Tips on how to avoid buying a lemon vehicle for your safety
**A contributed post as written for The Safe Driver by Julian Moore.
You have been thinking about buying a new vehicle for yourself. You think that the time is right and this will be very convenient instead of taking the daily commute. But since this is the first time you’re buying a vehicle, your friends warned you about lemon vehicles. They have been telling you about how you should be careful in purchasing a vehicle because chances are, some dealers would trick you into getting into a “good deal” but the truth is, your safety is at risk once you use a lemon vehicle. And of course, you don’t want that to happen.
You don’t have to worry because this article will provide you tips on how to avoid buying a lemon vehicle for your safety. These are simple tips which you can do to ensure that your safety is not put on the line.
But First, What Is a Lemon Vehicle?
A vehicle is tagged as a lemon vehicle when it has been found to have countless manufacturing defects which can affect the safety, value of use of the vehicle. A vehicle which has several issues can be termed as lemon. To create a clearer example, when the air conditioning unit is not working perfectly but the vehicle drives fine, it can’t be considered as a lemon vehicle but if this vehicle doesn’t drive like it should be based on what is stated on the warranty, it could be a lemon. If you’re interested to know more about lemon law, you can click here.
Since the defects cannot be easily detected, many dealers would sell lemon vehicles as if it’s in perfect working condition just to get a sale.
How Can You Avoid Buying a Lemon Vehicle?
Yes, a lemon vehicle can pose severe safety risks to its users and of course, no one would want that. For you to avoid buying a lemon vehicle, the tips listed below may be helpful for you:
- You should do your own research: Before visiting numerous auto dealer shops in your area, make sure you have an idea of what you’re looking for in a vehicle.
- Do you want a small vehicle for your needs? Or are you planning to get one which could fit all of your friends in it? These things matter so you can easily narrow down your search.
- Ideally, you should opt to buy the newest car with the lowest kilometers that you can afford. The vehicle should also be well kept.
- When you finally have a decision on which car to buy, search for the price range so you’ll have an idea on how much you’ll spend. If you find your dream car with a price that’s too good to be true, you should be very wary. Don’t jump to a purchase just because the vehicle is cheap.
- You should check all the documentation: When you’re buying a second-hand vehicle, you should make sure that it has all the necessary documents to ensure that your transaction will go smoothly as possible. You don’t want to enjoy your vehicle after the first week of purchase and regret having it after a few months, right?
- First things first. You should take the time to check the laws in your state about buying and selling cars. This step is important because there are some states which require sellers to have a recent and updated roadworthy certificate while most states would require a ‘pink slip’.
- Don’t forget to check if the car is currently registered, along with the name and other details on the rego papers.
- You should also check if this vehicle has current compulsory third party (CTP) insurance.
- You should check the exterior: You can start by doing a walk around the car and look for dents, chipped paint, mismatch body panels and parts. Since this is your first time to buy a vehicle, you should be very keen even with the smallest details.
- A close inspection of the vehicle can reveal paint overspraying on chrome or rubber trim on the vehicle’s wheel wells. This is a key sign of a body-panel repair.
- A door, hood or trunk which doesn’t close completely is an evidence of previous damage and sloppy repair work. The same is true when the vehicle has inconsistent welds around the doors, hoods and trunk.
- You should check the interior: You should have the same meticulousness when you check the interior of the vehicle. This is where you and your passengers will be sitting while on the road so it’s essential that you warrant this part of the vehicle is safe.
- A long look in the cabin can reveal many obvious problems namely sagging headliners, cracked dashboard, and missing buttons, handles and knobs.
- A frayed seat belt or ones which has melted fibers which are caused by friction can be an evidence of a previous frontal impact. Damaged safety belts should be replaced immediately because this can become the reason why someone can lose their life on the road.
- Worn pedals can also indicate that the vehicle has very high mileage.
- A mildew smell which is caused by a water leak can be something that’s hard to get rid of.
Key Takeaway Points
Your safety should be on top your priority whenever you’re buying a vehicle. Sure, the vehicle you’re eyeing for might be cheap but it should not compromise your safety. The tips presented in this article might be time-consuming and taxing for you to do (because you can always immediately pick a vehicle you like, pay and use it as soon as possible, right?) but these are simple precautions you can do to ensure that your safety is not put at risk in any way. The vehicle you’re about to purchase should bring countless advantages in your life, and not put your life in great danger.
Julian Moore
Julian Moore fancies himself as someone who aims to help his readers comprehend otherwise hard-to-understand topics. He strives to show his passion towards writing in his pieces, where he tackles legal topics. He hopes to engage his readers more through his informative style of writing. Julian is a father of three, and loves to spend time with his children during his free time. 