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Shopping for cars online has become increasingly popular in recent years. The beauty of it is that buyers can easily see what cars are available in their area, though it is very uncommon for buyers to purchase a car they have seen online with out test driving it or at least seeing it in person first. When you do go out to look at a vehicle your interested what are some thing you should pay attention to? It’s best to start your inspection from the outside and work your way in. Is the paint in good condition? Cosmetics may not be a big issue for everyone, but check for scratches and dents or miss matched color for different parts of the car. This may indicate that the vehicle was in a wreck and has been repaired. Check the body lines of the vehicle; do you see ripples in the paint? This could be another sign of a previous accident that has been repaired. Though the car may appear to be in good condition, accidents and wrecks can cause more underlying problems that affect things other than just cosmetics.

Next you should move on to the underside of the car or truck. You don’t have to be a mechanic to notice anything really wrong going on under here. Check for dents on the frame and underside components such as the oil pan, transmission and exhaust pipes. Sometimes however these things can be concealed by heat shielding that is found on the underside of some cars. If the heat shield or other underside covers are bent, dented or warped that could be a bad sign that the car has been in an accident or ran over something. In the case of trucks this could mean that the vehicle was used off road and may have been bottomed out. A truck that has been extensively off road is more prone to problems in the future.

How clean is the engine bay? On a relatively new car the engine bay should still look quite clean. Look for cracked hoses and vacuum tubes. Are the belts cracked and in poor condition? With the engine on, are there any odd noises or vibrations? Also, before you even get to the car to check it out, ask the owner not to start the car until you get there. If they ask why, tell them that you want to see how the car starts when the engine is not warmed up. Don’t forget to ask about any routine or scheduled maintenance that has been done, as well as repairs or parts replaced too. Most people do save the receipts for repairs and maintenance.

As far as the interior is concerned, it mostly comes down to cosmetic condition. But you do want to check to make sure everything works though. Make sure that all the power features (if it has any) work correctly, such as windows, seats and locks.

At this point you should have gone through a pretty decent inspection of the vehicle and found any apparent issues with the cosmetics and possible structural or mechanical problems. The test drive though is what will reveal the most about the vehicle. How long does it take for the vehicle to start after turning the ignition? If the car is relatively new it should start quite easily. Generally the starter on a car or truck will last over 100k miles or so before needing to be replaced or at the least replace the solenoid. How does the transmission shift into drive? Does it transition smoothly or does it jolt into gear? If it shifts into the drive gear with a jolt it could be something as simple as low transmission fluid. When driving, how is the alignment? Over time the alignment can get off a little bit, but if it’s really noticeable it is most likely from an accident or hitting a curb. Be sure to test the performance of the engine, notice if there is any lag from the time you hit the gas to when it starts to accelerate. If the car has an engine temperature gauge (which most cars do, some do not) the needle should be somewhere in the middle when the car is at operating temperature. When testing the brakes feel for any vibrations or pulsating on the brake pedal when just doing normal stopping. Vibration when braking may indicate that the rotors are in need of replacing or at the least resurfacing. If the vehicle has a manual transmission, how does the clutch feel? A normal clutch should feel firm and you will be able to tell exactly when it starts to engage. There is naturally supposed to be a little bit of free play on the clutch, but not much more than a few millimeters. Does the clutch slip when in gear? If it is slipping, when you hit the gas to accelerate the rpm’s should rise but the car won’t be accelerating. This means that the clutch must be replaced.

Of coarse a mechanic would be required to determine if there were any real underlying problems, but the test drive should have revealed quite a bit about the vehicle. You can try asking the owner what he would have done to the car if he planned to keep it for a few more years. Hopefully if they have maintained the vehicle well, this will not be an issue. I highly recommend a vehicle history report for any used vehicle you plan to buy. A VIN check won’t tell you every detail about a car, but it will tell you how many owners it has had, any scheduled repairs, and if the vehicle has been salvaged or rebuilt as well as a. A VIN or vehicle history report can be easily researched here. All you need to complete one is a VIN number. Most listings for used cars found on the web will actually provide the VIN number in the ad, this means you can check the history before you take the time to go out and see it.

Shopping for used cars and trucks online is an excellent way to purchase; visit Musthaveautos.com for anything from pre-owned boats and RVs to cars trucks and motorcycles as well as classics and collector cars.