Checking The Transmission In A Used Car
The market for pre-owned vehicles continues to heat up as more drivers look for ways to curb their monthly budgets. Even as automakers have introduced new models at competitive prices, prospective buyers have turned their attention to high-quality used cars. To be sure, there are automotive bargains that lay waiting to be discovered. But, some of them may have a struggling transmission under the hood. If you’re unable to identify it, you might unwittingly invest in an attractive lemon.
This article will explain how to make sure the used vehicle you purchase has a stable, reliable transmission. I’ll explain the importance of checking the car’s history and provide a few helpful tips for putting the tranny through its paces.
Investigate The Vehicle’s History
If you have the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), you can access a report that will show the car’s history. There are several items you might see on this report that imply the transmission may have problems down the road. For example, if you notice the previous owner was a rental agency, they might suggest trouble. People are often rough on rentals. You might also see a past traffic collision on the report.
Prospective buyers often neglect to ask the owner whether a car’s transmission has been rebuilt. The problem is that an auto shop can rebuild the entire assembly, but the quality of their work may be questionable.
Checking An Automatic Tranny
After checking the history of the used car, check the tranny’s fluid. Make sure the level is high and the color is either a reddish hue (this suggests the fluid is new) or orange to light brown. If the level is low, there may be a leak somewhere in the system. That will likely require repairs.
You should also check the shifting of the gears; the only way to do this is by taking the vehicle for a test drive. Shift from Park to Drive and back again to note whether there is any delay as the transmission engages the gears. Then, test the other gears to make sure there’s no slipping or jerking. Lastly, test the overdrive by engaging it at 40 mph; the tranny should upshift smoothly.
Last Step: Visit A Mechanic
The final step is to take the automobile to a trusted mechanic. Even after going through the car’s history and testing the shifting of the gears, there might be issues that remain hidden beneath the surface. A mechanic will have the experience and the equipment to identify lurking trouble.
The used vehicle market is filled with fantastic deals. It’s not uncommon to find gems that only need a few replacement parts in order to drive like new. Having said that, there are also attractive automobiles that seem healthy on the surface, but hide expensive transmission problems. Use the tips above to make certain the used vehicle you’re buying has a tranny that will last.
