**The Importance of Proper Car Maintenance and Pre-Purchase Inspections**

As I've seen time and time again, poorly built cars can lead to costly repairs and headaches for owners. When people buy cars with problems, they often take them back to the dealership, only to be told that there's no problem or that it's a minor issue. However, by taking a proactive approach and conducting thorough pre-purchase inspections, buyers can avoid these pitfalls and ensure they get a reliable vehicle.

To start, I recommend that potential car buyers bring their camcorder or phone along when test-driving a new car. This allows them to capture footage of any unusual noises or vibrations, which can be used as evidence if the issue arises in the future. Additionally, it's essential to ask for a detailed breakdown of the car's history and maintenance records. By doing so, buyers can get a better understanding of the vehicle's condition and potential problems that may have been overlooked by previous owners.

One of the most critical aspects of pre-purchase inspections is checking the transmission. Using specialized equipment like my $5,000 scan tool, I can identify any issues with the transmission and provide buyers with a clear picture of what to expect. Similarly, block leak tests are essential for identifying gasket leaks, which can be costly to repair if left unchecked.

In terms of specific vehicles, some models are better than others when it comes to reliability. For example, the Mazda Miata is an excellent choice for those looking for a fun and affordable ride. With prices starting at around $4,000, this convertible is a steal compared to more expensive options like the Porsche Boxster. However, if buyers opt for a higher-end model, they may be in for a surprise. According to my experience, high-performance convertibles like the Boxster are often plagued by problems from the get-go, making them a less desirable choice.

For those looking to purchase their first used car, it's essential to take a close look at the tires and suspension system. Worn-out tires can cause a range of issues, including vibrations and shaking, while misaligned wheels can lead to uneven tire wear and poor handling. In some cases, these problems may be caused by worn-out tie rods or ball joints, which can be easily replaced.

When it comes to batteries and alternators, poor maintenance is often the culprit behind premature failure. If a battery is old or has been neglected, it can cause the alternator to work harder, leading to wear and tear on the component. Regular checks and maintenance are essential for preventing this type of problem. By keeping up with routine inspections and addressing any issues promptly, buyers can ensure their vehicle remains reliable and runs smoothly.

In conclusion, pre-purchase inspections and regular maintenance are crucial for ensuring that a new car runs smoothly and efficiently. By taking a proactive approach and conducting thorough checks, buyers can avoid costly repairs down the line and enjoy a trouble-free driving experience.

"WEBVTTKind: captionsLanguage: enrev up your enginesfrom my experience of any poorly builtcars when people buy them and then theyfind a problem then they take it back tothe dealership ninety percent of thetime the dealership either doesn't fixit or they say well there's no problemthey're all like that, you ever runinto that you buy a car yourself here'swhat I tell people to do because I'vehad my customers do it I told them and theysaid gee thanks Scotty it really workedout good, you buy a new car and it's gota problem and they say oh no they're alllike that go to another dealer road testone bring your camcorder or your phoneand use that and if it doesn't make thatkind of noise or doesn't shift weirdlike that one say I just road test andone there it doesn't do it that's BS fixuse your head when it comes to dealingwith these guys cuz they lie all thetime but if you use your headand you show them hey this car doesn'tdo it it's the same car as the one Ibought how come mine is and if it's underwarrantythey'll have to fix it if you've gotproof like that, John says I've beentaking about getting a cheap 2007 SubaruOutback as a second car for two thousanddollars alright two thousand dollarsisn't that much for car it's a 13 yearold Subaru they've had head gasket problemsthey have automatic transmissionproblems but that's not much money ifyou like the vehicle before you buy finda guy like me a pro mechanic take it tohim I charge 100 bucks when I check themout I would do block leak test with mymachines that gaskets leaking I saidI'll buy a road tested feel the transmissionand I would put my fancy $5,000 scan tooland go through the transmission to see ifit's got any problems and if it didn't Isaid go ahead and buy but don't buy itand just drive it around without amechanic checking it outbecause they can be money but they canokay I had customers buy them like thatand if I check that out sometimes theycan drive in 3 4 years not to have afortune sent on them too, but you gotta getchecked out firstdm 17 says what's the best useconvertible I was looking at a PorscheBoxster things are endless money pitsi customer buy one and headlight stoppedworking and it was bad enough that thestupid headlight switch was like $395but I got out my computer I'm looking atright now and I used all data which isfantastic information for fixing carsyou ever want to get information use alldata you canDIY stuff for like 30 bucks here whichis dirt cheap mine cost thousands cuz itdoesn't mom I'm a professional mechanicbut so I looked it up I added up whatall including had lights in the computerthat runs the headlights and all therelays and switches and everything andif you had to replace the whole justheadlight system and that stupid Boxsterit was gonna be like five or sixthousand dollars from me during thismoney but stay away you want a nice cutelow convertible get a Mazda Miatathere's zillions of them they're cheapthey're not race cars the problem is ifyou get any kind of a race carconvertible they generally have the heckbeat out of them or they're just bad likethe Boxster from the get-go and unlessyou buy one new what can last years andnot fall apartbut you buy one for I don't know $70,000and sell it when it's five years oldyou'll get like fifteen or twenty siryou lost fifty fifty five thousanddollars do you really wanna do that youget a nice used Mazda Miata for four orfive grand if you look around220 says I'm 17 about to buy myfirst used car what do you think about a2012HondaCivic lx, those are greatvehicles make sure that you know itdoesn't have any problems a mechaniclike me to check it out before you buyit but that can be a very good choiceare you 17 if you know how to drive astandard I knew how to drive standard thenbecauseI started driving I was 14 working myfather's gas station driving around inand out of the bays and around theparking lot and stuff if you can drive astandard get a standard they'remuch better than the automatics but ifyou can't the automatics canstill last you just don't want to drivelike a maniac because you can burn themout I had a customer had one any burnersout but the standard ones they're a lotstronger, benny-boy Kent says my carsteering wheel starts shaking around 55miles an hour any causes I had the firstthing just put the front tires in theback in the back of the front if it goesaway it means that the front tires areout of balance and a lot of times itdoesn't shake cause you put them in theback you can just leave them there I dothat all the time I'm cheap but if youwere fanatic then you could get the reartires balanced now if it's not the tirebalance you can have a worn tie rodball-joint you want to jack it up pullsee if you got any wobble and I play orthis is a rarity but it can happen ifeverything else is okay nothing's wornthe tires are fine they're bounced okayit could be it's out ofthat's a rarity but every once in awhile I get a customer with a car likethat I send it down the street to cottonbrothers that are my front end guys andthey say Scotty all right it was out ofalignment we aligned it and then itshaking one away but that's the lastthing to do because normally it's justthe tires are out of balance or if yousee them they're all worn out by newtires cuz worn-out tires are gonna makeit shake to, Maillol one twothree hey Scotty what causes alternatorsto go bad if they're just cheap junk youbuy cheap junk rebuilt one made inMexico they just are made bad and theywear out too fast but the normal onesyou got a good one brand-new factory oneon your car eventually they wear outbecause they spin and they are bearingson the front in the back and thebearings eventually will wear out andit'll start rattling and making noisethen you gotta replace them but from myexperience the way that they generallywear out the worst is by poor batterymaintenance because if you've got a weakbattery say it's all faded inside wemechanics have machines to check forthat but you keep driving the car cuz itdoes start then the battery is gonna bekeep charging it too muchit's an alternator will charge thebattery too much and you'll haveproblems with an overcharging and itwill eventually burn the alternator outbecause the alternator has to work toohard that's I tell people every year twoor three years you know mechanic like mesee from our machines on it give us thepercentage of wear and we can say wellyeah I only got 20% you might as wellchange it or if we say I got sixty fivepercent you can wait quite some timebefore it goes out on you but you'llwant to check because when it gets lowerthe alternator is to work harder and itwill burn out faster that batteries area lot cheaper than alternators too,so if you never want to miss another oneof my new car repair videos, rememberto ring that Bell\n"