Pre Owned buyers Guide Oakland University

What to look for when buying a pre owned vehicle. Test drive the vehicle that you are interested in. Pay attention to if it pulls left or right, hard shifting or there is an unusual engine noise. Look under the vehicle for any leaks. Does the car have an unusual odor? This could have several implications of leaks, water as well as coolant . Look at the fit and finish of the body panels. If there are large gaps between panels or if the doors, trunk or hood don’t close completely it probably has structural damage. Run your hand along the paint, if it feels rough it may have been painted. You can also use a magnet on the metal panels to see if there is any bondo. This is not a good sign that the car was fixed correctly. Look for rust Uneven tire wear or bald tires  Get it inspected Know who you are buying from

Purchasing from an A Dealer An A Dealer is someone who owns a franchise like Chevrolet, Toyota or Volkswagen. These dealers are heavily regulated by Federal and State governments. They have huge investments in their infrastructure. These dealers will do extensive inspections on their pre owned vehicles by factory trained technicians. They will also bring the vehicle into factory specs before selling it. An A Dealers reputation is very important to him and the manufacturer that they represent. They will not want to damage it by selling something they should not. An A Dealer will file all of your paper work with the state. Much better than waiting in line at the Secretary of State

A Dealer continued An A Dealer has the ability to place a warranty on the vehicle that will cover the cost of a malfunction. These warranties do not include wear and tear items like tires, wiper blades or brakes. An A Dealer can sell you a factory certified vehicle. This will go through and even more thorough inspection process. Giving you additional benefits. Each manufacturer is different but some of the benefits include an extended warranty, pre paid maintenance, roadside assistance, On Star and XM radio. An A dealer will provide you with vehicle reports like Car Fax that will give you a report of any accidents that the car has been in, open safety recalls and in some cases service history. Full service, an A Dealer will have a shuttle or loaner vehicle available while you are getting your vehicle serviced At a dealers lot you can look at many vehicles at once saving you time and energy. A dealer will want to make sure you get a vehicle that is right for your environment. You do not want a rear wheel drive vehicle in Michigan. You will also want to make sure you have anti lock brakes. It can get very slippery around here.

Example of an A Dealer

Example pf an application for title or RD108

Example of a title

Odometer statement

Purchase agreement

Example of a salvage title

A B Dealer These dealers look a lot different than a franchised dealer. They may be called Joe’s used cars or even car max…… They are much less regulated than that of a franchise dealer. They typically have very little investment in their buildings and infrastructure They will not have factory trained technicians inspecting their vehicles. They will not be able to sell certified or get you a factory backed warranty. They may not disclose sub par repairs. They are typically not a large part of their community nor do they help support their community.

Example of a B Dealer

For Sale By Owner This is a category that I would like you to be extra cautious about. Many times you will be buying someone else's problems. They have no: regulations, warranties, factory trained technicians to do inspections or responsibility to disclose any safety recalls or issues. The phrase “Buyer be ware” applies to this group especially. You need to make sure you take someone with you if you are going to look at a private owners vehicle. Go during the day. Make sure they are agreeable to allowing you to get the vehicle inspected. If they don’t want you to, don’t buy it