I used to do inspections. First question - "Have you already purchased the car?". If the answer was yes, I sent them on their way. It's supposed to be a "pre-purchase inspection" not a "post-purchase inspection". Anyone who does the latter is going to be upset at any honest inspection, which is at that point a repair consultation, not just a smiling "look what I bought". Too many tears.
Youre probably a jeep loving mechanic and just salty you can’t handle old vehicles. Who prefers their neat and tidy schematic for Jeeps that always break
I've spent 45-70 minutes on the dealer lot with the sales rep just looking over 1 truck. Take your time with it and you'll find more and it's a test for the dealer if they don't like what your doing, just walk off the lot.
THAT'S the most THOROUGH car inspection advice I've ever gotten ! GREAT job guys !!!!! I've been a car guy all my life. I'm 65+ and an old drag racer from long ago and I've probably owned more than 40 cars in my life including a very few family cars since married with children for 35+ years. SOOOO REALLY appreciate you guys Dave and son's !!!! Keep up the good work !!
Finished test driving a used car at a dealership. Sat down with the sales puke and they pulled a file from their drawer and said "Wow, we just spent $1700 reconditioning this car." I asked to review the invoices and told him it was 4 copies of the same invoice for an oil change and front brake pads-- at retail prices. After reaching the negotiated $10k price for the car, I asked for the second key fob and found it didn't work, even the technician couldn't get it to work with their programming tool and a new battery. A fully programmed replacement key was $400, which the dealer begrudgingly negotiated off the $10k. Two morals to the story: 1. Check the second key AFTER negotiating the final price, 2. Like Dave said: check every knob, latch, button and switch.
These crooks will always show $ 1,700 - $ 1,900 invoice they paid to someone when they got this car ready for sale. But all they did was "check" this and that, did an oil change, and rotated the tires. Probably spent $ 200 if that. They will also hide the second key on purpose and charge $ 500 for it. The audacity...
That’s what I love about my 2005 cab and chassis duramax. Hand crank windows and floor shift 4x4. Also a “detuned” engine (which is fine for me). Has 300k miles all original drivetrain. Wouldn’t trade it for the world. Good simple pickup.
Great video. The reality of it that 99.9%of people don't have an inspection done. When they go to a dealership and all they see is a vehicle that looks pristine but yet all the dealership has done was spray down the vehicle with Armor All. Most people are clueless about dealership shady ways. Thank you Dave
My wife and I got your checklist for inspecting a used car. It got us to look in spots we never would have thought to checked and we found clear signs of flood damage on a used vehicle from California that had a "clean" title. Thank you.
I have always check the engine dip stick before cranking to see the color or water in the oil and pull Trans dip stick and smell it to see if it has a burnt smell
One of the best tips I ever got about buying a used car? Check the cabin air filter. It's something everyone forgets about, but its condition can often tell you SO much about not only the car, but also the seller and how meticulous (or not) they've been about servicing the vehicle or prepping it for sale.
Check the door jam for paint thickness, that usually tells you how thick the body paint was from factory and rarely gets repainted unless they are doing a full resto. Also a ton of GM vehicles mainly trucks and suvs have their under hood emissions, a/c, and other labels on the air box and the area by the hood latch so a blank hood doesn’t always mean new hood. If you’re looking for a specific car make sure you check where those are supposed to be before you claim the hoods been replaced. Also in the mechanics section I hope there’s a place where it checks for catalytic converters being OEM, aftermarket, proper aftermarket, and straight piped. I have seen a 2022 sold with wrong aftermarket catalytic converters, the small dealer lot down the street was taking the catalytic converters off every car they had and putting a generic 30$ one. Let’s just say they went out of business and they were doing it in Cali so I’m sure there was jail time or hefty fines 😂.
I recently purchased a 2012 tiguan. It had 83,000 miles on it. Since purchasing it, I've replaced all the tires, the control arms/calipers locked up so I just replaced pads,rotor,calipers and control arms on the front suspension. The intake manifold needed to be replaced a month ago. Oh and the panoramic sunroof had a leak so I had to pay to have the lines unclogged. I am so thankful that I bought an extended warranty. Between the intake manifold and control arms and bushings it has paid for itself already.
I was having a bit of a look at some 4wd's here in Australia a few years ago. Took a Colorado for a drive and checked the blow-by. As soon as I unscrewed the cap it shot it out of my hand haha. When I got back to the used car yard I told the salesman about it and he called a mechanic over. The mechanic tried to tell me it was just the rockers flicking the oil up and out the filler hole. I just laughed and walked away.
@scampers6609 Not as much as I and everyone else here is at you man. On what planet is blowby with enough force that it shoots the cap out of your hand and puffs oil out everywhere normal? Please do tell oh wise one?
God bless you Mr. Dave, I just wish I had found your channel before I spent 9 grand on a 2006 4Runner that has a rear differential crumbling worse than carrot cake that’s been left out, but next time I’ll be ready for them used car salesman
i effin love your honesty. 1000%!!!!! exactly the kind of mechanic people who own a car, should hire. period. straight forward, no nonsense, concise and really does have the customers' best interest at hand without any wishy washy bs. in this pansy world we live in, you will turn off people who dont like hearing what they need to hear, even though its in their best interest. keep it going!! i learned more from you in 7.5 minutes while drinking my morning cawffee. Thank You
Always check under the oil fill cap. I looked at a 2005 Toyota sienna with 55,000 miles on it. The car superficially seemed OK but went under acceleration. It had no mid range power. And it would not climb in 8% grade more than 45 mph. When I gotonto the flat again I went wide open throttle in the engine kind of lazily went up to 4500 and then shot up to red line and shifted. It turned out the thing was sludged up inside and the variable valve timing was messed up as a result. When I pulled the cap off of the oil fill, it looked like a Weber barbecue inside. I walked away from that one because I knew it would be a problem.
Years ago I worked at an auction and there’s two simple tests you do right off the bat before you check anything else. Oil and scan tool, if the oil is super thick or the oil cap is brown underneath red flags. Thick oil masks engine noises and brown oil cap means previous owner didn’t change the oil. A lot shady sellers will disconnect the scan port connection prevent you from reading trouble codes. If it passes those tests then it’s worth moving forward with a full inspection.
You need another video for people selling a car and warn them about scams that buyers do to get a discount. For example they'll Ask seller to pop the hood and start up the car and when The seller is not looking the scammer, Having done his homework on that particular model car, will unplug a wire or sabotage something minor something just enough to make it run crappy. Then try to beat you down on the price saying that they have to put money in it to fix it.
I have bought and sold a few trucks/SUVs. I’ve never seen a buyer get under it and take a look. Just because it’s in the south doesn’t mean it’s never been up north and isn’t a rust bucket.
I worked in a body shop. The body can be parts from three different cars. The roof can be cut off and put back on. The B pillar on a four-door can have a pi wedge cut out and replaced. A front clip or a rear clip can be totally cut off and put back on.. we drill all the spot welds, match the factory welds, and match the seam sealer. Collision specialists can make a car look like it came off the showroom floor. You would have to be a collision specialist to recognize what is original and what isn't. You can buy a whole body or truck bed. From the sail panels to the middle of the rear doors is a different car. We used to do it to take up slack time in the shop. Buy a car from a person you know who bought the car new.
If you watch some of the other videos they used to do body work and run entire shop just didn't enjoy the work compared to the engine building sounds like
I went to a late model junk yard 2 years ago. There were many many cars in the yard that had been cut in half or had 1/4 of the car removed. These were cars that would be 2 or more cars made into one. There are a lot of cars driving around in Texas with paper plates. These Frankenstein cars cannot be titled. Go to the DMV and transfer title before you transfer any money. Always check title with DMV before buying from a “tote the note” lot. I learned this the hard way.
I did this for a friend and found the dealer was trying to screw my friend who knew nothing, I found all the repairs they tried to hide and lyed about!
First used car I bought was in high school back in the 90s. It was a 70s dodge dart. It had a v8 318. Had a carburetor, no fuel injectors. No sensors of any kind. No computer. No catalytic converter, only a muffler. Had a Generator NOT an alternator. It ran beautifully and was extremely easy to fix. 😊
I'm a used car dealer, and I've met many "worst nightmares". I just inform them that they're in the wrong place, I don't do give-aways. Then I sell it to the next guy at full price, so I still go home happy and sleep nightmare-free.
What i like about Dave is his boys are just like him i like dealing with family owned shops. The shop I use in my hometown is the same way. My guy (Brad) is a spitting image of his Dad (Paul) I've been doing business with them for almost 50 years.
Bought a used car about a month ago. Couldn't take it up to highway speeds nearby, so i didnt notice the vibration at and above 65. I took it in for an inspection last week, and found two bent and one welded rim. I was very lucky that the shop didn't find anything else wrong with it.
"Don't go there with some flashlight that doesn't really shine".... as Dave pulls out his free promo light from Hobo-Freight!!!! Hahahahaha. Just teasing you Dave!!!! Great stuff as always!!!! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
Awesome advice, the paint depth detector is worth its weight in gold. Paint robots are precise, as costs and time are pertinent to a manufacturer’s bottom line. Craftsman add a little variability to the depth of paint in exchange for the ability to complete a task that is 1 in a million.
A good body shop will replace those under hood labels. And the roof isn't necessarily a baseline for paint depth, hail damage is almost always repaired. Ive sold enough roofs.
A good idea is to look for rust or water in the trunk where the spare tire is. I also like to look under the hood to see if all the fender bolts look the same.
This is a great starting place but get yourself a mechanic if you are serious about a used car to check it for you to avoid concerns as he states. For example, they can do things like check for a pulsing exhaust. If they are suspicious, they can check for bad valves by holding a piece of paper (or dollar bill) over the tailpipe. If it is pulled in at all, the valves are probably bad, and the engine will need an overhaul. Use a mechanic you can trust if you cannot use them in Utah.
The dealership knows what problems a vehicle has and just try to hook customers and then sell the service needed, they will never admit if a vehicle has problems. It's sad that people get bad vehicles without any warranty. Vehicles are way over priced in the United States compared to every other country in the world. EPA requirements, safety standards,..... The list is endless Dave. I see many new vehicles with dual fuel, LP and gasoline, diesel and LP. LP is quite possibly the best fuel for internal combustion engines because it's very clean burning, the combustion is not as violent as diesel and gasoline is. That alone extends engine Life and durability, fewer unburned hydrocarbons. Electric cars are quiet common, Hafal, BYD , Porsche. BYD seems to have a commanding market share here in Thailand but I have only been in the Hafal for a 2 block ride. It was nice and comfortable, ac worked fast. It was a hybrid of some type, electric and gas I believe. I don't know what Toyota has going with diesel engines but I see hundreds of them, charter services sight seeing, 10 passengers and a driver in great comfort. Great presentation Dave I always enjoy seeing your videos man.
I've got no problem buying a one or two owner, high milage vehicle as long as there are service records. I've seen far to many folks buy off the dealer lot used cars that are straight up nightmares.
Very good point, you know its a good running vehicle if its already kept up this long, and if its had regular maintenance then id rather have that than a new vehicle with potential issues
Yea I bought a car came with 2 weeks warranty I relied on that, took it to 2 independent mechanics they said it was fine but had no time to inspect the engine. The engine blew on week 3.
the tire farthest wheel away from the driver is the right rear. 85% of flat tires are the right rear (even on the notorious Ford Exploder tire disaster). Front right wheel often has scratches because most drivers turn their steering wheel before they start driving (scraping on the curb). Your wife is not alone.
Dave I've really been watching you guys closely on 6.7 Powerstroke everything. I've had 2 7.3's and they were UNBELIEVABLE !!! I've been raised on the family farm and we learned to do excellent maintenance or suffer the consequences. I'm trying to do my best on this '17 6.7 I've had just a couple years, but it's making me a little nervous to see all those problems you've shown and experienced there. Plus a close friend told me something that went out on his and cost him a pretty penny to fix !! So I'm not sure about doing the delete thing after my warranty is out. But probably will. Sounds like total BS what the government has done there again as usual.
Great idea sharing you vast knowledge and experience!! On a separate topic altogether , you have to get rid of that indy car engine sound on your videos and replace it with some diesel clatter, i mean jeez after all thats what you do best!!
As far as the remark about the auction. I worked at the auction. Some cars mostly high performance cars are beat up by people who are paid very little. It's still worth noting some people list cars online that have a dealers license that don't know the history of a car. Nearly bought a car that I heard them say, "the timing chain broke." I asked them how it broke and he went "uuuuh I was at a stop light and it turned green and it broke." Saw the residue of an auction sticker from Manheim on the front and rear windshields. Even worse I saw a guy selling his work vehicle because he was retiring. Had a few things needed to be done to it. Someone bought it and was reselling it with a rolled back odometer. They didn't even take the time to remove the previous owners business vinyl decals. They fixed the transmission and new tires, but the rolled back odometer was seriously scummy.
Why are all the great ,truthful mechanic always out of state ? such great and clear use car advice, i had no idea you could test if a car has been painted,great job guys.
I went to a car lot 2015 and found a nice truck had 300 in line 6 a 93 shot bed ran good went to work got off around 6 was on my way home did not have it 8 hours and the transmission went out and the car lot gave my money back and put a repo report on me because it broken down transmission shop said it was full of metal grindings and it was one of the automatic transmission that had a plat for a pto on the side
I bought my Nissan Sunny (Sentra in South Africa) new, and all stickers are on the radiator support beam. Nothing underneath the hood, so it's not necessarily wrong what you're saying. 😊
That's a great idea. We do have a long video on RUclips where we walk-through a new diesel truck purchase with a customer. That would be great to do a used diesel truck purchase inspection
@dave with all the manufacturers moving towards these high mileage maintenance intervals could you please publish a recommendation for maintenance intervals from your point of view, based on your experience. I would even benefit from a print out or maintenance booklet I can keep in my truck. I’m old school that way! 7.3 Powerstroke owner here, I’ve always changed my oil every 5k miles, and I change all other fluids (brake, coolant, trans, diff, power steering and transfer case) every 30k miles. Just curious what your perspective is. Thanks.
My daughter popped up with a 2015 Explorer Sport. It’s been nothing but a nightmare since she bought it. Since she purchased it she has replaced the water pump a timing chain and spark plugs. Now it’s presented new issues with the steering system and a lot of front suspension issues 😡
I know but if it's a high kilometre.used vehicle I always expect to have to do work to it. I bought my 2002 model Holden VY SS Commodore through a private sale in mid 2008 with about 182,000 kilometres on the odometer when the car was 5 1/2 years old,it was a new car to me & a week later the clutch pressure plate blew up in it which cost me $1500 AUD for someone to get me to replace, the whole clutch, that is. I paid $17,500 AUD for it & a total of $18,000 AUD including the stamp duty,it did have things which needed doing to it including the rear lower control arm bushes needed replacing because the left hand rear tyre kept scrubbing out on the inside. I am still driving the car 16 years later & I did replace the rear control arm bushes with polyurethane items back in 2012,the original Inner control arm bushes were made of nylon & the left hand Inner bush was distorted out of shape, fitting the polyurethane bushes fixed the tyre scrubbing issue. I replaced the hydraulic lifters in 2018,I believe that the car missed a service for 17,000 kilometres when it was fairly new,I think that they might have driven around Australia in it because they racked up that amount of kilometres in a few weeks (about 6). It's approaching 400,000 kilometres (about 248,550 Miles) now !
If you call, text or email about a privately owned car you're interested in, ask, "Is the car still for sale?" If the person asks, "Which car are you calling about?" You know it's a car dealer pretending to be a private party or a flipper who's trying to move cars. Avoid these sellers. Also, when you go to look at a car, never look at it at night, it's best to check out a car on a sunny day. It's much easier to spot paint matching problems.
I really wish I had this when I bought my car in 2021 and was stuck with it bc of the bank so I had no choice but to go broke to fix it and struggle afterwards to survive, I've saved this car from so much but I'm definitely going to make the 600 trip to come by at some point because although this car is awesome now there's a really weird acceleration issue that happens randomly but I have a feeling you guys should be able to find it! No place I've taken it to tries any longer than 30 minutes and give up "wait till it happens more" well I don't wanna risk getting stranded or an accident caused by it..(has almost happened a few times lol)
I bought a used 14 accord they declared 2,500 in damages . Well, the fender gaps are all off mysterious dents . The original owner, I got so many questions. Perhaps certain people shouldn't own automobiles ever. I bought that in 2019 minimal maintenance. She's a little rough around the edges.
I know some folks are saying what about the Carfax? What about it ? I figure a lot of repairs are done under the table, with no paper trail ! The paint job looked really good, however ,no one can paint a car or truck and the get the base and clear to match the factory paint job thickness consistently . How many buyers are going to look at used cars or trucks with a paint dept gauge in their pocket? I used to detail cars and I was working on a Toyota Highlander about a 2016 model. I was polishing the paint and noticed that rear passenger door and roof line felt rough. My neighbor who touched up cars for car dealers took a look at it and said that was overspray from improper masking allowing paint to get on a section of the car that wasn't being repaired . He advised me to let the customer know about it and not to try and fix myself.
The paint measuring gauge may be a waste of money if you are only getting one used car, and not buying cars on a regular basis. Your mechanic may have one if they do a lot of used vehicle inspections.👍
@@DavesAutoCenterCenterville I think they're talking about an OBD scanner to see if there are any DTCs. I would recommend it. I bought a truck that had hidden (no check engine light) codes for reverse camera communication errors, ignition module errors, cluster gauge communication errors, TCM communication errors. The were a lot of weird electrical gremlins. Had I scanned codes before buying I would have walked away. OBDLink MX+ and associated app on my phone work great.
I was looking at a car that was a little pricey. It had an immaculate carfax, but was from the rust belt. I put it up on my lift and the whole underside was rusted. I ended up with the sales manager and he offered me $100 off. It's very insulting how they played dumb and I wish I could have warned the poor customer that bought it
@@Bodezafa So, Dave has a shop that is all volunteer? WHat planet are you from? As I work with a similar shop, I can say, Dave and crew do have integrity. Buuuut, it sounds like you think they should work for free and carry the likes of you and your friends. They are not volunteers. They do their share of philanthropy.
I have been watching your videos and shorts for quite a while. Love all the info and in-depth info! Do you have any opinion on 2014 toyota tundra? I own one and love it, but she's at 144k. Would love some insight on what to watch for and also what to change out within critical operating parts.
Man, I bought a used VW that I told the used car dealer to make sure hadn’t been started when I came to look at it. Nope, sorry it had to be moved earlier yada yada. Guess what, it had a small timing chain rattle the next morning upon cold start!
I used to do inspections. First question - "Have you already purchased the car?". If the answer was yes, I sent them on their way. It's supposed to be a "pre-purchase inspection" not a "post-purchase inspection". Anyone who does the latter is going to be upset at any honest inspection, which is at that point a repair consultation, not just a smiling "look what I bought". Too many tears.
If it still has a warranty it's not too late.
Nicely worded and thought out. Makes a lot of sense.
If it’s within 3 days of purchase you should still inspect it because by law they have 3 days to bring it back
No you don't. @skate4life267
A lot of dealerships let you return the car the first 100 miles.
I'm a mechanic, and I've still missed stuff on a used car. I hate used car shopping.
Gotta make a list on paper
The scariest and most painful problems with used cars are extremely hard to detect without taking the vehicle apart.
Youre probably a jeep loving mechanic and just salty you can’t handle old vehicles. Who prefers their neat and tidy schematic for Jeeps that always break
I've spent 45-70 minutes on the dealer lot with the sales rep just looking over 1 truck. Take your time with it and you'll find more and it's a test for the dealer if they don't like what your doing, just walk off the lot.
THAT'S the most THOROUGH car inspection advice I've ever gotten ! GREAT job guys !!!!! I've been a car guy all my life. I'm 65+ and an old drag racer from long ago and I've probably owned more than 40 cars in my life including a very few family cars since married with children for 35+ years. SOOOO REALLY appreciate you guys Dave and son's !!!! Keep up the good work !!
Wow, thanks!
What!? Check the paint is the most THOROUGH you have ever heard? Well just make sure you are buying his program! smh :(
Have you seen the chrisfix or the Buddy's DIY series on used car inspections?
@@Boris275 They are very thorough and don't charge $50 for pre purchase inspection tips!😂😂
Finished test driving a used car at a dealership. Sat down with the sales puke and they pulled a file from their drawer and said "Wow, we just spent $1700 reconditioning this car." I asked to review the invoices and told him it was 4 copies of the same invoice for an oil change and front brake pads-- at retail prices. After reaching the negotiated $10k price for the car, I asked for the second key fob and found it didn't work, even the technician couldn't get it to work with their programming tool and a new battery. A fully programmed replacement key was $400, which the dealer begrudgingly negotiated off the $10k. Two morals to the story: 1. Check the second key AFTER negotiating the final price, 2. Like Dave said: check every knob, latch, button and switch.
These crooks will always show $ 1,700 - $ 1,900 invoice they paid to someone when they got this car ready for sale. But all they did was "check" this and that, did an oil change, and rotated the tires. Probably spent $ 200 if that. They will also hide the second key on purpose and charge $ 500 for it. The audacity...
I sure wish I lived closer to Uncle Dave’s shop. He would definitely get my business.
Dave's auto center got me for a apple pay card for 200$ for shipping grand prize winner. Thief
Ill take things that didn't happen for 1000 Alex @davidlagle7000
It's a SIN that this Channel isn't on Television!!! WEALTH OF INFORMATION!!!!
That’s what I love about my 2005 cab and chassis duramax. Hand crank windows and floor shift 4x4. Also a “detuned” engine (which is fine for me). Has 300k miles all original drivetrain. Wouldn’t trade it for the world. Good simple pickup.
Amen, brother. And NO DEF!
Great video. The reality of it that 99.9%of people don't have an inspection done. When they go to a dealership and all they see is a vehicle that looks pristine but yet all the dealership has done was spray down the vehicle with Armor All. Most people are clueless about dealership shady ways. Thank you Dave
My wife and I got your checklist for inspecting a used car. It got us to look in spots we never would have thought to checked and we found clear signs of flood damage on a used vehicle from California that had a "clean" title. Thank you.
I have always check the engine dip stick before cranking to see the color or water in the oil and pull Trans dip stick and smell it to see if it has a burnt smell
Most modern cars don't have trannt dipsticks anymore.
@asadb1990 yes I now crazy. But I do my best to buy older cars that I can work. Keeps my fond memories of what it use to be like 👍
Also good to open the oil fill knob and look at its condition. Do you see any foam? If so, run.
Dave your videos are some of the best on RUclips with so many tips for free, thanks for your hard work.
One of the best tips I ever got about buying a used car? Check the cabin air filter. It's something everyone forgets about, but its condition can often tell you SO much about not only the car, but also the seller and how meticulous (or not) they've been about servicing the vehicle or prepping it for sale.
Check the door jam for paint thickness, that usually tells you how thick the body paint was from factory and rarely gets repainted unless they are doing a full resto. Also a ton of GM vehicles mainly trucks and suvs have their under hood emissions, a/c, and other labels on the air box and the area by the hood latch so a blank hood doesn’t always mean new hood. If you’re looking for a specific car make sure you check where those are supposed to be before you claim the hoods been replaced. Also in the mechanics section I hope there’s a place where it checks for catalytic converters being OEM, aftermarket, proper aftermarket, and straight piped. I have seen a 2022 sold with wrong aftermarket catalytic converters, the small dealer lot down the street was taking the catalytic converters off every car they had and putting a generic 30$ one. Let’s just say they went out of business and they were doing it in Cali so I’m sure there was jail time or hefty fines 😂.
More likely to have been offered transportation secretary position
I recently purchased a 2012 tiguan. It had 83,000 miles on it. Since purchasing it, I've replaced all the tires, the control arms/calipers locked up so I just replaced pads,rotor,calipers and control arms on the front suspension. The intake manifold needed to be replaced a month ago. Oh and the panoramic sunroof had a leak so I had to pay to have the lines unclogged. I am so thankful that I bought an extended warranty. Between the intake manifold and control arms and bushings it has paid for itself already.
I was having a bit of a look at some 4wd's here in Australia a few years ago. Took a Colorado for a drive and checked the blow-by. As soon as I unscrewed the cap it shot it out of my hand haha. When I got back to the used car yard I told the salesman about it and he called a mechanic over. The mechanic tried to tell me it was just the rockers flicking the oil up and out the filler hole. I just laughed and walked away.
yeah thats normal you embarassed yourself
@@scampers6609 You're obviously a used car salesman.
@@scampers6609a cood engine has no blow buy none of my cars have it and they 20 years old
@@Gooie69 the guys in that shop definitely had a good laugh at you
@scampers6609 Not as much as I and everyone else here is at you man. On what planet is blowby with enough force that it shoots the cap out of your hand and puffs oil out everywhere normal? Please do tell oh wise one?
God bless you Mr. Dave, I just wish I had found your channel before I spent 9 grand on a 2006 4Runner that has a rear differential crumbling worse than carrot cake that’s been left out, but next time I’ll be ready for them used car salesman
😢
i effin love your honesty. 1000%!!!!! exactly the kind of mechanic people who own a car, should hire. period. straight forward, no nonsense, concise and really does have the customers' best interest at hand without any wishy washy bs. in this pansy world we live in, you will turn off people who dont like hearing what they need to hear, even though its in their best interest. keep it going!! i learned more from you in 7.5 minutes while drinking my morning cawffee. Thank You
Always check under the oil fill cap.
I looked at a 2005 Toyota sienna with 55,000 miles on it. The car superficially seemed OK but went under acceleration. It had no mid range power. And it would not climb in 8% grade more than 45 mph. When I gotonto the flat again I went wide open throttle in the engine kind of lazily went up to 4500 and then shot up to red line and shifted. It turned out the thing was sludged up inside and the variable valve timing was messed up as a result. When I pulled the cap off of the oil fill, it looked like a Weber barbecue inside. I walked away from that one because I knew it would be a problem.
Years ago I worked at an auction and there’s two simple tests you do right off the bat before you check anything else. Oil and scan tool, if the oil is super thick or the oil cap is brown underneath red flags. Thick oil masks engine noises and brown oil cap means previous owner didn’t change the oil. A lot shady sellers will disconnect the scan port connection prevent you from reading trouble codes. If it passes those tests then it’s worth moving forward with a full inspection.
Or if the scan tool detects nothing...because they cleared out all the codes to turn off the CEL.
You need another video for people selling a car and warn them about scams that buyers do to get a discount.
For example they'll Ask seller to pop the hood and start up the car and when The seller is not looking
the scammer, Having done his homework on that particular model car, will unplug a wire or sabotage something minor something just enough to make it run crappy.
Then try to beat you down on the price saying that they have to put money in it to fix it.
That is a terrible scam - unfortunate that happens. Thanks for the feedback
I have bought and sold a few trucks/SUVs. I’ve never seen a buyer get under it and take a look. Just because it’s in the south doesn’t mean it’s never been up north and isn’t a rust bucket.
I worked in a body shop. The body can be parts from three different cars. The roof can be cut off and put back on. The B pillar on a four-door can have a pi wedge cut out and replaced.
A front clip or a rear clip can be totally cut off and put back on.. we drill all the spot welds, match the factory welds, and match the seam sealer. Collision specialists can make a car look like it came off the showroom floor. You would have to be a collision specialist to recognize what is original and what isn't. You can buy a whole body or truck bed. From the sail panels to the middle of the rear doors is a different car. We used to do it to take up slack time in the shop. Buy a car from a person you know who bought the car new.
If you watch some of the other videos they used to do body work and run entire shop just didn't enjoy the work compared to the engine building sounds like
I went to a late model junk yard 2 years ago. There were many many cars in the yard that had been cut in half or had 1/4 of the car removed. These were cars that would be 2 or more cars made into one.
There are a lot of cars driving around in Texas with paper plates. These Frankenstein cars cannot be titled. Go to the DMV and transfer title before you transfer any money.
Always check title with DMV before buying from a “tote the note” lot. I learned this the hard way.
VIN search doesn’t always show services on the vehicle.
Good to know how to spot a fallacy presented as a good product.
True...most of the cars Carmax sells include Carfax and it shows nothing...not even the oil changes.
Also please remember to verify the interior, the center consoles and glove box can/ will crack which will cost heavily if you want oem replacements
I did this for a friend and found the dealer was trying to screw my friend who knew nothing, I found all the repairs they tried to hide and lyed about!
Salesmen Will Definitely Lie to make the Sale and get their Fat Commission $$
First used car I bought was in high school back in the 90s. It was a 70s dodge dart. It had a v8 318. Had a carburetor, no fuel injectors. No sensors of any kind. No computer. No catalytic converter, only a muffler. Had a Generator NOT an alternator. It ran beautifully and was extremely easy to fix. 😊
ALL Chrysler products built since 1960 had ALTERNATORS! The "generator" on your Dart was a "DIY" job!
Happened to me I was only 18 but I learned my lesson now I got a s550 with 25k miles thanks Dave
Love your videos, Dave but I just wanted to say that on my GMC Sierra, I had to replace the roof because of hail damage. The truck runs great.
Uncle Dave is like a used car salesman’s worst nightmare 😂
I'm a used car dealer, and I've met many "worst nightmares". I just inform them that they're in the wrong place, I don't do give-aways. Then I sell it to the next guy at full price, so I still go home happy and sleep nightmare-free.
The Mike Holmes of the car industry
THAT'S for sure !! I LOVE IT !!!
Him and Scott Kilmer keep car salesmen up at night haha
@vivillager ahh do you enjoy scamming people? And what does your boyfriend think about your line of work?😂
What i like about Dave is his boys are just like him i like dealing with family owned shops. The shop I use in my hometown is the same way. My guy (Brad) is a spitting image of his Dad (Paul) I've been doing business with them for almost 50 years.
I wish i knew about dave before i got my truck… man o man have I learned a ton!
Thank you to dave and the amazing techs
Our pleasure!
It's not dave, it's Dave😮
@@BubblesTheCat1 No.. Its Dave$$$$
I do like Daves life energy !
Bought a used car about a month ago. Couldn't take it up to highway speeds nearby, so i didnt notice the vibration at and above 65. I took it in for an inspection last week, and found two bent and one welded rim. I was very lucky that the shop didn't find anything else wrong with it.
"Don't go there with some flashlight that doesn't really shine".... as Dave pulls out his free promo light from Hobo-Freight!!!! Hahahahaha. Just teasing you Dave!!!! Great stuff as always!!!! 👍🏼👍🏼👍🏼
I still have the free voltmeter from Harbor Freight, nothing wrong with their tools
Awesome advice, the paint depth detector is worth its weight in gold. Paint robots are precise, as costs and time are pertinent to a manufacturer’s bottom line. Craftsman add a little variability to the depth of paint in exchange for the ability to complete a task that is 1 in a million.
Listen to Uncle Dave.. he knows his shit.
💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩💩
For $30 you can too!
You nailed it. This information is very useful.✌️😎
A good body shop will replace those under hood labels. And the roof isn't necessarily a baseline for paint depth, hail damage is almost always repaired. Ive sold enough roofs.
The window switch is no joke. It happed to me. Same with making sure all the doors lock
A good idea is to look for rust or water in the trunk where the spare tire is. I also like to look under the hood to see if all the fender bolts look the same.
This is a great starting place but get yourself a mechanic if you are serious about a used car to check it for you to avoid concerns as he states. For example, they can do things like check for a pulsing exhaust. If they are suspicious, they can check for bad valves by holding a piece of paper (or dollar bill) over the tailpipe. If it is pulled in at all, the valves are probably bad, and the engine will need an overhaul. Use a mechanic you can trust if you cannot use them in Utah.
Also bring high power white flash light so you can see imperfections and damages.
The dealership knows what problems a vehicle has and just try to hook customers and then sell the service needed, they will never admit if a vehicle has problems. It's sad that people get bad vehicles without any warranty. Vehicles are way over priced in the United States compared to every other country in the world. EPA requirements, safety standards,..... The list is endless Dave. I see many new vehicles with dual fuel, LP and gasoline, diesel and LP. LP is quite possibly the best fuel for internal combustion engines because it's very clean burning, the combustion is not as violent as diesel and gasoline is. That alone extends engine Life and durability, fewer unburned hydrocarbons. Electric cars are quiet common, Hafal, BYD , Porsche. BYD seems to have a commanding market share here in Thailand but I have only been in the Hafal for a 2 block ride. It was nice and comfortable, ac worked fast. It was a hybrid of some type, electric and gas I believe. I don't know what Toyota has going with diesel engines but I see hundreds of them, charter services sight seeing, 10 passengers and a driver in great comfort. Great presentation Dave I always enjoy seeing your videos man.
Check the oil too. Any sparkles. And check the shifts in the transmission too
Right! The important stuff he'll tell you if you pay $30
Thanks, Dave. I just ordered your used car buyers guide. Keep up the great videos. Us regular guys need the schooling , especially on the diesels
I've got no problem buying a one or two owner, high milage vehicle as long as there are service records. I've seen far to many folks buy off the dealer lot used cars that are straight up nightmares.
Very good point, you know its a good running vehicle if its already kept up this long, and if its had regular maintenance then id rather have that than a new vehicle with potential issues
I love that Tennant T-300 floor scrubber. I love mine, keeps my shop clean. Thanks again Dave!!!
Dave, you’re the man. Seriously.
Great Video. You must be careful when buying a used car. I'm sure that Cadillac was banged up and repaired. The paint depth has too many variations.
Yea I bought a car came with 2 weeks warranty I relied on that, took it to 2 independent mechanics they said it was fine but had no time to inspect the engine. The engine blew on week 3.
Sorry to hear that. Very frustrating as a buyer.
the tire farthest wheel away from the driver is the right rear. 85% of flat tires are the right rear (even on the notorious Ford Exploder tire disaster). Front right wheel often has scratches because most drivers turn their steering wheel before they start driving (scraping on the curb). Your wife is not alone.
Selling a pdf on car inspection car Angel has been teaching what to look for for years
Lets goooo Dave 👍. Show em how it’s done!
Thanks Uncle Dave!
You are very welcome
I'll always buy new, I want know where it came from, how it was treated and then I can keep a log of everything I do to it.
Dave I've really been watching you guys closely on 6.7 Powerstroke everything. I've had 2 7.3's and they were UNBELIEVABLE !!! I've been raised on the family farm and we learned to do excellent maintenance or suffer the consequences. I'm trying to do my best on this '17 6.7 I've had just a couple years, but it's making me a little nervous to see all those problems you've shown and experienced there. Plus a close friend told me something that went out on his and cost him a pretty penny to fix !! So I'm not sure about doing the delete thing after my warranty is out. But probably will. Sounds like total BS what the government has done there again as usual.
I have a 7.3 and love it! I want to get a 6.7 but my buddy is constantly having to do repairs on his.
Great idea sharing you vast knowledge and experience!!
On a separate topic altogether , you have to get rid of that indy car engine sound on your videos and replace it with some diesel clatter, i mean jeez after all thats what you do best!!
As far as the remark about the auction. I worked at the auction. Some cars mostly high performance cars are beat up by people who are paid very little. It's still worth noting some people list cars online that have a dealers license that don't know the history of a car. Nearly bought a car that I heard them say, "the timing chain broke." I asked them how it broke and he went "uuuuh I was at a stop light and it turned green and it broke." Saw the residue of an auction sticker from Manheim on the front and rear windshields. Even worse I saw a guy selling his work vehicle because he was retiring. Had a few things needed to be done to it. Someone bought it and was reselling it with a rolled back odometer. They didn't even take the time to remove the previous owners business vinyl decals. They fixed the transmission and new tires, but the rolled back odometer was seriously scummy.
Man I bought a 5000$ car. Had to put about 1000$ of work into it. Thing works great 2 years in the making 🤙🤷🏻♂️
Why are all the great ,truthful mechanic always out of state ? such great and clear use car advice, i had no idea you could test if a car has been painted,great job guys.
Glad you giving out good info
This is well worth the time to consider.
Hoped to have a peek at that list. Too bad it's behind a paywall.
I went to a car lot 2015 and found a nice truck had 300 in line 6 a 93 shot bed ran good went to work got off around 6 was on my way home did not have it 8 hours and the transmission went out and the car lot gave my money back and put a repo report on me because it broken down transmission shop said it was full of metal grindings and it was one of the automatic transmission that had a plat for a pto on the side
Not to rain on the parade, but Cadillac doesn't put stickers on their hoods. They go on the support frame above the radiator
I bought my Nissan Sunny (Sentra in South Africa) new, and all stickers are on the radiator support beam. Nothing underneath the hood, so it's not necessarily wrong what you're saying. 😊
That’s why he said that the hood was from a body shop and he names the shop.
Hey Dave, great video! Will you be doing one for purchasing a diesel truck? Thanks for all you shared with us.
That's a great idea. We do have a long video on RUclips where we walk-through a new diesel truck purchase with a customer. That would be great to do a used diesel truck purchase inspection
The other thing you need to check is under the seat, is it rust or not, if rust so the car have a bad time through the flood
Thanks dave for the PSA
@dave with all the manufacturers moving towards these high mileage maintenance intervals could you please publish a recommendation for maintenance intervals from your point of view, based on your experience. I would even benefit from a print out or maintenance booklet I can keep in my truck. I’m old school that way!
7.3 Powerstroke owner here, I’ve always changed my oil every 5k miles, and I change all other fluids (brake, coolant, trans, diff, power steering and transfer case) every 30k miles.
Just curious what your perspective is. Thanks.
My daughter popped up with a 2015 Explorer Sport. It’s been nothing but a nightmare since she bought it. Since she purchased it she has replaced the water pump a timing chain and spark plugs. Now it’s presented new issues with the steering system and a lot of front suspension issues 😡
It's such a shame but almost unavoidable with a used car now.
Purchased for future reference.
AUD45 is cheap for the video alone
Did it come with a checklist?
I know but if it's a high kilometre.used vehicle I always expect to have to do work to it.
I bought my 2002 model Holden VY SS Commodore through a private sale in mid 2008 with about 182,000 kilometres on the odometer when the car was 5 1/2 years old,it was a new car to me & a week later the clutch pressure plate blew up in it which cost me $1500 AUD for someone to get me to replace, the whole clutch, that is.
I paid $17,500 AUD for it & a total of $18,000 AUD including the stamp duty,it did have things which needed doing to it including the rear lower control arm bushes needed replacing because the left hand rear tyre kept scrubbing out on the inside.
I am still driving the car 16 years later & I did replace the rear control arm bushes with polyurethane items back in 2012,the original Inner control arm bushes were made of nylon & the left hand Inner bush was distorted out of shape, fitting the polyurethane bushes fixed the tyre scrubbing issue.
I replaced the hydraulic lifters in 2018,I believe that the car missed a service for 17,000 kilometres when it was fairly new,I think that they might have driven around Australia in it because they racked up that amount of kilometres in a few weeks (about 6).
It's approaching 400,000 kilometres (about 248,550 Miles) now !
The best information!!!
Stuff I already know but not all of it, but still things the public must know!!
Hello sir I am mechanic. I am from India 🇮🇳. I am your big fan🎉.. .....osm talent
I wish I could learn from uncle Dave. Master of the trade hands down!
Thank you Uncle Dave!!
Been looking forward to this one!
For what? Buy a paint meter and his program? Surprised he isnt selling a "Daves auto" paint meter :/
Been nice to have small scanner to pick to read also would’ve put cherry on top
Thank you for the awesome work you do
Why does the “blow by test” of taking the oil cap off only work on a diesel? Why does it not work on gas engines?
I've done it on gas engines. It worked.
If you call, text or email about a privately owned car you're interested in, ask, "Is the car still for sale?" If the person asks, "Which car are you calling about?" You know it's a car dealer pretending to be a private party or a flipper who's trying to move cars. Avoid these sellers.
Also, when you go to look at a car, never look at it at night, it's best to check out a car on a sunny day. It's much easier to spot paint matching problems.
Excellent job lads
It's finally here!!
Great job Dave.....
I really wish I had this when I bought my car in 2021 and was stuck with it bc of the bank so I had no choice but to go broke to fix it and struggle afterwards to survive, I've saved this car from so much but I'm definitely going to make the 600 trip to come by at some point because although this car is awesome now there's a really weird acceleration issue that happens randomly but I have a feeling you guys should be able to find it! No place I've taken it to tries any longer than 30 minutes and give up "wait till it happens more" well I don't wanna risk getting stranded or an accident caused by it..(has almost happened a few times lol)
I bought a used 14 accord they declared 2,500 in damages . Well, the fender gaps are all off mysterious dents . The original owner, I got so many questions. Perhaps certain people shouldn't own automobiles ever. I bought that in 2019 minimal maintenance. She's a little rough around the edges.
I know some folks are saying what about the Carfax? What about it ? I figure a lot of repairs are done under the table, with no paper trail ! The paint job looked really good, however ,no one can paint a car or truck and the get the base and clear to match the factory paint job thickness consistently . How many buyers are going to look at used cars or trucks with a paint dept gauge in their pocket? I used to detail cars and I was working on a Toyota Highlander about a 2016 model. I was polishing the paint and noticed that rear passenger door and roof line felt rough. My neighbor who touched up cars for car dealers took a look at it and said that was overspray from improper masking allowing paint to get on a section of the car that wasn't being repaired . He advised me to let the customer know about it and not to try and fix myself.
... He says, in front of a 57 Chevy! (Just kidding Dave, you ARE the MAN!)
Love your Channel Dave
Another helpful tip is to check the window stamp. If they don't have the factory name, then that's another clue of an accident.
Would you recommend getting one of those car scanners that shows if there may be any faults with it or is it just a waste of money?
The paint measuring gauge may be a waste of money if you are only getting one used car, and not buying cars on a regular basis. Your mechanic may have one if they do a lot of used vehicle inspections.👍
@@DavesAutoCenterCenterville I think they're talking about an OBD scanner to see if there are any DTCs. I would recommend it. I bought a truck that had hidden (no check engine light) codes for reverse camera communication errors, ignition module errors, cluster gauge communication errors, TCM communication errors. The were a lot of weird electrical gremlins. Had I scanned codes before buying I would have walked away. OBDLink MX+ and associated app on my phone work great.
Great honest advice 👌
There should be a DISCLOSURE by the dealer if repainted
I was looking at a car that was a little pricey. It had an immaculate carfax, but was from the rust belt. I put it up on my lift and the whole underside was rusted. I ended up with the sales manager and he offered me $100 off. It's very insulting how they played dumb and I wish I could have warned the poor customer that bought it
if this guy knew anything about after market paint finishes, he could easly tell by looking at the finish under his florecent lights in the shop.
Thanks for this guys!
Very cool way to lend your knowledge and experience to aid people in their quest for a reliable lem... Um, car.
Very cool way to lend your knowledge and experience to get people to pay you more money. :(
@@Bodezafa So, Dave has a shop that is all volunteer? WHat planet are you from? As I work with a similar shop, I can say, Dave and crew do have integrity. Buuuut, it sounds like you think they should work for free and carry the likes of you and your friends. They are not volunteers. They do their share of philanthropy.
Thank you. Awesome content.
I have been watching your videos and shorts for quite a while. Love all the info and in-depth info! Do you have any opinion on 2014 toyota tundra? I own one and love it, but she's at 144k. Would love some insight on what to watch for and also what to change out within critical operating parts.
I like to make sure the car is ice cold when I start it
Man, I bought a used VW that I told the used car dealer to make sure hadn’t been started when I came to look at it.
Nope, sorry it had to be moved earlier yada yada.
Guess what, it had a small timing chain rattle the next morning upon cold start!
@@patsky8319 good thing you stuck to your guns!