wut to look for in a car

[darrylec]

just wondering if someone has already made a list about wut to look at when ur purchasing a car from a private seller...
i don't know that much about maintainence but i'm currently working on that

but i'd like to know..if u were going to buy a car from private seller...wut would u look for...(key points)
like i know to check for "obivious sounds", check the brakes, fluids...

all help is welcome

[FlipKing]

Check motor for oil leaks, check alignment, check for water in the oil, oil in the coolant. Compression test is great too.

[darrylec]

to make it easier for people who know this car i'll list what it is i'm hoping to buy

94 Honda Civic d16z6 215k miles

comments from personal experience GLADLY welcome

[turbob20]

if theres any codes have them checked too.make sure you drive the piss out of it and look for smokeing and steam. look inside oil cap for milky oil residue.

[Barefoot]

http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080326134703AAwLQWd
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/driving/buying_guide/article778516.ece

[ksniperfox]

just wondering if someone has already made a list about wut to look at when ur purchasing a car from a private seller...
i don't know that much about maintainence but i'm currently working on that

but i'd like to know..if u were going to buy a car from private seller...wut would u look for...(key points)
like i know to check for "obivious sounds", check the brakes, fluids...

all help is welcome

id look for spelling and grammatical errors in the car ad or emails/texts he sends you, done on purpose or accident, that indicate the seller is a dumbass in general. avoid the car if this is the case.

[ksniperfox]

seriously though, look for rust(rust spreads like cancer), pay a lot of attention to body lines and where body pieces match up. compare a gap on one side to the gap on the other side. check for any mis-matching paint. anything irregular usually means damage, wrecks, etc. drive the car. drive it hard a few times on your test drive. dont listen to the radio while driving. blast the ac. check from top to bottom for leaks. watch for any smoke while youre driving. check fluids. check tires for uneven wear(means alignment problem, possibly from a wreck) and brakes. really, anything indicative of the car needing repairs soon, or past problems. would be good to do a compression check.

beware of cars with mods. theyve been beat on. beware an owner that says how fast his car is. he beats on it(lol). a major plus is finding a stock car that is clean inside and out, everything is in good condition, and the owner seems like a good person, and even has service records.

[RedEj8]

Make sure you take it for a drive. Take it for a long drive if you can like 30+ mins. Any problems will likely show themselves in that time.

[Barefoot]

Make sure you take it for a drive. Take it for a long drive if you can like 30+ mins. Any problems will likely show themselves in that time.to add on take it to redline but do it with respect to the owner. ive seen a few cars that would act up after a point in the rpm band your averge driver never goes into.

[MongolPup]

id look for spelling and grammatical errors in the car ad or emails/texts he sends you, done on purpose or accident, that indicate the seller is a dumbass in general. avoid the car if this is the case.

THIS IS HUGE. I've always said how you read and write is a reflection on your intelligence and to a certain extent your education. I judge people based on their ads even for stupid for sale items on here.

That said there are certainly people who just aren't good with computers or don't have the time to worry about their typing but it's the least they can do to summon up their writing skills for an ad about something as important as a car.

[speedminded]

Definitely without a doubt one of the most important things about a vehicle...

http://www.haynes.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/BookFeature_SexManualView?langId=-1&storeId=10001&catalogId=10001

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y249/danhurwitz/Products/Accessories/HaynesSexManualfront.jpg

[PRO®]

one word....VTEC!

lol, nah jk...i think everyone else covered it. goodluck

[SilverSurfer]

carfax could help out too

[darrylec]

already got the carfax...everything checks out..just gotta make this 2 1/2 hour drive to get it...
THANK YOU to everyone in this thread..even u speedminded
a lot of help and extra stuff to look for has come to my attention...just hope this isn't a wasted 5-6 hours out of my life

[Barefoot]

1 last thing remember u can walk away at anytime.

[umairejaz]

I can usually check a car out within 90 seconds of walking around it, but that comes with experience. :)

[IndianStig]

I can usually check a car out within 90 seconds of walking around it, but that comes with experience. :)

you wanna cookie?

[Barefoot]

I can usually check a car out within 90 seconds of walking around it, but that comes with experience. :)now thats funny

[umairejaz]

^Auctions, lol.

[Barefoot]

^Auctions, lol.i was a mech at adesa auto auction in farburn still dont have that skill.

[JITB]

i always go to the forums of the specific car, and read what people complain about and what people tend to fix alot. And just go from there. i also go to www.edmunds.com and look at the ppls comments. before i go and look at he car, so ill know what to look for.

BUT...since we are dealing with a civic....lol u can ask the mailman...