If you're driving around in a "Craigslist Special," you either wanted to get a must-buy gem or a car, or you're getting a car that you can afford. Regardless of the possible problems, some people just don't have the money to buy new cars or even used cars off the lot. Before driving around too much, consider a few way to get your car's mystery problems fixed whether you can see the problem or not.
A General Inspection with a Trusted Mechanic
Before getting into specific problems, you need to understand the importance of a general inspection. Short of going to the engineers that designed your specific car, the best thing you can do for your used car purchase is to get a detailed inspection from a trained professional.
It's easy to miss small problems, and not uncommon for major issues to go unseen until a major failure happens. Although many hobbyists and do-it-yourself survivalists can be very handy with making vehicles work for them, it's a far cry from getting a mystery car into safe and reliable shape with few future surprises.
The problem is in finding a professional you can trust. No matter the job, you run the risk of going totally ignorant to someone who could make up problems and charge whatever they want. Unfortunately, a quick crash course in car repairs won't help against the most tenacious tricksters.
Your best bet would be to look up reviews for the specific mechanic, and to have multiple options open. Inspections usually cost money, but don't spend more than $100 on just having the car looked at in total. If you can get free inspections, make sure to get the results in writing.
When the results are done and you have the information in writing, ask a few other mechanics. If you're getting the same answers, it's probably best to stick with the mechanic who gave you the inspection.
Document, Compare & Brag About Repairs
Get a detailed list of each repair before the job is done. Again, you want this in writing in case any estimates increase, just so you have a documented explanation of how much more you have to pay and what.
The power is still in your hands to visit another mechanic, but keep in mind that you'll have to confront the current mechanic and get some sort of towing service if the car is completely torn down. That's why it's best to get as many agreements about the work being done in writing; to make sure you're in a good position after each repair.
It's not just your safety and security that improves with these steps. If you have a great repair and professional relationship with the car repair team, you should boost their popularity with a great rating and continued business.
Contact a car repair company like Jensen Tire & Auto to get a closer eye on those mystery problems that may be lurking under cars from Craigslist, the old classified ads in newspapers, or anywhere that isn't a brand dealership.
Share17 July 2017
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