AUTONET TV

Before You Buy a Used Vehicle (Car Inspection before Buying a Used Vehicle)

Before You Buy a Used Vehicle (Car Inspection before Buying a Used Vehicle)

Perhaps this sounds familiar. Your vehicle seems like it’s been around forever, and you’ve decided it’s time to move on.  But when you check the price of new vehicles, the sky-high price tags have you considering a nice, pre-owned one.  

So, you start looking through the ads and find a few prospects.  A couple look great, and the owners say they’re in like-new shape.  But most of us aren’t trained mechanics, nor do we have the equipment to run the tests to determine what’s right and what’s wrong with a used truck, car, SUV or van. 
 
The answer may be to consider having a trained professional perform an independent inspection on the vehicle you have your eye on. Some dealers may conduct their own inspection, but you are best served by having someone not associated with the seller thoroughly check that vehicle you have your eye on.

A technician puts the vehicle up on a lift to look for damage, corrosion or any signs of accidents or flood damage you can’t see when it’s sitting on the ground.  A used vehicle inspection includes checking brakes, wheels and tires, belts and hoses, suspension components and the heating/air conditioning systems.

In addition to inspecting the vehicle visually, the technician can use a professional, full-function scanner to look for codes stored in the vehicle’s memory and diagnose other electrical issues.  It may also show if there have been any warning lights that have come on recently or if someone has wiped the memory to try to hide something.

Unless you are a professional automotive technician, consider investing in a comprehensive, pre-purchase inspection.  No, it can’t guarantee to turn up everything that might fail in the future, but it can be a bargain to have peace of mind that the vehicle you’re considering is worth the considerable investment you are contemplating. It could also give you additional bargaining leverage.  

Car Doc On The Island
419 South Tamiami Trail
Venice, FL 34285
(941) 786-1595
www.cardocontheisland.com

A Most Important Part (Serpentine Belt Replacement)

Your vehicle’s engine is an engineering work of wonder with many complex parts working in harmony to get you down the road. One of those simple but important components is called a serpentine belt. It is driven by a pulley on the engine and transfers that power to many of your engine’s most important components.  The serpentine belt may drive the alternator, water pump, power steering pump and air conditioning compressor.  

When it’s working like it should, you won’t even notice the serpentine belt.  But when it starts to fail, you may hear a squealing noise coming from under the hood as the belt starts slipping.  Heat and time take their toll on the serpentine belt, causing it to crack or even to start shredding.  When this happens, it may not drive your alternator correctly, and your battery light may come on.  If the water pump isn’t turning, your engine may overheat, causing the heat gauge to show hotter than usual.

When the serpentine belt isn’t doing its job, it’s important to get it serviced very soon.  Letting it go too long can result in many more expensive repairs to multiple parts on your vehicle, especially if the belt breaks.  

Regular vehicle maintenance is important, and an inspection of your serpentine belt should be one of those things you should have one of our technicians do periodically.  While the belts can last for years, it’s important to detect any beginning of wear earlier rather than later.  In addition to the condition of the belt, the technician can also check to make sure pulleys are aligned properly and that the belt is routed correctly.  

Your vehicle’s serpentine belt is one of those components that you won’t even notice when it’s doing its job, and maintaining it will help you avoid surprises at the worst possible time.  

Car Doc On The Island
419 South Tamiami Trail
Venice, FL 34285
(941) 786-1595
www.cardocontheisland.com

You Are the Fluid Detective! (Leaking Fluids)

When you see some liquid sitting underneath your vehicle, your mind starts churning.  Is that normal? Is that something serious, or did I just spill my drink? Here’s a quick list of what those fluids look, smell and feel like, as well as what they might be. No, we don’t recommend you taste them to verify.

   •    Clear and underneath your air conditioner or under the end of your tailpipe. It’s likely something as simple as condensed water.  This probably doesn’t need immediate attention, but you should keep checking periodically.
   •    Oily, brown, golden or black.  That could be the sign of engine oil leaking.  Oil may also smell if it has been leaking on metal and burning.  This is one you should have checked out fairly quickly.
   •    Green, blue, red, yellow, purple or orange and watery under the engine.  Smells sweet.  May be coolant (antifreeze) and a sign of a leaking radiator, hose or clamp.  Also, could mean your water pump is shot or radiator is broken or cracked.  The more that’s there, the more important it is for us to check it out soon.
   •    Yellow, slippery and smells a little foul.  Could be brake fluid. This is one that you should bring to us quickly to have us inspect.
   •    Red or pinkish and collects under the engine or middle of your vehicle.  Could be power steering fluid.  Here’s another one that should be checked by a professional soon.
   •    Red or brown liquid from around your transmission or between your radiator and the transmission, smells sweet.  You might smell burning from around your engine area, too.  Might be transmission fluid.  Another one where it’s important to have a pro look at it soon.  

Your eyes and nose can be helpful to spotting things that need attention on your vehicle.  When in doubt, head on over to see us so a technician can check it out.  Taking care of it sooner rather than later could save you an expensive repair down the road.

Car Doc On The Island
419 South Tamiami Trail
Venice, FL 34285
(941) 786-1595
www.cardocontheisland.com

The Light Nobody Wants to See (Check Engine Light)

You've probably had your Check Engine Light go on.  Then it goes off and you figure, hey, whatever the problem was, it's gone now and I don't have to worry about it.  Well, the problem may have gone away and it may not have.

Your vehicle likely has one of these warning lights on the instrument panel: an amber light that looks like an engine or reads "Check Engine" or "Service Vehicle Soon."  If that light comes on and stays on, it usually means there's something amiss but not urgently in need of service.  (Now if it's blinking, that's another story that we'll deal with in a minute.)

Sometimes when it comes on and stays steadily lit, the problem will go away and the light will go out.  Sometimes it will stay on until you get the problem fixed.  Either way, the engine's computer will store a code that can provide clues to what's not working—or wasn't working—the way it's supposed to.

If you are just dying to know what that code is, you can buy a little code reader or take your vehicle to an auto parts store and they'll read it.  Problem is, the code offers so many options that unless you are a trained technician, you probably won't have a clue what those codes mean. 

So if you want to be sure, take it to your vehicle repair facility and have them check it.  Technicians are trained to decipher the codes and, using their experience and other diagnostic equipment, can get to the root of the problem and fix it. 

As we mentioned before, if that Check Engine light comes on and is blinking, it means a more serious engine malfunction that can damage expensive components such as the catalytic converter and even the engine itself.  It's important to have that checked by a professional as soon as possible. 

Car Doc On The Island
419 South Tamiami Trail
Venice, FL 34285
(941) 786-1595
www.cardocontheisland.com

Don’t Be Hosed (Radiator Hose Replacement)

If you are like most drivers, you don’t worry too much about what shape your radiator hoses are in.  But they are a vital part of your coolant system, helping carry engine coolant from the hot engine to where it is cooled off in the radiator.  

When the cooling system has a problem, you will likely see your vehicle’s temperature gauge showing you it’s running at a higher temperature than it usually does. Or maybe the low coolant light has come on.  If either of these happens, it’s important that you not drive too long since a hot, running vehicle can suffer expensive damage quickly.

Radiator hoses can be damaged by being subjected to temperature extremes, both hot and cold. In addition to the temperature gauge climbing or low coolant light illuminating, there are other clues that may tell you your vehicle is leaking fluid.  You may notice a green, yellow, brown or purple fluid pooled on the ground around your vehicle.  

At any of these signs, it’s time to bring your vehicle in for service soon.  A technician can inspect hoses for leaks, deformities and other problems, as well as looking for cracks and wear.  They’ll also check the condition of the water pump, since problems with it can be another reason coolant will leak out from under your vehicle.

It is better to periodically have your hoses checked rather than waiting until they fail.  How often you should have yours replaced depends a lot on what vehicle you own, and in what conditions it is driven. Rubber degrades not only by temperature but also by what materials it comes in contact with.  For example, oil leaking on a radiator hose can prematurely cause that hose to fail. Age is another factor.  

We recommend you have one of our technicians inspect your cooling system regularly so you don’t get “hosed” by a failure at an inconvenient time.

Car Doc On The Island
419 South Tamiami Trail
Venice, FL 34285
(941) 786-1595
www.cardocontheisland.com