How not to buy a used car: Easy mistakes to avoid

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There’s plenty of reading on how to buy a second-hand car, but little reading on how not to.

Based on recent feedback and questions from viewers, readers, friends and family, I figured a recap on the latter might be in order. Below, I’ll share with you a few examples of how not to buy a second-hand vehicle, by way of some short horror stories and cautionary tales. We’ll look at one of the most common causes of used-car horror stories, and how you can protect yourself from starring in one the next time you buy second-hand.

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The first horror story comes from a few years back and involves a shady, old, high-mileage Acura MDX purchased for a very low price. This shopper figured that Acuras tend to be highly rated for reliability and quality, so surely this was a steal of a deal on a first car that would last a few years.

Shortly after the vehicle was purchased, extreme corrosion resulted in a catastrophic collapse of part of the vehicle’s unibody structure. Rust had eaten aggressively through much of the vehicle’s underside, and the vehicle was irreparable and was condemned to the scrapper.

The moral of this horror story? Terror often lurks when shoppers assume a certain badge on the hood means they can skip taking a good a good look around underneath.

The second horror story involves a hard-working father and successful business owner who finally bought a used convertible  sports car to enjoy with his family. The convertible roof starts experiencing problems within days of his purchase, and the car winds up becoming a regular at the local dealership for  subsequent weeks as numerous frustrating repair attempts are made.

Eventually some sensors and switches are replaced and reprogrammed, and the roof is repaired at considerable expense. This is a Sunday drive turned horror tale by a convertible roof that died unexpectedly, leaving a $1,300 repair bill in its wake.

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In our final horror story, a friend texts me a photo of a 7-year-old F-150 with a for-sale sign in the window, and the words “ these are good, eh? ”

“Maybe so, maybe no” I replied.

“I’d get it checked out first, to be safe.” 

That’s a hassle, though. So, figuring the truck looks pretty clean, friend-guy skips the $175 inspection and buys a truck that cost nearly ten times that amount in engine repairs during his first year of ownership. Ironically, some trouble signs were likely apparent the day he’d texted me, but he never bothered to have anyone look for them.

The victims in these horror stories made the same critical mistake: they didn’t check for all the clues. 

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By speeding through the process, both fell victim to vehicles with nasty surprises lurking in wait, because neither took the time to look deeper and inspect for trouble signs. In both stories, a fast buy was favoured over a careful one, and the victims — and their wallets — suffered consequences that could have easily been avoided.

I’m going to tell you a thing that I say very often.

Ready?

“Having the used vehicle you’re considering assessed by a professional technician before purchase is the smartest thing you can do when buying a used car”.

The smartest shoppers know (and do) this, often as a final step before handing over the cheque. 

Others figure the extra cost and time spent on getting a Pre-Purchase Inspection (PPI) is a waste because that Rondo or MX-5 is “only 3 years old” or because their “uncle had two Jeep Wranglers that didn’t give him any problems”. I’ve had commenters say I’m pandering to dealerships, and others tell me that ‘nobody is going to get an inspection before buying a used car”. That’s fake news of course, but the sentiment exists. 

Look, most used cars are going to be relatively trouble-free — but some are concealing pricey issues that the seller would rather you foot the bill for. Avoiding this is easier when you slow down, take your time, and be careful. 

So: don’t buy a used car on your lunch break, or assume it’s healthy because of the odometer reading or badge on the hood.