You should first plan on spending as long as possible on your test drive. Fifteen minutes is not enough time. You want to thoroughly examine the car and definitely have a mechanic check it out.
Take a look at the vehicle overall. Do the body parts line up? Does the paint match? Will doors open and close easily? Do the tires look like they wear evenly?
Check under the hood. You may not know exactly what you are looking at, but thats okay. Look for leaky hoses, worn belts, and dirty oil. Ask the dealer to show you the automatic transmission fluid. Smell it. If there is a burned odor, steer clear. The fluid should be clear and reddish. Transmission repair costs are not pretty.
Have someone show you the radiator water. It should have a light yellow or green color. Make sure all of the warning lights and gauges work. Start the car and check all lights and functions. And here is a no brainer make sure no warning lights remain lit on the dashboard.
Look at the airbag indicator lights. If these lights do not illuminate as you start the car, or if they stay lit after the car is running, they are not working correctly.
Try on the seat belt. Test the vehicle in the early evening to determine the headlight visibility. If you already have a child safety seat, go ahead and install it. Not all seats are compatible with all cars.
Accelerate up to 35 40 MPH. Is shifting smooth and steering straight? When braking, a pull to the left or the right could indicate a problem.
If you buy via the classifieds, make sure to check the name on the title and match it to the name on the sellers drivers license. Just to be safe.
It would be nice to find the little ladys almost new car that was not driven more than 15,000 miles a year. Of course, low miles on the odometer would be a big plus, too. Even then, you can not assume that a low mileage car is necessarily in great shape.
One major concern is odometer tampering. So do your homework. Ask for a detailed service history report. If records were not kept, you can check things out for yourself with the vehicle identification number. Provide this VIN number to your state vehicle history company to get a record of the cars former life.
Remember, no matter how in love you are with a car, think twice before purchasing one thats been wrecked. You do not need anyone elses problems. There are dozens of other cars you could enjoy just as much.
So test drive more than one car. You will never regret a wise, well thought out purchase.
Advertisers have seized upon a new way to get the word out about their products: slap their ads on your vehicle. Actually, this isn't an entirely new way to promote products as it has been in the experimental stages for years in limited markets. Now, however, the practice has become so widespread that companies around the globe are doing it. Soon, many cars in Mexico and France along with vehicles on the streets of California, Florida, and elsewhere will be sporting ads pitching a variety of products. In some cases the advertisers will pay you a monthly rental fee to place ads on the car you already own, while in other cases you could find yourself behind the wheel of a brand new car.
When I first heard about this concept, I thought: what's the catch? While every program is different and there are probably scammers mixed in with the legit companies, for the most part these "ads on wheels" or "rolling billboard" programs are on the up and up. You'll have to check with the individual program for contractual details, but this is what I have found out about what some of them are offering:
Drivers must be of legal age, generally age 18 or above.
Drivers must reside in targeted countries with the U.S., Canada, France, the Philippines, Mexico, Japan, and Britain as being popular locations.
Drivers must do what they do best: drive, a lot! Yes, no letting your wheels stay put; you'll be expected to put some serious miles on your car, especially around town where everyone can see and look at your ride.
In some cases, you can use your own car and get a monthly check. In other cases, you will be given a car for a certain period of time. In the latter situation, you may be responsible for gas, maintenance, and insurance, so make certain that what you get from the "rolling ads" is worth it to you.
So, who are some of the advertisers? Without specifying names, I have seen vehicles for a certain gecko insurance company, another for a big box retailer of consumer electronics equipment, while still another one for a local restaurant with it's "can't miss" repainted PT Cruiser. In addition, there are many other advertisers who see the value and uniqueness of the program and are joining in.
Yes, there are exaggerated claims of how much you could make each month or what type of car you might be getting. Sure, a Viper with ads would be cool, but can you afford the gas and the $3000 car insurance bill? Probably not. Therefore, do some "due diligence" to find out the plan that is right for you.
Rolling billboards are a novelty, one that many drivers will want in order to gain access to a new set of wheels or a repaint of their current ride. Still, for a lucky few, these types of programs will certainly help their cars get noticed. When the bill is being picked up by someone else, it could be a fun if not lucrative way to get around town.
Both Terry Parker & Matthew C. Keegan are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Terry Parker has sinced written about articles on various topics from Debts Loans, Modelling and Cars. Visit our website for more information on problems and used car buying tips.. Terry Parker's top article generates over 246000 views. to your Favourites.
Matthew C. Keegan has sinced written about articles on various topics from Blogging, Nissan and Limousine Service. Copyright 2006 - Matt Keegan is a freelance writer covering cars, trucks, vans, and SUVs. You can keep your Chevy, Nissan, GM, VW, or other fine tuner running and looking its best by shopping the. Matthew C. Keegan's top article generates over 450000 views. to your Favourites.