I printed off this list I got from the CarTalk subreddit (that banned me without explanation):
Used-Car Checklist by Popular Mechanics
It is a list of 101 things from whether they have the owner's manual to testing for parasitic drains, pressure-testing the cooling system, doing a compression test, and doing a cylinder leak-down test. I am surprised that using a scan tool is under Engine, Advanced with the disclaimer "Requires a more rigorous inspection; clear with owner first). I went over most of it. The owner does oil changes himself and takes the car to the high school and has the auto mechanics teacher fix it. It doesn't have 200,000 miles, it has 222,000, the same number that my Prelude had when the transmission went out, and the same as my Civic had when the head gasket blew.
I hope that mileage is accurate!
I did not see the title, but he insisted that it is not salvage. I saw a little curb rash, but the wheels have a layer of mud on them. The driver's and back wiper blades need to be replaced. It has rims. Yay! Rims!
The tire pressure wasn't even, but he brought out a battery-powered compressor, and I evened it out.
As far as I can tell, all of the panels are the same shade color. The panel gaps are even. All of the trim looks good except it is missing some clips for the bumper and cowl, but I have a bag of them. I put my Harbor Freight light on a bunch of parts and the magnet held. The front and back tires are different brands, but all are name brands with good tread, and seemingly even wear.
I did not see any rust. The seats do not have any damage, just dirt. The spare tire and all of the tools look good. He said the eBay seller sent out a new AC compressor, but it is the same cheap brand. He will have it installed on Monday, but I do not expect it to last any longer than the first one.
There is only one fender liner! Oh no!
I did not jack up the car and climb underneath. I already spent two hours inspecting the car, it was getting dark, we were cold, and his driveway is all muddy. Aside from the missing clips, everything looked good under the hood, but it sure is tiny!
I could not see the date on the battery, but he did not replace it in the year or two that he has owned the car. The oil was dirty and needs to be changed, but I did not see goo, metal particles, milk, or signs of gas.
The CEL turns on and off like it is supposed to. My reader did not show any pending codes. I did not check the steering, brakes, or suspension. I did not try this:
Quote:
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Manual transmission: Put the car in top gear while driving at 30 mph. Floor the throttle. Do the engine revs climb quickly, as if the clutch is slipping?
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The paint is also faded. Edit: Dealbreaker! The latch on the wider side of the back seat is broken, so it is currently impossible to fold down.
I did not find anything noteworthy, but I still need to climb underneath.
