Don't Buy A Used Car Until You Pop The Hood

Don't Buy A Used Car Until You Pop The Hood

Most people know the urgency behind performing an under the hood check before they purchase a used car. But do you really know what you're looking for, or do you just do it out of habit? You want to check under the hood to make yourself aware of any costly repairs that may be in your car's future or possibly as soon as you drive off the lot. Before popping the hood be sure that the car is completely off and that the engine hasn't been running very long. If the engine was running previously, give the car some time to cool off. There are areas under the hood that could be very hot to the touch. You are checking the following items by popping the hood: transmission fluid, brake fluid, power steering fluid, anti-freeze level, engine oil level, belts and hoses and the battery. Now, you usually never want your car running when checking under the hood, but the exception is when you're checking transmission fluid. This can be confirmed by looking in your car's owner's manual. You're looking for the transmission fluid to be reddish or pink in color with a syrupy texture. The owner's manual will tell you what particular type of transmission fluid the car will take. When checking the brake fluid you will look under the hood right in front of where the steering wheel is located. Most cars will let you check the brake fluid level without opening the cap because exposing brake fluid to air causes the fluid to absorb moisture and lower its boiling point. If you notice that the brake fluid level is less than two thirds full it should be a huge red flag. You would need to get the car checked out immediately and it could result in a major problem. You will also want to make the seller aware of this issue because it could result in brake failure. Next, check your power steering fluid. Ask the seller how many times they have had to fill the power steering fluid on an annual basis, if it' s more than twice a year the car could have a leak, another costly repair. Additionally, you will want to check the coolant, or anti-freeze level next as this prevents the car from overheating. Take notice if the fluid level is under the defined line mark, if so this could be another sign of a leak or that the car is constantly overheating. If the car is prone to overheating, repairs will require the mechanic to essentially pull the car apart to find the cause. Checking the engine oil level is a necessity when looking to purchase a used car. An engine can't run for a minute without oil, or serious engine damage will ensue. The main concern here is to make sure oil expenditure is not rapidly escalating. You'll probably need a mechanic to check the belts and hoses because they run some major components within the car. Belts are responsible for the correct running of the water pump, power steering pump, alternator and the emission control pump. You may be able to check the car's hoses visually and by touch. You're looking for dry cracked rubber and ballooning of the hoses, either of these will require a repair in the near future. You can visually check the battery by making sure the top of the car battery is clean and dry and the terminal connections are tight. Checking under the hood of a used car, or any car for that reason can give you an excellent insight into the condition of a car that you may be about to purchase. Although checking some components under the hood may require help from a mechanic, use these steps as a basic guideline.

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