Refining the self-inspection process
Once you have found a suitable vehicle through your process of self-checks, it is important to take the vehicle to a professional automotive facility. An auto shop inspection will refine your own inspection process. A number of remaining checks that your service technician can do would be difficult to do without the proper tools or experience. That is why we strongly recommend that you take this valuable step.
Importance of spending the time
It is impossible to predict the exact amount of time it will take for a mechanic to inspect a vehicle, because the time needed varies widely depending on the make and the model. In general, you should plan on one to two hours. Of course time is money, but the cost of this evaluation will be money well spent. In addition, the cost of any repairs may be deducted from the asking price or used in negotiations.
Finding a shop
For information on finding a high-quality auto shop, search through TheAutoLog.com database, contact the Better Business Bureau, you Chamber of Commerce, the American Automobile Association (AAA), or the Bureau of Automotive Repairs in you area. You may want to visit two or three shops to find the one you are most comfortable with. Once indication of quality is when a station is A.S.E.-certified, which means that they technicians have passed testing in their area of specialization. These certificates are usually posted in the repair shops.
Which Tests?
Give the service technician the notes you took during your pre-checks. This will help the technician check certain problems that concern you.
In addition, here's a Vehicle Inspection Report that includes those items that should be covered by your service technician. Talk to your service technician about the items that apply to the vehicle you are considering for purchase. The technician should know which specific items to cover based on the year, make, and model of the vehicle you are considering. *You may wish to use this sample form, or your repair shop may have their own inspection report form.
A compression test may or may not be needed, depending on the age of the car and the mileage on it. On some vehicles, spark plugs can be so buried and so difficult to remove to check the compression that it may not be worth the trouble of the cost. *Some models of vehicles require a lot of time to test because of the difficult location of the spark plugs or removing the injectors on diesels.
In most cases, an electronic scope test will give an accurate cylinder readout. Some models are easy and it never hurts to check. Ask the technician which process would be easier and what the technician would suggest in light of the mileage, the age of the car, and so on. On older vehicles, a cylinder leakage test may be useful.
This inspection is visual only. The only tools needed are for checking fluids, pressure, or electronic scope testing. But if the vehicle has a specific problem that can’t be diagnosed visually, it will require further troubleshooting.
Some problems likely
Most of the time a complete inspection reveals some problems – you seldom find the perfect vehicle in perfect condition. The goal is to find a vehicle that is in the best possible condition. *Cars are mechanical contraptions that are subject to breakdown or failure anytime and anywhere. They resemble human bodies in that if you take care of them, they will last longer and serve you better. The instant a vehicle is driven off the showroom floor, parts begin to wear out, some faster than others. Brakes and clutches, for example, are made to wear out. There comes a time in the life of the car when the giant sucking sound of dollars for parts exceeds the vehicle’s worth.
What you need to consider here is what the seller is asking for the vehicle, the market value of the vehicle, the general condition value or its present value, and the cost that it may take to get the vehicle back to its market value. This information will help you decide whether the vehicle is worth the price the seller is asking or whether the two of you can come to a reasonable compromise.
After the Auto Shop Inspection?
-Talk to the service technician about the results of the inspection
-Talk to the technician without the owner present; you will all feel more comfortable this way.
-Ask for a copy of the inspection report and an itemized quote on all or any needed repairs.
-Ask what problems you may expect in the future.
-Make sure you are aware of future maintenance costs.
-Remember, any transaction is between you and the owner. In most cases, the service technician won’t want to get involved.
|
