My mom has been shopping for a good used car for me & we haven't had much luck. Just recently we bought a Honda that seemed to be just fine with the exception of a few minor problems, that is, until we actually started driving it. Now she's frustrated because she had to spend about a thousand bucks on repairs & now they're telling her there's a problem with the time belt (whatever that is) & now she just wants to get it fixed & sell it. We thought it was a good deal since it only had over 80K miles on it. So what should we do next time we look for a car?
2007-06-22 03:00:04 · 5 answers · asked by MelloYello 5 in Cars & Transportation ➔ Buying & Selling
My best advice is to shop with someone you trust to know what to look for. IE: mileage, recent maintenance or repairs. Theres alot to consider about a used vehicle.
2007-06-22 03:08:56 · answer #1 · answered by biggjoe 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Never buy a car without taking it to a certified mechanic for a full inspection. If the car is at a dealer, do not trust the dealer if he says they already inspected it. Take it to an independent service center that you trust. It's money well spent.
If they don't agree to this, walk.
On timing belts. Every car with 80K miles needs a new timing belt. An inspection probably would have told you if the belt had been changed or not.
Any used vehicle with 80K miles will need some repair. You didn't say what the Thousand bucks was for but based on that and the fact the car needs a timing belt is probably why the car was sold in the first place. If you didn't spend too much for that Honda those repairs are worth it. Now that those two repairs are done you'll probably have several thousand miles of maintenance free driving.
2007-06-22 10:30:40 · answer #2 · answered by mccoyblues 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A timing belt(serpentine belt) is normally replaced around 100,000 miles, your's is ready for that change. It isn't all that expensive, if it snaps while you are driving, you might as well junk the car, as the motor will need replacing. You say it seemed fine, until you "actually started driving it", did you not do a thorough test drive? If she has invested 1,000dollars already, the car should be in pretty good shape now, unless you fail to replace the timing belt. When shopping for a used car, you must have some knowledge about cars and the proper maintenance of cars, you simply cannot expect to have a decent runner, if all you do is put gas in, and occasionally change your oil, cars require regular maintenance and repair. Belts wear out, hoses do too. With Honda's electrical parts are expensive, however, a Honda is one of the most reliable,dependable cars made,and have excellent resale value. Keep the car, and replace the timing belt. While the mechanic is there, there are a couple hoses/belts nearby that should be replaced at the same time, this will save you money in the long haul, by taking care of it now, instead of waiting for something to fail and fixing it then.
2007-06-22 17:46:10 · answer #3 · answered by fisherwoman 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Next time take the car to a mechanic and have it inspected by him. Do this before you buy the car not after. If the seller will not agree to this, then don't buy it. You can also look in the yellow pages and find companies that will come out to your house and inspect the car. It may cost a 100 bucks or more, but it will be worth it. Neighbor did that, and the inspector spent about 8 hours going over the car, he was very thorough.
2007-06-22 10:09:13 · answer #4 · answered by Fordman 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am not a big fan of used cars, because you just never know. On the other hand, if you buy a certified pre-owned used car from the dealer, you'll at least get an excellent warranty
2007-06-22 10:26:11 · answer #5 · answered by JeffyB 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋