Buying Used Car – Any additional information ?

[David]

Hi guys, how’s everyone going ?

So I’m now in the market for a used car, & have watched Erics’ video’s on inspecting used cars, just wondering if anyone can add anything to them?

The car I’m pretty much set on is a 98′ – 03′ Mazda 323 Astina manual, (I’m from Australia, so may go with different name in the U.S.), with a few in the list, some from Dealers, some private sales.

Is anyone familiar with these cars that can share their experiences? perhaps there’s some things I should be aware that may not be an issue with other makes/models ?

Regarding dealers though, the car I’m planning on checking out has 250,000km (about 155,000miles), are there any common things that they do to make a vehicle look, sound, run better to make the sale ? Th Ad unfortunately doesn’t say much, and I haven’t much luck getting replies for questions, so I might just make a list of Q’s to ask, along with my checklist.

I’m not a mechanic, but do like working on my own things rather than gambling with a mechanic. I have looked into getting a pre-inspection though, but the cost ($275 – $375) is a significant chunk of my ($3000) budget, so I’m planning on just doing as much research as I can be checking it out.

So if anyone can throw in some tips that may not have been mentioned in Erics videos, or any experiences with Mazda vehicles (specifically 98′ – 03′)

Topic

[Bluesnut]

Buying any used car is a crapshoot. Even a very thorough inspection is not a guarantee of a problem free car. It helps your odds a bit is all.

Used to be a compression test was done first to verify the health of the engine top end but spark plugs can often be difficult to access and many people would rightly not want someone to go dining around with their car.

One thing that can help to easily verify engine top end health is to use a vacuum gauge. Those can be connected easily to an intake manifold vacuum source.
Start the engine and allow it to idle.
The gauge reading should be about 20-21″ of vacuum at idle with the gauge needle being rock steady.

If all is good there take a lengthy test drive. No radio on, no gabby people with you.
Just pay close attention to how the car shifts, for various noises, vibrations, pulling, and so on.
I didn’t watch Eric’s video so I’m just reciting a bit of what I would do.

[Dave]

Dealers always clean the car inside and the engine bay.
They sometimes spray a black transparent coating to engine compartment and the wheel wells or even rocker panel area.
Have a good look underneath for rust, deep to the center around the engine and transmission or up in the rear bumper area.
You may find shoddy body repairs.
Have a good look if the engine compartment looks washed, look for oil seeps etc that may be present.
If the engine is high mileage it is possible to have an additive in the oil to quiet any ticking when cold. The best check for an engine is cold listen for noise for the first few seconds or minute. Look for any puff of smoke when first started.
Unfortunately the seller will have warmed up the car before you get there so it is quiet and running smoothly.
It i shard to detect an additive it may make the oil feel thicker or stickier than normal.
Have a look for wear and tear signs like under the drivers floor mat, the gas pedal or brake pedal rubber may show the true mileage of the car if you suspect the mileage on the odometer seems oddly low.
If the car is not maintained you will see several things wore out, leaking etc so it is often possible to pick up on that.
If something sticks out at you back away from the deal.

[Mike]

As Dtech494 said, there are signs of heavy use that the seller may not admit to.

With the driver’s door open, grab the back end of the door and try to rock it up and down. If the door is sloppy on its hinges, it’s a sign of hidden heavy use/high mileage. Look at the interior door handle for signs of heavy wear. It might even be loose or broken from years of use, and some people are just plain “ham fisted”, slamming their doors much harder than they need to. If the car has been used by such an indelicate driver, you can count on some of the dashboard controls and switches being abused too. A collapsed or torn seat cushion is another sign of high mileage and a hard life.

[Author]

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