Thinking Of Buying A New Car?
So You’ve had your car for a few years and feel like you want to upgrade. That's understandable. I think we all experience that same feeling at some point. Maybe your family size has changed, and it’s time to get a larger or smaller vehicle.
Do you want a compact car or a SUV? Maybe you saved a little money and want a muscle car. Whatever reason, purchasing a new car is a big investment and for many people and it may represent a financial decision that will impact the next several years of a person's life.
Most people buy their cars at a dealership, and if you do, here are a few tips for your test drive.
Listen, listen, listen. You should be listening for ANY unusual noises. Don’t let a salesman blow off your concerns. Always follow your first instinct. When you are sitting in the vehicle at the dealership, test everything. Heated and power seats, power mirrors, sun visor lights...etc. If there is a tire pressure sensor (TPMS) light on, have the salesman set the tire pressure before your test drive. He may shoot back with, "I’ll have the tire pressures before you take the car home". No! You don’t want to find out later that a TPMS sensor is bad, or worse yet the sensor signal receiver. Those can be costly. Anything and everything needs to be working before you drive off the lot. Let the car warm up. Does it run hot, any engine noise? Rattles, squeals, grinding? Engine idle too high or too low? These are all causes for concern.
Most car salespeople will tend to prattle on while you are in the car to distract you. However, while you are doing the initial inspection do not be afraid to ask them to remain quiet so you can hear any noises. I do it and never feel bad about it. It’s your money, remember that. The salespeople only care about selling the car, not about the car meeting your criteria, after all, he IS going to try and sell you an extended warranty. When the time is appropriate, ask questions.
When driving off the lot, take the vehicle out into traffic. With the normal stop and go traffic, you will be testing your new car every mile you drive. It’s natural for you to want to see just how fast your potential new car will go but drive normal or even slow at first.
When you are using the brakes do you feel a vibration or pulsation? Does the steering wheel shake? Do the brakes make squealing or grinding noises? Is the brake pedal feel squishy or feel hard? If you sense any brake issues, take it back and keep looking. Don’t even let them try and tell you that the extended warranty will cover whatever the problem is.
Pay attention when you are making turns. Pull into an empty parking lot and do slow circles in both directions. Do you hear any clicking or grinding? If there is noticeable steering feedback, this could indicate suspension problems or maybe a bad alignment.
When you shift into drive or reverse, do you hear or feel a clunk? This may indicate a transmission problem or even broken engine or transmission mounts. Does the transmission shift smoothly? Any of these issues will be extremely expensive to repair. An extended warranty will most likely not cover the mounts and possibly deny the transmission repair also.
Under acceleration does the car feel sluggish? Like you are dragging an anchor? There could be several issues causing this. There may not be a check engine light on, but that doesn’t mean the dealership didn’t just simply turn the light off so they can sell the car. The car may have a clogged catalytic converter. This can be very costly depending on which type of converter the vehicle has. The main thing is to be hyper aware of the feel and sound of the vehicle.
As always, we suggest a pre-purchase inspection.