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(#12) Only Buy From Reputable Dealers
From Quora user Martin Sparks
A car dealer that is authorized generally has a good reputation and must answer to manufacturers. Never buy from a dealer that is not reputable, you may live to regret it.
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(#8) Look Up The History Of The Vehicle
From Quora user Jeremy Nutt:
Get the Carfax. Just get it. It sucks paying the fee, and I hate doing it too, but that's just how life is sometimes. If you have a friend that works [at] a car dealership, maybe they can get you one for free. It's a nice excuse to talk to a friend that you haven't seen in a while. Okay... although it is great when Carfax announces to you in red font that the car has been smashed, you aren't JUST looking for accidents on the Carfax. That is just one small piece of this automotive puzzle.
The ideal situation (for most humans) is a maintained vehicle with a steady history of registrations, inspections, and consistently increasing mileage. Having many owners, being a "Fleet" vehicle (rental), salvage title, or having long time frames without mileage increases and registrations are all tell-tale signs that the vehicle may be questionable. If the Carfax looks weird, ask the owner of the vehicle the hard-hitting questions. If you don't trust the answers you receive, don't buy the car. Simple as that.
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(#1) It's Best To Get A Professional Opinion If You Can
From Quora user Kenny Muir:
A lemon car generally refers to one (or more) of three things.
This refers to the motor or other mechanical components in the car being faulty, or just purely worn out. This could be worn engine seals, leaks in the cooling system or a variety of other issues. Thoroughly inspect all mechanical components before buying or get a professional to inspect [them] for you.
A defect in the chassis or body exists that poses a safety risk and/or prevents it from passing a safety inspection. This could include rust, unrepaired body damage or worn out structural components. Again, make sure you get a mechanical inspection before [making a] purchase if you are unsure what to look for!
If you want a solid, reliable car, don’t buy an old Lada. It doesn’t matter if the Lada has only done 50,000 miles, it will NOT be good value for money! Stick to Japanese cars if you can; otherwise, seek advice on other makes/models that are well known for reliability before buying.
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(#11) Are There Any Add-Ons?
From Redditor /u/molten_dragon:
Cheap aftermarket add-ons (i.e. a big crappy-looking spoiler on a 14-year-old Toyota Corolla). They're generally put on by people who think they're street racers and treat their cars as such.
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(#7) Watch Out For Curbstoning
From Redditor /u/creativenewusername:
Curbstoning. It is an illegal practice where a (usually small, usually shady) dealership will pretend to be a private seller. Private sellers face less scrutiny and have different legal requirements than a dealership, so a shitty shop may try to pass off the sale of a salvaged or otherwise undesirable vehicle as a private sale to avoid scrutiny.
If you're going to look at private sale and they tell you to meet them at a small dealership, red flag.
If they claim they are selling it on behalf of anyone not physically present, red flag.
If they ask you to make the check out to anyone but the name on the title, red flag.
If you Google the contact information listed by the (supposedly private) seller and it turns up multiple ads for other vehicles, major red flag.
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(#2) Don’t Buy From A Seller That Refuses An Inspection
From Quora user Craig Good:
Before buying a used car you should insist on (and pay for) a pre-purchase inspection by an independent mechanic. If the seller refuses, it [is] probably a lemon.
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About This Tool
Why do more and more people choose to buy used cars? Cheap price is the biggest selling point for used cars. With the same money for buying a new car, you can buy a higher-grade used car. Therefore, from the perspective of reducing the cost of buying a car, it is a wiser choice for the general public to buy used cars. Some beginner drivers have just obtained a driver’s license but their skills are not strong, so they might as well buy a second-hand car to practice. As an ordinary consumer, how to buy second-hand cars and how to prevent "accident cars"?
This random tool collates 13 items from some advice from mechanics, which can help you to choose a better car.
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