{"id":5599,"date":"2021-04-09T08:09:00","date_gmt":"2021-04-09T15:09:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/?p=5599"},"modified":"2022-12-24T00:02:36","modified_gmt":"2022-12-24T00:02:36","slug":"red-flags-when-buying-a-used-car","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/red-flags-when-buying-a-used-car\/","title":{"rendered":"10 Red Flags When You\u2019re Buying a Used Car"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

If you\u2019re in the market for a new car, you need to be careful about where you look. That\u2019s especially true if you\u2019re buying used<\/a>. The condition of a used car all depends on the previous owner. Unfortunately, this means they may try to conceal any problems before putting the car on the market so they can get more money. Seeing through this deception can be tricky if you aren\u2019t prepared. But, if you keep the following red flags in mind, you should be able to sniff out problem cars before you get stuck with a clunker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

1. There Are Warning Lights On<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

First things first \u2014 when you turn on the car, are there warning lights present? Sure, it\u2019s typical for older vehicles to have these come on every so often. That said, if the owner is putting the car up for sale, they should have taken care of any underlying issues beforehand. Having a warning light on when you go for a test drive could mean there\u2019s a serious problem with the car that the owner doesn\u2019t want to fix.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

2. The Paint Doesn\u2019t Match<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

There are a number of exterior and interior things you should check before buying a used car<\/a>, and the paint is one of them. If you see a bright spot of new paint, it could be a sign of several issues. First, the owner may be trying to cover up rust. Second, they could have had a collision or fender bender that damaged the paint or frame. That\u2019s why it\u2019s better to see a car with an original paint job \u2014 you can be sure it wasn\u2019t in an unreported accident.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

3. It\u2019s Rusty<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Speaking of rust, it\u2019s a sign of a slew of problems! While California doesn\u2019t see as much rust as in some other parts of the country, the high sea salt levels in the air<\/a> can eventually cause a layer of rust to form from the top down. While some superficial rust is OK, always check to see if it\u2019s made it to the frame or exhaust. This could lead to serious deficiencies in the car\u2019s integrity \u2014 especially if you\u2019re in an accident. The car may even fall apart while you\u2019re driving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

4. The Carpet Doesn\u2019t Match<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Just like the paint on the outside, you want to make sure it\u2019s the original fabric inside. Most sellers don\u2019t replace the carpet unless there\u2019s a serious problem with it. That means the car was probably flooded or moldy. If you have your suspicions that the carpet was replaced because of extensive water damage, also take a peek to see if there\u2019s a water line in the engine bay.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5. The Price Is Too Good to Be True<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Does the price of the car you\u2019re looking at sound too good to be true? Sorry, it probably is. If a seller is trying to sell a car at an extremely low price, it could mean it\u2019s stolen or secretly has a ton of problems. Your best bet here is to see the market price for the car on a site like Kelley Blue Book<\/a>. If the price the seller is offering varies too much, ask them for an explanation or bail.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

6. The Seller Won\u2019t Agree to an Inspection<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n
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It\u2019s a smart idea to always have a used car inspected by a third-party professional<\/a>. That way, both the buyer and seller can be sure there is no bias on either side. If the seller refuses to agree to an inspection, it could be a sign something is up. This is a standard part of buying a used car, so there\u2019s probably a problem they don\u2019t want you to discover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

7. There\u2019s No Title<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Every state requires cars to have a title proving ownership. The owner of the car receives this title right away if they pay cash for the vehicle. Or, if they took out a loan, they\u2019ll get it from their lender when they pay it off. It is possible for the owner to lose the title, but if that\u2019s the case, there are ways to get a replacement title. If they refuse to show you the title or get a replacement, it could mean the car is stolen.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if the seller does have a title, do a double-check to see if their name matches what\u2019s on it. It\u2019s best to be safe here because if you buy a used car with a bad title, you won\u2019t end up owning the vehicle.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8. The Car Has a Lot of Recalls<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Even the most well-maintained used cars can be slated for disaster. That\u2019s why it\u2019s a good idea to research any model you\u2019re looking into. Some vehicles have a penchant for defects or recalls<\/a>, making them less reliable. Your best bet is to avoid these kinds of models and stick with brands you can trust. You can always check to see which cars have open recalls by entering the VIN on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration website<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

9. The Seller Is Pushy<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Is the seller pushing you to make a deal today? Do they want you to pay in cash immediately? Any seller who\u2019s trying to force you into action is probably up to no good. They may be trying to move a stolen car or just want to get a defective vehicle off their hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

10. The Vehicle History Report Is Shady<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Getting a vehicle history report<\/a> is an excellent idea for any used car, even if you trust the seller. It can help you verify the car\u2019s past when comparing it to its current condition. For example, if the vehicle history report shows no major damage to the car, but you notice the carpets have been replaced as we talked about above, this could be a sign the car was flooded without being reported.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Peace of Mind for Used and New Cars<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Buying a new car? It doesn\u2019t matter if it\u2019s used or new because Cost-U-Less offers affordable car insurance<\/a> for all makes and models. Our insurance provides peace of mind just in case you miss a red flag when picking a car. Get your free online quote today<\/a>, or call us at 800-390-4071<\/a> to learn more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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If you\u2019re in the market for a new car, you need to be careful about where you look. That\u2019s especially true if you\u2019re buying used. The condition of a used car all depends on the previous owner. Unfortunately, this means they may try to conceal any problems before putting the car on the market so […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6823,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[739],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5599"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5599"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5599\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6824,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5599\/revisions\/6824"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6823"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5599"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5599"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.costulessdirect.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5599"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}