[size=14pt]Four clues to major problems and "no deal"

Shopping for a used car is tough enough, what with all your choices of makes, models, mileage, color, but your biggest concern is getting ripped-off. Most used cars are sold "as-is", with no warranty and no safety net for making a bad decision. Having a certified mechanic inspect the vehicle is always the best protection, but here are a few things you can -and should- check on your own to uncover some potentially deal-breaking problems.

Have the owner open the hood and then look for the oil fill cap. This is where fresh engine oil is added to the engine and your best opportunity to evaluate the inner workings of the engine. With the engine off and cool (don't burn yourself), twist off the cap and look at the underside. If it looks like a chocolate milkshake, coolant has leaked into the engine and mixed with the oil. This means expensive repair work and maybe a complete overhaul. (see picture below)



While you have the hood open, look carefully at the steel cross member (it runs across the car at the radiator) and the inside of the fenders. A vehicle that has been repaired from an accident may have tell-tale signs in these areas. Look for mismatched paint or paint overspray along the fenders. At the cross member, look for new steel welded in place. The photos here show a vehicle that was in a wreck and repaired with less-than-quality workmanship. Note how the left (undamaged side) of the cross member is smooth and welding is neat and clean. The steel on the other side is distorted and the welds are uneven and sloppy.

When inspecting a used car, start it up and then walk to the rear and observe the exhaust. Dark smoke (black or bluish in color) may indicate an internal engine problem. White smoke on a warm day can possibly mean coolant leaking into the engine, usually through a blown head gasket. However, if the outside temperature is cold, the white smoke could be nothing more than steam (like the condensation of your breath in very cold weather).

Fluid leaks may indicate a very minor problem or a really expensive fix. Look under the vehicle where it is normally parked. After a test drive, give the vehicle a few minutes and then look around the engine and under the vehicle again. Other than clear water dripping from the air conditioner components as condensation, all other leaks should be checked out by a mechanic.

Is a Check Engine warning light a big deal?

If you're test driving a used car and notice the dashboard warning "Check Engine" or "Service Engine Soon" illuminated, you should know right away that the vehicle needs to be inspected by a professional mechanic. It means that the on-board computer has found a problem which requires attention.

But it does not necessarily mean the vehicle should be discarded from your shopping list. Often, the fix for problems like this is relatively easy and inexpensive. Your local mechanic will have a small hand-held "scanner" that plugs into the computer to read out the stored "codes". Armed with this info he can determine if the problem is an expensive fuel injection system or simply a loose wire. Be sure to get a written estimate from the mechanic

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Jucol is now Artic_life till almighty moderator lifts the ban.

May be we go ROJA moderator with one tokunbo DIESEL car