In Part 3 of this series I would like to discuss a little bit about how a buyer can get some more specific information about things to look out for when shopping for a particular vehicle. There is a wide variety of information and most of it is free if you know where to look.
When we find a vehicle that is of particular interest to us, we should all include in our research a list of common problems or "things to look out for" that are specific to that particular make or model. Now to a buyer that is somewhat of a novice or just not at all familiar with a particular vehicle the question is "How can I find out what is specific to this vehicle?" The answer can come from a number of different sources.
First off the manufacturer can be a great start. Doing a quick search to see if this make/model had any recalls, and seeing if the owner or any of the previous owners had the repairs made. In some cases it may be worth it to check if the factory is still offering to make any of the recall repairs. Also having the general specs of the vehicle such as the available options that were offered in those years can be helpful.
Another great source can be found at your local parts store in the form of repair and maintenance manuals. Haynes, Chilton, and other companies typically make a manual for just about every car out there. In these manuals you will find not only lots of great spec information and step by step walk throughs of making repairs, but also many will list common problems and tests that can be conducted. Factory service manuals tend to be very detailed although more expensive. There are also many online manual services available where you can even subscribe and have access to several manuals for all different makes and models. Personally I always like to pick up the Haynes manual for just about every car I purchase as it makes doing repairs much simpler.
A very good resource that I think many non car "enthusiasts" may not know about is the forums. There is probably an online forum out there for just about every make and model or type of vehicle you can think of. These forums are basically composed of members that are usually enthusiasts coming together to share tips, mods, and information and generally revolve around a specific vehicle make or type. There are lots of great forums out there with members who cover topics and are willing to answer the questions that people have. All you have to do is register in most cases as they are free to join.
A quick example of using these resources in action can come from a recent car buy I had which happened to be a 1987 bronco II xlt. I learned about it being for sale for $500 bucks and when I went to see it I was surprised to see it actually had pretty decent paint, interior, etc. The truck wasn't running at the time and the owner didn't want to put in any more money towards it hence the low price. After hearing that he had a mechanic inspect it we found that it was not getting any fuel to the motor as it would start up briefly then die. After getting a Haynes manual and running some test of my own i was able to confirm this and singled out that it may of had a bad fuel pump. After learning that the pump was about $180 bucks and would take a little work to repair I decided to do a quick search for a bronco II forum online. I quickly found one and when i logged on to search the post relating to my symptoms I found that a common problem was a bad inertia switch which in the event of a crash shuts of power to the fuel pump. Taking the advice to push the "reset" button under the dash I was surprised to see that the car started right up! I drove off in a great truck for $500 bucks and all I did was push a button.
Every case is different of course, but this example is what I mean when I stress how important research can be in making a good purchase and taking a little time to do this can save you a lot of grief and stress down the road. Also for those that do not work on cars - I'm not saying that everybody needs to become an expert either. Having a good mechanic you can trust and bring your vehicles to for repair and inspection may be all you need to have a good buying experience. However the more you know yourself the better your buying experience can be.
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