If you’re thinking about buying a used car, here’s one thing you should know: There is no such thing as buying a “good” or “bad” used car. Instead, there are used cars fresno that are more or less reliable for different reasons.
Pick an inexpensive, well-designed car that has been adequately maintained, and you’ll have one of the most reliable cars in your garage. On the other hand, pick a clunker based on its current market value, and you’re buying the biggest gamble in the world.
Keep your eyes open for signs that the car has been driven hard
Unfortunately, most people do exactly the opposite of this. The most common trap is to assume that a car’s reputation for reliability or unreliability is set in stone. Unfortunately, this is never the case.
A used car that gets driven hard all the time will become unreliable faster than one driven gently. Maintenance requirements are never set in stone; they’re overwhelmingly dependent on how well (or not) a car is driven.
How a car is maintained is a far more critical indicator of its reliability than what kind of car it is.
If you’re reading this, you’re probably not a professional mechanic. You need to know what to look for in a used car to get an idea of how well it was maintained in the past and what type of maintenance it may need in the future.
Here are some of the most common maintenance warning signs:
1. Front-end alignment problems
Unlike the transmission, which requires little attention for years, these are common wear parts that wear out very quickly. So, they need to be checked every time you’ve got the car at the shop.
2. Oil leaks
Oil leaks are never good news. The most common single cause of engine failure is an oil leak. This is because the oil keeps all of the internal parts that move apart clean and lubricated.
When an engine leaks oil, it’s because one of those internal parts is damaged most of the time. Other times, it’s because gaskets have failed, leading to oil leaks.
3. Transmission problems
If you’re buying a used car with an automatic transmission, it’s a good idea to take it out on the highway and see if it switches gears without any problems. A common reason for trouble with an automatic transmission is that the torque converter in the transmission is damaged. This can happen when too much play in the transmission, requiring excessive pressure to shift the gears.
The one thing you need to know is how well the vehicle has been maintained
A used car can run great if it’s a few years old or even has high mileage on it. However, a vehicle that has been poorly maintained is a headache waiting to happen. If you’re going to buy a car, get a mechanic who is familiar with the vehicle you’re buying to check it over before you buy. If you have any doubts about a used car, don’t buy it. You’ll save yourself lots of headaches and heartache in the future.
Salman is a prolific environmental writer, and has authored more than 500 articles in reputed journals, magazines and websites. He is proactively engaged in creating mass awareness on renewable energy, waste management, sustainability and conservation all over the world.
Salman can be reached on salman@cleantechloops.com
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