How to test drive used cars

If you have made a decision to purchase a used car, this will entail trips to used car dealerships in order to explore the options available. One of the things that you must do before making a decision to purchase any car, and especially a used car, is to test drive it.

The way in which the test drive is conducted is important. It must be you who drives the car, not the salesperson. Also, you should always test drive the car without the stereo on. This is because the sound from the stereo may mask other sounds coming from the engine or other parts of the vehicle. It would be ideal if some part of the test drive is done with the windows down so that you can listen for the less audible sounds.

Test driving also means checking that all the indicator lights and brake and head lights are working. In addition, it is always useful when test driving, to drive at different speeds so understand how the car responds. Use the brakes frequently as well and listen for squeaking sounds but also get a feel for how responsive the brakes are. One of the minor things that you can also do is to shift the driver and front passenger seats to see how responsive they are.