Have a pre-purchase inspection performed
The best thing you can do before purchasing a used vehicle is to have a pre-purchase inspection (or PPI) carried out. It’s a simple process: find and pay a local mechanic to have the vehicle you’re considering inspected to ensure there are no hidden problems. It’s a small price to pay for peace of mind.
Get a vehicle history report
The next best thing you can do before purchasing a used vehicle is to request the history report. Make sure there are no mileage inconsistencies or major aircraft accidents recorded that could compromise the value or safety of the vehicle.
Make sure routine maintenance is taken into account. And if it’s not in the history report, ask the dealer for proof of this maintenance, whether it’s handwritten logs or paper receipts.
Make sure you get under any used car if possible. Make sure there are no signs of rust. Look and feel under the wheel arches, and don’t forget to take a look under the loading floor.
Buy the right rubber
Whether it’s a good set of winter rubber or a beefy summer (or all-season) tire package, the right tires can make or break how capable an all-wheel drive car is in the ice and snow or on hot stretches of winding asphalt. If the tires currently on the used AWD car you are looking at do not meet the requirements (whether this is due to the current age or tread depth of the tires, or the specific model of tire wrapped around the vehicle’s wheels), be sure to make this known to the selling dealer.
Chances are they won’t put a new set of rubber on the vehicle, or even cut enough of the price to afford a set themselves, but it’s possible they will drop the price by a few bills if this is the difference between a deal or no deal. In any case, be sure to set aside a few hundred dollars for a set of winter tires if you live in a colder part of the country, and/or for a better set of summer or all-season shoes so you can make the most of the car’s capabilities in warmer weather.
Interior wear
All vehicle interiors wear out as they age, but some do this better than others. Some of this is due to the materials of the vehicle itself, and some is due to the owner’s negligence. Cracks and stains, broken HVAC vents and controls, and scratched dashboards and door panels are often signs of the latter (unless you see the same pieces in mediocre shape on multiple examples of a given vehicle, in which case there’s a good chance that piece of the car’s innards is a weak point).
If you notice excessive wear and tear on the interior, chances are the previous owner treated the rest of the car with the same disdain. We recommend that you distance yourself from such a potentially poorly maintained vehicle, or at least do your best to negotiate a particularly good sales price with the dealer to take into account possible problems that may arise in the future.
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