just sold a used 1996 Lexus LS400 for $3400

i always thought machanical and electrical were the two most important things to look for when buying a used car
but it seems that most callers only concerned on the paint
one gentleman asked me what was the condition of the paint and then hang up when i told him it got faded on several areas

It depends really. I look for exterior more since I work on my own car and really hate body work and a good paint job cost so much. Probably the same for that guy.

As long as the car runs in great condition, I dont really care about the rest. I mean sure I prefer the paint to be awesome, but I can always repaint. Mechanics on the other hand, anything can go wrong and just because one thing is fixed doesn't mean something else won't go wrong.

People think that great paint = great condition car.

find an old person driven car, usually they are taken care of well and arent beaten on. At least in my experience its been like that

I learned a lot about used cars when I was a tech, most cars can go 15k between oil changes on the cheapest 9.95 oil change you can find with a weekly car wash, depending on mileage the car can still look great and sound good at 60-80k even possible with 100k, it's not how it runs, it's all in how it sounds, sound of an engine is important, an engine that has a weird noise can be fixed with an oil change, if it holds 5 quarts you put 3 or 4 of regular weight and then add the 5th quart of a straight 50 weight or just add several bottles of STP, thick molasses likemany Toyota pre-owned cars look great but have no oil change history thank gosh for pre-owned warranties, I know more people who bought used cars that within 6 months had new engines/tran

Simply put it's not that hard to find a like new used car, just more time needs to be invested

HOLY RUN ON SENTENCE, BATMAN!

that said, as long as you buy from a reputable dealer, (not mom and pops used cars) you typically dont have a problem. If you buy a used lexus from a dealership that sells new cars (new honda's for example) you dont always have alot to worry about. And an aftermarket warranty should ALWAYS be an option at whatever dealer you choose. IMO if you do not purchase an extended warranty on any vehicle (ESPECIALLY A USED ONE), well...I wont say what you are.

I just purchased a 48 month/100,000 mile extended warranty through General Electric/HondaCare. Coupled with the factory 3/36 bumper-2-bumper and the 5/60 powertrain, that gives me GREAT warranty coverage for 160,000 miles or for a year after the vehicle is paid off (i REFUSE to have no warranty on a financed car) as this aftermarket warranty does not start until the Honda Factory powertrain coverage expires.

Well, after the usual body/paint checks for corrosion, damage, and rust, then check and see if all the controls and systems inside work properly. Test-drive it and see if there is any pulling or drifting left/right or shimmies in the steering wheel or brake pedal. See if the clutch and transmission, whether manual or automatic, shift and operate well. Accelerate moderately hard from low speed (with the engine warm), and look out the rear mirror to see if there is any blue or black smoke. Black smoke is too rich a fuel mixture; blue smoke means oil burning which could mean an expensive engine repair. White mist or steam, if any, is normal, especially on a cool, damp day....that means the catalyst is working properly. Last, if possible, get a CarFax report or title search.

I usually pay the 1 hour fee at a trusted mechanic or at Lexus to inspect the car I am interested in buying.

I also look for a local car if possible bought at a local dealer and serviced at a local dealer.

Age of the previous owner is important, as a more mature person will take care of the car than a younger person historically. 4TehNguyen mentioned this.

When I got the IS I paid for Lexus to give it the once over. I also looked briefly at the visual condition of the car. That was about it lol.

That said, I bought the car from my friends sister so I kinda knew the history of the car already and how she drives. I would have been a lot pickier if I didn't know the previous owner.

If I didn't know the previous owner I would still pay for the inspection (but I would take it to my own guys that I have now as opposed to what ever dealership). I care to a certain extent about the condition of the paint & interior condition but more so about the actual functionality of everything.

If you are careful and thorough with the inspection yourself, you can find a lot of potential problems yourself, without having a mechanic look at it. Of course, it never hurts to have a second pair of eyes.....especially experienced techincian ones.


For instance, steering-wheel shimmy is often an indicator of out-of-balance or out-of-round wheels/tires. Brake-pedal pulsation is usually warped rotors from heat buildup. And left-right pulling can be one of several things, from wheel alignment to bent suspension/frame to something as simple as uneven tire pressures in the left and right wheels.

For instance, my late father bought home a used Plymouth Barracuda some years ago (he loved smaller Chrysler products of the time with the Slant-6 and small V8's). He complained that it was pulling to the left. I drove it.....indeed it was pulling, rather sharply. I did a simple tire PSI check. The left-front tire had 20 PSI; the right-front 37....a BIG difference in drag.

DUH!