>what questions should i ask the demon who only lies?
lol

for a new new car all you can do is buy something comfortable and to your tastes, all the brands suck in 2026, all the warranties suck in 2026

the only actually productive thing i can think of is asking for cars with manufacturing incentives on interest rate or rebates

for a "pre-owned" car
drive it for 20 mins
check the oil, should not be black
open the hood and look at the joints on the steel lines (the ac lines) and look for mysterious green spots
hit the brakes a few times, looking for shaking or squeals
hit a few bumps, listen for heavy rattling (blown struts)
look behind all four wheels, make sure the ball joints aren't busted open (look at the black elbows around the metal skeleton parts)
there's probably a little bit of rust on the cast iron suspension components but make sure it's not about to fall apart
check the windows and locks on the doors

>>34472596
How can you tell if the timing belt is new and has recently been replaced.

>>34472634
usually a good time to replace the compressor and vice versa

if the compressor looks shiny and brand new the belt is probably new
belt looking shiny and brand new doesn't mean much because you can just oil or clean it for nothing, but if it looks rough at all it's definitely old

if it squeals like a banshee on startup the belt is old old old

>>34472544
New?

>>34472683
Op here.
What I meant to say was used.

>>34472836
Ask if anyone ever died in it

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>>34472836
You can rent a scanner from many parts stores for free plus deposit. They are cheap, easy to use and useful in life. You can scan to see that all readiness tests are complete. If not, the seller has recently reset the check engine malfunction indicator light. Another good conversation starter is if you witness paint, grease, dust with the footprint of nuts and bolts next nuts and bolts. Like, if the head of the bolt is not sitting concentrically in its footprint, it has been disturbed. Already having nearly new tires saves a bundle.

>>34472544
Sales guy isn't going to tell you any of the issues with the car, just features. Honestly, the less talking with them, the better off you are.

Check carfax if available.
Consider make/model typical mileage limit to give you a better idea if it's low/high mileage. Rule of thumb is Toyotas, Hondas, and luxury makes last to 300k+ if taken care of. Other makes like Kias are typically around 150k miles. So 100k miles on a kia is a lot. 100k miles on a camry is barely used.

Pull over and check:
> rust under the car, there's going to be some, but you don't want the frame rusty, or anything to look like it's falling apart.
>check for signs of fluid leaks under the hood
>feel the belts, make sure they're reasonably firm and not brittle.
>Notice if there's a lot of corrosion around battery
>check all / as many electronics as you can, make sure windows, horn, key remote/alarm, all the dumb little stuff - including the stereo/sound quality
>check tire treads
>lights/blinkers, doors, trunk

Driving list:
>get it up to speed, highway if you can, test accelerating quickly and make sure the transmission isn't slipping, make sure it doesn't shake at higher speeds
>noises, engine volume, any rattling
>brake and make sure it doesn't grind, squeal, shake, and the pedal doesn't need to go too close to the floor

If everything above checks out, you're probably in the clear for a functioning car that's not about to cost you thousands in six months. Then decide how much you actually like the car and how it handles, whether it's practical for you.

>>34473665
> there will be rust
Yeah I think a big issue when it comes to buying second hand cars is that people want an ideal. Its going to have problems, regardless of the mileage it may carry.

>>34472544
It is not what you ask the seller - it's the homework you do beforehand. The odd thing about new cars is that the advertised "sticker price" is ALWAYS a fiction. Every single car is sold at a discount or bargain - and it is up to you to get the biggest discount.

Fortunately, a little online research will tell you what the usual basic "discount" is for each model, so you can go in knowing whether the price they offer is any sort of real deal.

Also, be sure any price they quote you is "bottom line," the actual sum you'll be expected to pay. It is common-to-the-point-of-usual for them to quote a price and then at the last minute add on "delivery fees," "prep fees," "service charges" and the like.