4 Things to Look for When Buying a Car for Cheap

If you are looking for a car for cheap, there are some things you will want to watch for in order to protect yourself from a bad deal. This doesn’t just apply to used cars, but new cars as well. The list below details 4 different things to look for when buying a car for cheap. Some items relate to new cars in particular and others are better for used car shopping. Either way, if you want to show up as a well informed consumer there are some things you should be on the lookout for.

1. Rust: Rust anywhere on a vehicle tends to signal trouble. If you find it in the radiator fluid, you are probably dealing with a car that hasn’t been taken care of. If you find it on the body, it may not be a concern. However, it may have been driven in cold winter areas where salt is used on the roads. In that case, the rust will eventually eat through into holes. Sometimes it can be a hint the car has been salvaged from an accident or a flood.
2. Oil: Checking the oil on a car can tell you a lot of things. To check the oil, you simply pull out the dipstick and wipe it off. If the oil is dark or dirty this is a bad sign of trouble ahead. If the oil is nearly empty, then it may be leaking, which can mean an expensive fix in some cases. If there are beads of water present in the oil, this can indicate expensive head gasket problems.
3. Tires: The tires of a vehicle say a lot about it. If the mileage is low but the tires are worn, this could be an indicator that the mileage has been tinkered with. This is illegal. It isn’t unheard of to put used tires on a vehicle, but is a little unusual. Similarly, finding a cheap car with very few miles on it is a little unusual. If you notice a disparity like this you should start to ask questions. The tires can also be an indicator of other issues. If the tires are evenly worn on all sides, this is a good sign that things are running smoothly. On the other hand, if certain tires or parts of tires are much more worn than the rest, this can mean the alignment is off, the car has been in a wreck or both. The most common way of getting a car out of alignment is hitting something with it.
4. Warranty: If you are purchasing a new car for cheap, you want to make sure you are being protected by a good warranty. Some used dealers offer warranties as well. If you find a used car with a decent warranty, the same principle would apply. Many lower priced vehicles, like models of Hyundai and Kia, offer spectacular warranties to let consumers purchase the economy price vehicles without worrying about a breakdown. You should most certainly never buy a cheap new car that doesn’t have a good warranty. This tends to be a way of getting stuck with a vehicle that will end up being very expensive after you shell out the bucks for numerous repairs.