Choose With Care As You Shop For Used Cars For Sale In Orange County

You won’t find any shortage of used cars for sale in Orange County. New ones go on the market every day, listed by private sellers and appearing in car lots. The ones in car lots might have been trade-ins; they might have been purchased at auction, or they might be former rental cars. There are all sorts of ways that cars hit the market, but whichever one attracts your attention, Orange County residents, one thing is certain: you must always, always do a test drive before you buy.

Your Test Drive Is Necessary, Orange County

Once you are behind the wheel and you’re testing out the car, you’ll want to check out the status of the brakes. Your brakes need to operate just as they should, and if there are any problems with them, you need to be fully aware of it before you buy the car. If your quest for used cars for sale in Orange County brought you to a reputable dealer, then they should have checked out the brakes beforehand, but you still should do this.

Find an area without traffic, and take the car up to 30 mph or so. Then, press down hard on the brakes to decelerate quickly, but not enough so that the car slides. This “stress test” will tell you a lot about your car’s brakes. There should not be any vibration from the brake pedal when you take this action, and there should be no squealing or strange noises. If the brakes seem to pulsate, that means the rotors need to be resurfaced or possibly replaced. The car should not swerve, either. If it does, that means the steering components are worn out, or there could be a bad brake caliper.

At Higher Speeds

If you are on the highway and you are taking the car up to speeds of 45, 55, and 65 mph, check to see if there are any pauses before the vehicle accelerates. If there are any, that could mean wear to various engine components. The cost to replace or repair them could run you several hundred dollars, or even up into the thousands. You’re looking for a smooth ride. If you’re not getting one at high speeds, rethink whether you want to buy the car in question.

If you’ve gone to a trustworthy dealer as you’re hunting for used cars for sale in Orange County, then there’s less of a chance that any of the vehicle’s internal components will be worn out. It’s mainly with private sellers who are trying to pull a fast one where this occurs. In all cases, you should select your used vehicle with care, and make the selection that is the best fit for you.