can easily identify a good used car and eliminate potential lemons if you do not turn a Nelson’s eye for the following:
The reliability record
Reliability-history reduces the risk of purchasing a Lemon used car
• Select models with a good reliability record before you make a choice of the used car
• The annual subscriber survey for Consumer Reports (CR's) provides exclusive real-world reliability information
• This reliability information can help you narrow your selections
• Look into the best and the worst used cars for a quick reference
• Read the reliability-history charts that accompany most of CR's vehicle profiles
• The reliability-history charts give you a more detailed information on the key trouble areas in various used car models
Buyer's Guide as the Window Sticker
The Federal Trade Commission requires dealers to post a Buyer's Guide in every used vehicle offered for sale as a window sticker.
• The Buyer's Guide must contain information if is being sold ‘as is’ or with a warranty, and the percentage of repair costs the dealer is obligated to pay
• The Buyer's Guide information overrides any contrary provisions in your sales contract
• If the Buyer's Guide says that the vehicle is covered by a warranty, the dealer must honor that warranty
• If any changes in coverage are negotiated, the Guide must be included in it before the sale
• If a sale is designated ‘as is’, it means that the dealer makes no guarantees as to the condition of the vehicle
• Any problems that arise after you have made the purchase of a used car designated ‘as is’, will be your responsibility
• Many states do not allow ‘as-is’ sales on vehicles selling for more than a certain price
The Exterior
• Walk around the car looking for dents, chipped paint, mismatched body panels or parts, broken lamp housings, and chipped windows
• Gaps between body panels should be of a consistent width and line up
• Paint over spray on chrome or rubber trim or in the vehicle's wheel wells are signs of body-panel repair
Test for the presence of body filler with a small magnet.
• If the magnet doesn't stick to the panel, the car may have filler under the paint
• Some vehicles with plastic or fiberglass panels do not attract a magnet at all
• A door, hood, or trunk that doesn't close or seal properly is evidence of previous damage and sloppy repair work
• Inconsistent welds around the hood, doors, or trunk is also evidence of previous damage and sloppy repair work
• A Certified Automotive Parts Association (CAPA) sticker on a body panel means the part has been replaced
