Check the water level in the battery.

Check the window washer liquid container.

Close the hood and push firmly on the front of the car. When you release your push it should come right back up but not bounce up and down.

Are the gaskets around the windows in good condition?  Ask if the front window has been replaced – if so, check inside for any sign of rain leakage.

Open the trunk – are the gaskets in tact? If you live in a moist/rainy climate, leaking trunk lids will most likely rust the floor of your trunk out – and could ruin the things you store there.

Lift the carpet cover if the trunk has one – check for rust under that.

Is there a spare tire? Is it in decent condition?

Is the jack still there?

Can you see any bad electrical wiring hanging out?

Close the trunk and then push really hard down on the rear of the car – that will tell you if the shocks are decent. It should not bounce up and down, but just come right back up after your test push.

See if any warning lights come on – it’s normal for the oil to light up and then instantly go out, as may some of the other warning lights – it’s normal to light for a moment, but then they should all go out.

Probably long before this, the owner is trying to get your attention on the pretty color – tell them yes and proceed with your inspection.

If the windows are automatic, make sure they all work – one motor in one door for the window can be quite expensive – this is from experience. In hot climate, are the windows tinted? Is that in good condition?

Are the door handles secure? Check the door locks – make sure they all work.

Check the seat belts – looking sturdy still? Do they lock properly? Are they secured at the proper points or have they been altered?  You still have the car running – it should not have died.

Now, with the motor running, and the car in park, and the brake on, carefully exit the car - make sure to leave the door open so it doesn’t accidentally lock (how embarrassing) and again check under the hood. Everything looking and sounding good? Great!

Now – it’s time to look inside. First you’re going to check the back seat: Check the carpet – a car with 40,000 miles should be in good condition – if the owners took care of it. If they took care of that, perhaps they were considerate of the whole car. Check the seat condition and make sure the seat belts in the back seat work. Close the back doors – do they close securely without slamming?

Now, you actually get to go to the front seat! Just open the door, don’t get in yet – take a visual appraisal at everything:  How’s the upholstery on the driver’s side?

Cigarette holes – I’ve never found a way to fix those successfully. Is the upholstery excessively worn, especially on the driver’s side?

How’s the brake pedal look? Just about worn through? Then, has this car been driven aggressively. How’s the gas pedal? Same thing - aggressive driving can be hard on the engine and the whole system. 

Check the headliner – that’s the material that goes over you head – is it secure? No excessive staining?  Does the top interior light work? Both sunshades secure?

Presuming the car by now has been sitting in the driveway for several minutes, do a visual under the car. See any oil leaks? The dripping from the air conditioning condensation is normal. But anything other than water that’s dripping needs checked.

So, back in the car for a test drive. Turn the car off, then turn it back on. Try to do a test on city streets for the brake testing (when you use the brake, it shouldn’t feel mushy – it should give you a bit of resistance as you push it in) and turning performance and then on a more open road to check pickup speed, quiet ride, whether the steering wheel feels correct and doesn’t shimmy, and the car holds the road (doesn’t pull to one side or the other) and the motor doesn’t stutter.

Make sure the windshield wipers work. If there’s a radio, check it out.

Air conditioning working properly?

You should also turn the heater on - make sure the fan/blower works well.

After slowing down – foot off the gas, step on the gas - you shouldn’t see a big cloud of smoke come out of the back – a small one is acceptable, very small. When you return the car, leave it idling – it should run smoothly. Get out – leave the door open remember – and go to the back – check for smoke again.

Hello! Dick just walked in to see what I was doing and he approves of what I’ve written. Dick is surprised I’ve picked all this info up along the way! Well, he’s been a great teacher! And the fact that we have three sons has  helped too! There have been soooo many cars through the years as I’m sure many of you have experienced too.

Well, now I think I’ve pretty well covered the gamete of checking out a car. Of course, you can ask the seller if you can take the car to a qualified mechanic to have it checked over. That may cost a few bucks, but may be worth it.

If you’re lucky, the seller may have all the repair records for you to see. Those may bring up other questions.

So, after going through all of this, if you like the looks of the car and will be satisfied with it, made the seller an offer. Try starting with at least a 15% reduction for which it's being offered.You can usually settle with a 10% cut.

Of course, if there are obvious faults that you are willing to live with or get fixed, negotiate even further. Just remember - there’s another used car coming up for sale tomorrow.

Well, I’m sure I’ve missed some things, but, this is a good base to start with when you go to look for a used car that you want to last a while. Hope this helps you in saving those pennies!