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But where to start?
Evaldas Zabitis, automotive expert atcarVertical, puts it bluntly: A proper inspection is necessary.
But what if you wouldnt know a carburetor from a carburettor?
(Spoiler: Theyre the same thing, ones just British.)
Chris Pyle, aJustAnswerauto expert, has your back.
Yeah, about that.
Ask whats the current state of the known issues and check them yourself.
In other words, that tiny scratch might now be big enough to park a bike in.
Trust, but verify you want to ensure you have all the information before actually buying the car.
Zabitis advises, check that that they know why youre buying a car.
So if your plans involve a cross-country trip with five Great Danes, nows the time to mention it.
Your seller might suddenly remember that the air conditioning only works when Mercury is in retrograde.
This isnt just about covering your rear bumper legally.
You will also getcurrent recalls and infoon prior collisions.
Its like a background check, but for cars.
You might discover that sweet little sedan had a wild past life as a demolition derby champion.
(Probably not, but thats why we check.)
Check jambs for rough feel from overspray indicating it has been repainted.
Check thesteering, suspension and brakeson a test drive, doing some swerving events and hitting some bumps.
Try the transmission in all gears confirming it shifts well when doing a slow, moderate and hard acceleration.
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