When you buy a used car, you are making a major purchase that will likely stay with you for several years. Especially when your credit is poor you will want to make sure the car you pick is going to be reliable and cost effective. Here are a few more things to consider when looking for a used car. Keep this in mind while you are shopping for a car in Broken Arrow, OK with car financing for bad credit or no credit.
Transmission Tests
Always test drive any car you buy. Try to get it out on the interstate and a local highway to test the transmission in a range of conditions. You should try accelerating from a red light both slow and fast. You should also accelerate hard onto the interstate as well and slowly to test both. Feel how the car shifts. It is almost always going to shift hard when you accelerate hard, but you should never hear any grinding or clunking. If you hear either of these, move on to the next one.
When accelerating slowly, the vehicle should shift smoothly. If it is rough, there could be an issue with the transmission. If it shifts rough check the fluid. It should be red, though it may be dark. It should not be deep brown and should not smell burnt. If either of these is the case, it is likely to have issues later on.
Tire Alignment
This is one that can be difficult to test since dealerships usually change the tires unless they are new. If the tires on the car are not new, then you can look at the wear of the tire. It should be even across the tire. If it is worn unevenly, then there could be an alignment issue.
If the tires are new, you can still test the alignment. Using a piece of chalk, make a line across both front tires. After you mark the tire, drive so the wheels make one full rotation. Check the chalk. It should have worn evenly across. If one side is not worn, try again.
These tests are not perfect, but they should help you make an informed decision next time you buy a used car.
If you need a car or live in Broken Arrow, OK, and need car financing for bad credit, check out The Key. You can view their inventory and learn more at.
