Overhaulin'

What do you look for when inspecting a used car?

I'll be looking for used cars around $3500 or less for sale by private parties and I'm not too knowledgeable about engines. What are some pointers for things to look for. How can you tell if there are leaks besides looking on the ground under the car?

Public Comments

1. have em open the hood. make sure everything is inplace. and have him start the car 2 see if there are any oil spills
2. Here is a great link for what to look for...
3. Look at some screws in the engine area. If some heads are stripped, this means that somebody who had no idea what they were doing was screwing around with it. Also, one of the first things to check, is the drivers door. If paint is chipped on the outside edge (part that sticks out farthest when door is open), this means that the previous owner opened the door into walls and other cars and generally didn't care about the car.