According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. as many as one of every four of the used cars that arrive on the marketeach year have had their odometers rolled back. While federeral law prohibits this roll-back and while you can receive up to threre times the actual value of any car that you buy if you can prove that a car has had its odometer tampered with, this illegal practitice continues. While even experts will tell you that it's not always possible to sport an odometer that has been "rolled back," there are signs that suggest the mileage may not be as low as shown.
- Look at the overall condition of the car both inside and out. Does it look its age? Check for wear on the seat, driver's-side door armrest, windowsill, and on the steering wheel.
- Look at the brake pedal pad. Does it seem overly worn? Generally, a pedal pad will last up to 50,000 miles before it shows wear.
- Look at the condition of the carpet under the pedals. If it seems excessively worn or if it has holes, chances are the car has in excess of 50,000 miles. Be aware that new carpeting may have been installed to help conceal signs of the true mileage.
- Look for lubrication or oil change stickers on the front door jamb and under the hood in the engine compartment. It's possible that whoever turned the mileage back might have forgotten to remove a sticker showing the mileage when oil was changed.
- Check the tires. Normally a set of tires should last up to 40,000 miles. If the car shows 20,000 miles and the tires are nearly bald or, if they appear brand-new, find out why.
Previous Maiatenance and Care
Ideally, you want to buy a car that shows signs of the previous owner's pride of ownership. Ask to see the maintenance books. If they aren't available, or if they haven't been filled out, find out why and then be doubly diligent in your inspection.
Checking the Interior
Next, inspect the interior of the car. Check out everything that turns un and everything-like the seats-that was designed to move. At the same time, ask yourself, does the car look like the owner kept it in good condition? Make a note of your first impression. Is the car clean-inside and out? How does it smell inside? If you smell mildew there could be a leak, or worse, the car could have been in a flood. Do you smell gas? - does it seem as if someone has just emptied a bottle of air freshener in the car? Unusual smells might suggest the seller's effort to hide a problem.
Sit in each seat and bounce. Is the seat firm? Check the operation f all the seat belts. Do they extend properly, fasten correctly, and : remain snug against your body? Open the glove box and check for both the owner's manual and the maintenance record book
Electrical System
Electrical problems can be one of the biggest headaches. Check to make sure that all the electrical accessories work-all the time. Turn them on one at a time and then all at the same time and in different series. Do they work? Do the lights dim when you turn everything on? Check all the exterior lights, including high and low beams, parking lights, turn signals, brake lights, back-up lights, and trunk light. Test the tiwipers and the washer system if the car has one.
Instrument Panel lights and Gauges
Check all the lights and gauges on the instrument panel. The most important are the oil-pressure and temperature gauges. If the car has dash lights for these functions, the lights should come on when you turn the ignition key to the first position. If they do not light up, they may have burned out or there may be a problem. In either case, they should be fixed before you buy.
Trunk
The last "interior" inspection is in the trunk. Be sure that the tire tools lug wrench, jack-are in the trunk. Be sure that the jack fits the jack points as described in the owner's manual and that the lug wrench fits the tire lugs. Lift the rug or mat and check for water and any signs of rust.On the next three pages, you'll find a checklist that you may find helpful when performing your walk-around inspection.
