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Test drives of used cars should be undertaken thoroughly and patiently.
The vehicle itself should be scrutinized just as closely as the contract or financial terms.
The best course of action is to make a checklist of criteria to be
covered both before and during the test drive, and then cross the items off one by one,
making any necessary notes along the way. You should plan your own driving route to take
ahead of time, and not simply drive around the dealership's neighborhood at the
salesperson's direction. You should either drive your actual residential and highway
routes taken each day, or follow a route that provides a similar driving environment.
Of course, a certain degree of wear and tear is to be expected on a used car but limits
should be put on just how much is acceptable depending on the model year.
You should use controls and accessories, windows, door locks, etc to ensure that they are
easily accessed and working. Take time to analyze luggage space and make sure that
everyday items such as sports equipment and baby gear can fit in the trunk.
On the drive, you should take note of the vehicle's performance on a variety of road
conditions such as gravel, pavement, residential streets, and highways. For trucks and
SUV's, go to an area where the four-wheel drive can be tested out. Take the vehicle up
hills and around corners, listening to the engine's response and how quickly and smoothly
the transmission shifts. Merge onto the highway and gauge how well it accelerates and
maneuvers into traffic, especially if the air conditioning is on which can cause a vehicle
to lose power.
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