Buying a New Car

You've found the truck of your dreams and you can't wait to hold those new keys in your hands.  What an exciting time.  However, before you take out a huge loan on your dream truck it's very important to make sure you're not driving off the lot in a lemon.  Buying a new or used car is a one of the biggest purchases you will make in your lifetime- invest wisely.  As a certified local mechanic at John's Service Center in Morrisville, PA, I've completed hundreds, if not thousands of pre-purchase inspections on vehicles.  It's a critical step in owning a reliable car or truck.  I'm now sharing my expertise and advice with you!

As an ASE certified technician, I know what to look for when it comes to finding the right car for you.  In addition to pre-purchase inspections, I like to invite my customers to stop by my auto repair show in Pennsylvania to help narrow down the best car for their needs.  This way, before you even hit the car lot, you'll know exactly what you want and don't want.  I can point you in the right direction during the car buying experience. Car salesman can be aggressive, you need someone you can trust during this process.  Your locally owned and operated auto repair and service shop is the best place to get unbiased car buying advice.

Cars That Are Lemons

Lemons belong in your kitchen, not in your driveway.  While an ASE certified mechanic can spot a lemon from a mile away, for the untrained eye it can be a little more challenging.  When shopping for a vehicle look for these red flags: rusting, paint chipping, delayed start and wear and tear on tires.  If you notice rusting around the base of the vehicle and around the tires, this is a good indicator this car has been submerged in water.  Run as fast as flood waters away from this car.  I don't care that it has heated leather seats, move on to the next vehicle.  Ever since Katrina, there's been a surge of cars of submerged cars on the markets.

This is both illegal and unethical to sell a submerged car on a car lot.  Do your research.  If the VIN number on the car indicates it spent time in a flood or hurricane zone, stay away.  If you don't have access to a computer, your locally  owned and operated auto repair shop can help run the VIN number for you.  In addition to rusting, you want to pay attention to how a car sounds when turn the ignition key.  Does it start up right away or is there a delay? Even the slightest delay will indicate big problems with the transmission. Our ASE certified auto repair mechanics specialize in transmission repair, auto electric and brake repair and will be able to tell you if you have a lemon on your hands.
Once you've picked out the car or truck of your dreams, give your local auto repair mechanic a call to schedule a pre-purchase inspection appointment.

Reliable Auto Repair

Because time is of the essence, a professional and reliable auto repair and service shop will most likely be able to fit you in for an inspection within 24 hours. To complete the third party pre-purchase inspection, a car dealer will allow you to drive your dream truck to your ASE certified mechanic of choice.  Once the vehicle is at your locally owned and operated auto repair and service center, it will take about one hour for the entire inspection process.

During this time, your mechanic will run a diagnostics test, a brake exam, check the oil and transmission.  A pre-purchase inspection will typically cost you about $50.  Once the inspection is complete, your ASE certified mechanic will give you a full report and his or her recommendations.  Take this report very seriously.  The last thing you want to do is purchase a car in need of a lot of maintenance and repairs.  Even if that truck is the perfect color red, you're face will turn the same hue as soon as you break down on the side of the road three days after driving off the car lot.

Before you buy your dream car, buy a pre-purchase inspection from your ASE certified mechanic at John's Service Center in Morrisville, PA.  This small step will save you a lot of time and money down the road.  Good luck and happy car shopping.

John's Service Center