I am test driving an 02 Certified Honda Civic tomorrow....
What are the key areas that I should be paying close attention to in regard to the car?
First time buyer, so I have little knowledge about all this. Thanks!
2006-12-08 01:40:13 · 6 answers · asked by LG 1 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Buying & Selling
Drive the car, and be sure it runs smoothly, stops without pulling and has no abnormal noises. Make sure that you are comfortable with the car, and all the controls work.
Then take the car to a qualified independent mechanic to have it checked out!!!! Certified does not mean perfect! Depending on the dealer, it could mean nothing at all! Pay to have the car checked out by someone who had no interest in selling you a vehicle, and you have a true indication of any problems!!
If the dealer does not want to let you take it to your own mechanic, then do not buy the car!!!!
2006-12-08 02:47:02 · answer #1 · answered by fire4511 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Like the previous person said, just listen for any rattles or strange noises. Take someone with you who can look at the exhaust of the car as you are driving it. Have them look to see if any blue smoke is coming out of the tail pipe. That would signal that the engine is burning oil. If the car is only a 2002, the engine shouldn't be a problem. Regarding the body, look around the wheel wells for any signs of rust. Look at how the hood and trunk line up with the rest of the car. If the hood or trunk seem to be higher or lower than they should be it might signal that the car was in an accident and those parts were replaced. I would recommend that you only buy a used car from a new car dealer.
2006-12-08 10:37:05 · answer #2 · answered by recruiter74 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The first thing you will want to check before anything else is to see if the car was in an accident. There are tell tale signs that give away if a car was wrecked then repaired. Look for overspray under the hood, trunk, doors. Also look to see if the bumbers have been painted as these are the most repaired part of all cars. Look for tape lines on doors and lids and look to see if the paint matches on all panels of the car. Also look to see if any parts of the car seem newer then surrounding parts. If there is anything suspect that would look like the car may have been repaired from an accident you will want to dig in deeper to see how bad the wreck was. If it was just a minor cosmetic repair and you can live with it then go for it. If there was more serious damage like frame strightening, major drivetrain, suspension or other type of major repair you may want to steer clear of the car.
2006-12-08 17:36:24 · answer #3 · answered by Opinions are just like... 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
How does it run? Is it smooth, quiet, and easy to handle?
Does everything seem to be working properly?
Does it make any rattle noises? How does it feel? Does it feel smooth or rough? How is the acceleration? Does it feel smooth, and responsive? What about braking? How is the ride quality?
How does the body and interior looks? Any dents outside or stains/tears inside?
Those are a couple of key things I check for. You will notice when something isn't quite right. Good luck tomorrow!
2006-12-08 09:48:58 · answer #4 · answered by ss_silverado01 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Strange sounds.
Overheating.
But you won't find problems on such a young Honda. So in this case, more important: do you LIKE the car? (design, color, noise-levels on highway...)
2006-12-08 11:00:45 · answer #5 · answered by · 5 · 0⤊ 2⤋
take it to a mechanic first - a carfax wont always tell you everthing
2006-12-08 11:56:28 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋