Having appraised thousand of vehicles, here is the simple steps I used on every test drive, I don't expect you to be an expert overnight but pick up a few pointers will help you getting valid value for your bucks.
Starting the test drive...drive the car slowly at first, feel and count the shift changes, Any slipping ? Any hesitation ? Any vibrations ?
Drive... long enough to get the engine warm as most cars indicator lights warning of engine trouble wont glow until it is thoroughly warmed up.
One of the most important steps in the whole process when buying a used vehicle is taking it on the Highway for a test drive,if you don't here, are some things you could experience that you would not have noticed driving the car around the area
- does it handle well on the on-ramp
- does it merge well into traffic
- how's your vision over your shoulder when merging and changing lanes
- excessive wind noise from windows
- Whirring sound from tires
- Testing cruise control
- Is there a lag between stepping on gas and accelerating
- At 100 km an hour hit the brake - does it pulsate? Does it pull left or right? Does the body of car swerve?
- Does engine strain at high speeds?
- Acceleration satisfactory when passing?
You may have heard the term a car feels TIGHT if you have tested all of the above questions and you feel the car passed every test and you've been feeling like the car responds like being part of you when driving then the vehicle is TIGHT and you could consider bringing it home.
Remember the Dealer can't tell you that a car handles the way you like - you have to find out on your own.
From experience about 80% of consumers buy a used car without testing the vehicle on the highway, and a huge percentage of these buyers will return within 24 hrs with some problems related to above questions
