Used car/truck inspection?

[Billinsd]

From the other thread I decided to create a new post.
How do you inspect, ensure the used car or truck you are buying doesn't have hidden major repairs needed immediately?

I thought, just take it to a mechanic. Some here said if they were selling a truck they wouldn't let a stranger mechanic touch it for fear of damaging it. Makes sense.

I've had one cracked head, and 3 head gaskets fail on my cars/trucks over the years.

What's hard to detect, from my experiences is when a head gasket is JUST starting to leak, or a head JUST developed a crack. What's always determined the leak or crack definitely has been a leak down test.

Are there other definitive, less invasive ways of checking at the earliest stages?

Auto transmission, you just drive it up and down hills, shift it up and down, back and forth?

Of course you check the fluids, look for leaks, look at the radiator overfill reservoir, is it low, does it look like it's been boiling over? Check the codes, check to see if they were recently reset and haven't been cleared yet. Make sure the car/truck is cold, look at it during the day with good light.

Carfax you can check for accidents and work.

Buying a used car/truck can save you money, but how do avoiding getting duped?

 

[realunlucky]

We got a used car last year from a independent dealer. I paid a company to do a pre-purchase inspection. Think it was like 200$ or something and they picked it up and drove it to the shop and put it on the lift.

Used Car Purchase Inspections Salt Lake City | On-Site Inspections

Thinking of buying a used car? On-Site Inspections sends a certified master mechanic to check out the vehicle Don't Buy A Wreck, On-Site Inspect!

onsiteinspecting.com

Anyways it made me feel better and for a couple hundred they take some liability. I'd use something similar again. They took pictures and video and documented the entire process.

Edited to add they noticed the extra passenger retractable roof seatbelt was missing. It's something I might not noticed for awhile but easy to get the dealer to agree to fix before handing over the check

 

[stanginthe11s]

when you go to look at a used car the first thing I do is start the car then have a long conversation with the seller lol. make sure the vehicle gets nice and hot before you test drive it. if the seller tries to turn the car off or seems hesitant, leave. another thing I do is look at and smell the trans fluid. no one ever changes trans fluid, so I get suspicious if its just been changed. of course this doesn't apply to newish car or sticks. other than that I beat the heck out of it on the test drive lol. I had a dealer curl up in the back seat on a test drive once lol.

 

[dtrkyman]

Carfax for starters, a loacl mechanic looking at it would be ideal as well. It goes both ways, I sold my wifes 08 Lexus a couple years ago, we literally never needed a repair on the car, only routine maintanance.

Buyer calledd a few days later claiming it needed a brake booster to the tune of 1700$, told them to get another opinion and it was not a known issue, think they were fishing?

Crazy thing is they claimed the same mechanic who last inspected the brakes is the one who gave them the estimate, anything is possible but that was definitely not expected and they test drove the car and it stopped fine as always.

She was not happy after our conversation but I call BS. on that one!

 

[MudBugVa]

You can pick up a code reader from harbor freight for $30 and see if anything comes up. I also like to do a compression test if they will let me or take it to a mechanic they dont know. Carfax is also a good way to go.

If thats off the table its good to go into full detective mode. Check the fluids (levels and condition), oil/trans leaks, boil over from coolant reservoir, bubbles is coolant reservoir (head gaskets), take a quick sniff of the exhaust, look under the oil filler cap for gunk (head gasket), any silver flecks in the oil, condition of the air filter. Also look hard at any wiring to make sure it hasnt been messed with. Make sure all quarter panels, hood, etc are original. Sneak a peak at the rotors, try taking off with the parking brake on. Drive around with the windows down and radio off so you can hear and clunks, knocks, or pings. Ask lots of questions, especially if work has been done.

If its a high mileage vehicle and they claim that its all highway miles check out the brake peddle. It should be in good shape. If its worn out a lot if those miles were probable in town.

Generally I like to by cars with service records and from people who loved their cars.

 

[keller]

I am a Chrysler tech of 35 years. Do new and used vehicle inspections. Most normal issues can be found in a thorough inspection on a hoist jacked up shake suspension down. I've seen alot two halves welded together etc. Nobody has seen it all in this business. if they say they have don't trust them.the underlying issues always suck.like it won't start below 0 degrees or transmission overheats after driving 300 miles. Works fine when the customer trades it in.