Posted On: November 10, 2005, 9:13 am CST

Posted By: Jerry

Smart Move Bubba

The main issue with buying a used car is taking everything for granted. Including the seller, rather it be a dealer or independent seller.

Sounds like you found a qualified technician to inspect your vehicle, but that's not always the case.

There are some who are not qualified or skilled enough to perform a qaulity inspection.

And even so there are other areas to follow up on that may lead to some negative indicators (or positive) about the condition of the vehicle.

Just a few examples,

Uncovering the warranty history (and maintenance), to determine what mechanical repairs have been previosuly done.

Measuring the paint thickness to determine if the vehicle has been repainted, which is quite simple if you know how. (I've seen some fabulous paint jobs that are so close to perfect it's difficult to tell)

A very close inspection to check for flood or water damages.

There is so much more than can be done to prevent someone from buying a lemon if they know how.

Even dealerships or not always honest,I'm sure that's not a surprise.

A quick example:

I recently inspected approx 45 or 50 used cars at a GM dealership. (Just a quick visual exterior inspection) I found 5 vehicles on this lot that have been repainted and or repaired, 2 of them had major paint work done.

What's even more astounding is that 2 of the 5 were listed as being Certified Pre Owned.

I know GM's policy with becoming certified, and I don't beleive that these were up to standards.

I'll have the results of these posted on my web site in a few days, take a look and you'll be amazed.

Guess I'm promoting my service, which was not my intent. However,I guess the moderator can remove my comments if they are not allowed.

Good luck with your Camry.

Jerry Christopher
www.usedcarwise.com