Purchasing a New, PreOwned Vehicle?

Are you looking to purchase a new car for yourself, your family or a new teen driver?

There’s a lot of information on buying used cars out there, and we don’t think it’s possible to go into a purchase with too much information!

We all know the engine is the heart of the vehicle and is the first thing we think of when we think of a major repair. Knowing the engine is in good operating condition when you buy a pre-owned vehicle is one item on your check list we can help check off during a pre-purchase inspection.

The next major component is the condition of the transmission when considering a pre-owned vehicle. We want to help explain why, and how to make sure your prospective buy is everything you want it to be. Since people often pay far less attention to the transmission, or don’t know what to watch out for we want to make sure you are informed. Transmissions are one the most expensive and difficult to replace items on a car. Sometimes replacing an entire transmission can cost you more than the value of the car itself, so it’s important to make sure when you buy pre-owned, you get a vehicle that has had regular transmission service completed.

During your test drive, pay attention to irregular behavior while driving the car, and make sure it is run it through a range of tests. Low speed driving, cold starting and driving, highway driving, hard acceleration from a stop, acceleration while moving (hard enough to cause the transmission to downshift) and light acceleration are all necessary to completely observe how a transmission is functioning.

If the vehicle ever slips, shifts excessively hard or way too late, takes a second to engage in reverse or drive when shifted out of park, then we recommend you have the vehicle inspected one of our technicians before making a decision. While it’s possible the issue isn’t anything big, we always feel it’s best to assume that it is something worth looking closer at. You should always request that the seller or dealer allow you to bring the vehicle to us for an inspection that can take an hour or so. This will give us the opportunity to look at all aspects of the vehicle that you can’t see.  Transmission problems are one area where you don’t want to take a risk, even if the vehicle otherwise runs and performs well.

If you have any questions about a pre-owned vehicle you plan to purchase, call or bring it by Tucker Tire and Auto so that one of our technicians can help ensure you are getting the best for your money.

Until Next Time….

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