NDYP.net

During high school, I took a summer job at my neighbor’s auto body shop. I had a great boss who should have been a teacher; he was exceptionally gifted and enjoyed transferring his knowledge, and I learned a lot. So check out these tips for when you start looking at different cars.

Look alone. Request an opportunity to look the car over by yourself. It’s easy to become distracted with an owner or dealer looking over your shoulder. Take your time.

Check for damage. Look at the bolts attaching the hood and the bolts on the front frame near the radiator. Is the paint on the bolts cracked? This could indicate that the hood was removed for repairs. Place your hand over the front fender of the car and feel the inside edge where the hood closes. You’re feeling for a tape line, indicating repainting that may have been done. If you notice these things, it usually means there has been front end damage. Do the same in the trunk or endgate.

Check the VIN. Manufacturers have started putting VIN stickers on the major components of vehicles (like the hood, trunk, fenders, doors, quarter panels, etc.) They’re approximately eleven digits long, with matching numbers. If one is missing or different, there was likely some damage.

Look for leaks. If the car has been parked for some time, look underneath it to see if there are any fluids leaking.

Test the oil. Does the oil look like oil? If the oil on the cap or dipstick has an extremely dark or milky look to it, there may be major engine problems or a lack of regular maintenance.

See if it’s smooth. Look down the length of the car using the light to see if there is a nice smooth, undisturbed reflection. You should be able to see any wrinkles or damages to the body of the car. Don’t forget to look at the gaps between the doors and the body of the car – they should be consistent in width.

Start ‘er up. When you start the car, these three lights must come on: Check Engine, Anti-Lock Brakes (ABS), and the airbag. If they don’t, the car has been tampered with. Listen for any squealing, rattling, and look again for any leaks.

Work the brakes. Put the parking brake on, place your foot on the brake and shift into reverse and drive. If you hear a clunk or feel a longer than two second delay in shifting, there are likely transmissions problems.

Tread lightly. Turn the wheel to one side, get out and look at the tires. How does the tread look on the inside edge? Put a penny in the tread with Abe’s face upside down. If any part of Lincoln's head is obscured by the tread, you have a safe amount of tread. However, if you can see above Lincoln's head or any of the letters from "In God We Trust" above his head, then you’re ready for new tires.

Read for rust. Look under the dash with a flashlight. With all the flooding throughout the Midwest and the nation, it’s important that there’s no rust under there. Sluggish windows are another good indicator that a car was in a flood.

Test it. Test-drive the car. Drive it in town and on the highway. Turn the radio off and listen to the car.

Research it. Do some additional research online or at the library. Carfax has great data, as does consumer reports.

Think it out. Take a day to think about the car. If you sense anything irregular, it would be best to have a pre-buy inspection done by a local mechanic. Remember, there are thousands of cars out there. You don’t need to jump at the first one.