Gorham, Liz

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DigitalCommons@USU

A weekly question/answer column What Features Should I Look For On AUsed Car?Liz Gorham* answers:You can tell a lot about a car without driving it an inch. When you find a car that meetsyour year, make and model requirements, here are some things to check. Look the car over on aclear day so that rain, darkness or the glare of the car lot's lights don’t mask symptoms of trouble.•  Check fluids and look for leaks. When the engine is cold, check the radiator to be surethe coolant isn't rusty. In cars with automatic transmissions, be sure the transmission fluidis pinkish and smells a bit like chestnuts. Check the ground under the car as well as thecar's underside for dark stains or puddles. Watch for leaks or stains around brakecylinders, brake hoses, valve- cover gaskets and other engine parts.• Check the body. While you're looking under the car, check the frame for fresh welds orheat- discolored areas. Look for fresh undercoating. Check the car for body panels thatdon't quite match the rest of the car or fresh paint on a car less than 3 years old. • Check the interior. Look for traces of water leaks in the trunk and passenger space,around the windshield and rear window. Try out all interior hardware. Check windowcontrols, safety belts, seat adjustments, and examine doors, windows and trunk lid. Turnon ignition and check the oil light, wipers, washers, radio, heater, air conditioner and anyother gauges and controls. Check lights and signals as well as rubber pedal covers. • Take it for a drive. Check steering and alignment. Be sure the car starts easily and picksup smoothly. Apply the brakes firmly on a deserted road at 45 mph, but don't lock thewheels. The car should stop evenly, quickly and in a straight line in three consecutivestops, and brakes shouldn't grab or vibrate. Check for burning oil by driving at a highwayspeed, taking foot off the pedal, then accelerating for a few seconds. If blue smokeappears, it is probably burning oil. Billowy white smoke indicates that water is gettinginto the combustion chambers, probably from a crack in the engine or cylinder head.• For more information on inspecting a used car, check with your local county Extensionoffice (listed under Utah State University Extension in the white pages) to borrow thevideo “Getting a Car on the Road: What to Look for When Buying a Used Car.” Next week: What sources should I check before buying a used car? * Liz Gorham is Utah State University Extension Family Resource Specialist 

What Features Should I Look For On A Used Car?

https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1288&amp;context=extension_histall

What Features Should I Look For On A Used Car?

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