Buying a used car can be tricky and stressful if you don’t know what to watch out for. You have to look at the miles per year on the engine, research whether the production line stayed reliable enough to have good resale value and then you have to trust that the used car lot guys tell you the truth about its condition. You can perform a cursory inspection, but you might consider taking the car to a mechanic for a quick once-over to check for any major problems. Here’s what to look for when you decide to invest your hard-earned money on a used car.
Know What Parts Wear Out Fast
Some auto parts wear out faster than others, so be wary when you shop for a car with more than 100,000 kilometres on it because you might have to replace a few things sooner rather than later. The car battery usually lasts four to five years, but if the car has been sitting on the lot for a while you may have to replace it. Similarly, a bad spark plug can ruin how the engine runs, reduce your fuel mileage and cause a host of problems.
Suspension parts are some of the most likely parts to wear out on a car, especially if the vehicle hits a lot of bumps in the road. Serpentine belts run a lot of things in the engine, and they need to be replaced every seven years. Look for cracked rubber or thin parts of these belts. Serpentine belts are also one of the easiest parts to replace on a car.
Easily Replaceable Car Parts
Finding used car parts is easy if you have a car that saw huge production numbers. You may want to look into an engine type that fit into other models from that manufacturer.
Research cars that last a long time, such as models from Honda, Toyota, and Subaru. Some of the parts that wear out fastest are also the easiest to replace because of standardisation.
Batteries, spark plugs and belts come in standard sizes for several cars. Exterior parts, such as headlamps, fenders, windshields and exterior lamps are easily replaced by finding scrapped, vehicle trading of parts or by having custom glass installed. Even if you can locate car parts online to fix something in a pinch, you still need to know the warning signs of a bad used car before you pay for a huge mistake.
Avoid Cars With These Warning Signs
Mismatched wear on tires might indicate worn suspensions or misalignment. Uneven paint jobs could show that a car suffered an accident at one time and the body had repairs done on it. Look for metal floaties in the coolant reservoir, which is a sign that the radiator may not have had proper service sometime in the past. Dark-colored oil and transmission fluid may spell doom for certain parts of the car very soon as the car’s previous owner might not have kept up the regular maintenance schedule.
Here at Dodson’s Japanese Parts World, we supply used Japanese car parts for popular brands such as Toyota, Honda, Mitsubishi, Nissan, and Subaru. We offer sound advice for replacing Japanese auto parts on all makes and models. Let us get you back on the road with peace of mind that your car has the right parts for the right price. Give us a shout today!