Test Driving Your Car | Cars Autos and Motorcycles

June 4th, 2012 by Larry Sabler

Buying a new car is very exciting. But beware of becoming too excited before you know the car is in good conditions. No matter how much you like a certain vehicle, take it for a long, serious test drive.

Push for the longest test drive you can get. Fifteen minutes is simply too short to tell. You need to carefully check the car, and also have a mechanic do the same.

Take a look at the vehicle overall. Do the body parts line up? Does all the paint match all over the car? Are doors opening and closing with little effort? Are the tires in good conditions, and all showing the same amount of wear?

Check under the hood. You don?t have to be a mechanic to do this. Be particularly mindful of leaky hoses, a burnt smell, or worn belts. Ask to see the automatic transmission fluid. Inhale and assess the smell, and if it has a burned odor, something is wrong. The fluid should be clear and reddish. Transmission repair costs are not pretty.

Have someone show you the radiator water. It should run yellow or green in color.

Make sure all of the warning lights and gauges work. Get the car started and check all the lights. And here?s a no-brainer ? make sure no warning lights remain lit on the dashboard.

Take a look at the lights indicating the airbags. If the lights don?t come on when you start the car, or if they continue to stay on when the car is moving, something is not working properly. Try on the seat belt. You should also test the car in the evening to test the headlights. If you already have a child safety seat, go ahead and install it. Not all seats are compatible with all cars.

Speed to 35-40 mph. Are you having any trouble steering, and are the gears shifting with no problem? A car that pulls to the left or right when you hit the brakes might signal a serious problem.

If you are buying the car from an independent seller, match the name on the title with the name on the license. It?s always good to be safe.

You might be lucky and find an old lady?s car that?s only been driven 15,000 miles per year. And it would be great to find a car with few miles. Even in that situation, however, you can?t always believe a car is in good shape.

You should be aware that some people do a fair amount of odometer tempering. So, do a little research. Ask for a detailed service history report. If the owner does not have a report, you can get one with the vehicle identification number. Give the VIN number to your state vehicle history company, and they will get you any information available on the vehicle.

Remember, no matter how in love you are with a car, think twice before purchasing one that?s been wrecked. Avoid adopting someone else?s problems. There are plenty of other cars out there.

Don?t just test drive one car. The more careful you are with your purchase, the happier you will be.

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Tags:automotive,Automotive Care,automotive repair,Autos,Car Buying,car repair,car shopping,Cars and Accessories,vehicles

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