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Inspecting a used car is not as difficult as you may think. If your state requires a smog inspection, make sure the car has been inspected. If required, they should be inspected once a year.

1. Paper and a pen Make notes about every car marking down the VIN number, asking price, mileage, car features, what you like, and what you don't like. These notes will help you in the selection process as well as in the final deal negotiation.



2. Printed copy of Used car checklist



3. Small flashlight Whether it's looking underneath the car to check for leaks and corrosion or when looking under oil cap to see the condition of internal engine parts, a small flashlight will be very handy.



4. Small magnet



5. Paper towel



6. CD-disk and tape to check the radio

1. Body: Make sure you look at the body in the daylight. Look for rust, dents and wavy panels. To find out if a vehicle has been damaged, look for bodylines and gaps. If the lines are slightly off, most likely the car has been repaired.



2. Paint: Look for mismatched colors, scratches and dullness of the paint. To determine if the car has been repainted, look for little bits of paint on the rubber moldings, around the chrome and use a magnet to tell you if there is any putty.



3. Doors: Open and close the doors, checking for loose hinges, alignment and the bottom of the doors, (inside and out) for rust. Also check to make sure the key works in both doors.



4. Trunk: Check for rust in the wheel wells and under the mat. Also check for the spare tire and jack.



5. Hood: Check the alignment and check for rust on the front edge.



6. Underneath: Check the floorboards for rust, check for springs, dents and gas tank leaks.



7. Shocks or struts: Bounce one side of the car at a time. It should stop bouncing immediately. Check the inner wheel wells for leaking shocks or struts.



8. Tires: Inspect for cracked rubber, tread depth and uneven wear (this could mean it needs a front-end alignment). Also check the tires for even pressure to make sure the front alignment is truly straight. The required amount of pressure is written on the side of the tire.



9. Exhaust: Check for rust and looseness. To examine the tail pipe, rub your finger on the inside. If it is black and sooty, the car may need a tune up. If it feels gummy, the car burns oil.



10. Glass: Check for any cracks, chips or scratches from windshield wipers.

1. Instrument Panel: Ignition key in on position, (don't start engine) make sure oil light, temp, check engine, seat belt, voltage lights are all lit and go off once engine has been started and stay off. (People sometimes tamper with these lights to give a good impression of the car.)



2. Odometer: Check the mileage carefully. Cars are driven and average of 15,000 miles per year. Check the wear and tear on the brake pad, gas pedal and carpet. See if it compares to the miles on the car.



3. Options: Try every option available to make sure everything works. Including wipers, tail lights, turn signals and head lights. Look for interior painted panels. (If painted, can be scratched off easily with your fingernail).



4. Headliner: It can loose its hold in extreme heat, look for repairs or looseness.



5. Cigarette Burns: Look for repair spots.

1. Engine: Should run smoothly and without excessive noise. "Rev" the engine and listen for lifter noises or a possible knock. Check the tail pipe for smoke.



2. Oil Leaks: Look underneath the engine for leaks. See if there are any leaks on the valve covers on top of the engine. Blowby is when the car uses oil and the engine builds up oil pressure in the engine system and pushes it out the easiest place, which is the oil filler cap; this could mean expensive repairs.



3. Air Cleaner: If there is any oil in the air cleaner, it also means blowby. The inside of the air cleaner should be dry. If it is oily, the excess oil could have been wiped clean. If the car has been maintained well, the air filter should look good and you should be able to see light through it.



4. C.V. Boots: Look at the underneath of a front wheel drive car for a black rubber cone shaped boot connected from the transmission to the inner wheel. Look for rips and tears where sand and gravel could enter and cause damage to the C.V. Joints.



5. Automatic Transmission Fluid: The color should be red. If it smells burnt and looks brown or yellow, it has not been maintained well and it may have transmission problems. Check the level while the car is running at the normal temperature and sitting on level ground. If it's low, it leaks.

1. Start: While starting the car listen for unusual grinding sounds



2. Lights: Headlights, taillights, brake lights and signals should all work.



3. Shifting: You should shift into drive, then reverse, then back and forth a few times when the engine is cold and when it's warm. It should shift smoothly. Listen for unusual clunks or grinds. It could have bad U-Joints or a bad transmission.



4. Steering Wheel: Let go of the wheel for three seconds and check for pulling. Also check to see if it shakes. If there is tightness in the wheel of the car, the rack and pinion could be bad. To replace it is expensive.



5. Brakes: Check for shakes and pulls when brakes are applied. Listen for squeaks or grinds. To check how fast the brakes react, stop suddenly. Also, at this time, you can check for any wheels that may lock up, preferably on a sandy or dirt road.



6. Transmission: It should shift smoothly. Check for sudden shifting; slow shifting or slippage.



7. Clutch: While driving, shift into a higher gear and accelerate. If the engine "revs" up more than your speed, the clutch is slipping. To see how good the clutch is; depress clutch lever at beginning of take off. If the lever releases high, it may need replacing of the clutch pad, which is expensive.



8. C.V. Joints: Stop the car in a parking lot. Turn the steering wheel all the way in one direction. Slowly drive forward with the windows rolled down and listen for clicking in the front wheels. Turn the other way and try it again. If clicking, C.V. Joints are bad.



9. Shut Off and Start: When the engine is running at normal temperature, shut the car off and then start it. See if it hesitates to start again. If it does hesitate, it could mean overheating, a bad battery, a loose wire, a bad engine, bad starter or a bad alternator.

1. It's very important to check operation of the heater and the air conditioner. To do so, start the engine and let it warm up for a few minutes. Turn the A/C on. Unless it's very cold outside, the air conditioner should start working immediately after you switch it ON. Within a few seconds you should be able to feel really cold air blowing from vents. If this is not happening, very possible the air conditioner doesn't work. Be aware, besides the fact that the A/C problem might be quite expensive to fix, this also may indicate that the car has been involved in a frontal collision.



2. Check the heater. Try if all heater fan speeds work. One of the possible problems with the heater may be a leaking heater core that is very expensive to repair. If you feel moist air is coming from the vents with antifreeze smell, and windows become foggy when the heater is turned ON, that may indicate leaking heater core.

When purchasing a used car you should get a diagnostic check up and a mechanics opinion.

Afterwards