Below are some tips to buying your next fine used car, used truck, used van, used SUV or used vehicle. These tips will help you better evaluate your next used auto or used vehicle purchase.

Tip 1 - The body should appear even, with no irregular spacing between the body joints. All doors and the trunk lid, should open and close with ease. Check for rust. You may want to put the car on a lift to check for serious body damage, indicated by weld marks, spacers or a bent frame.

Tip 2 - Check for any abnormal leaks. Common occurrences and places to look are; brake fluid leaking on the inside of the tires, oil or transmission leaks under the vehicle or on/around the oil pan, differential or transmission housing.

Tip 3 - Check all hoses and examine the battery for leaks. Belts should be checked to make sure they are not worn and/or cracked. Check the oil dip stick, if the oil is dark and dirty, the car may not have been properly maintained.

Tip 4 - If the car has an automatic transmission, check the transmission fluid to see if it’s dark colored or has a burned odor.

Tip 5 - Start the engine and check all accessories one at a time: gauges, instruments, radio, heater, air conditioner and windshield wipers. Blow the horn. Then, check the dome light, headlights, parking lights, turn signals and back-up lights.

Tip 6 - Examine the upholstery, safety belts and carpeting; if the seats have covers, look under them. Badly worn carpeting or upholstery may be a sign of heavy usage.

Tip 7 - Turn on the ignition and check to ensure that no warning lights are on the dash.

Tip 8 - With the permission of the owner, race the engine a few quick bursts. Watch for excessive smoke out of the rear end and if a loud tapping noise occurs, have it checked out by a qualified mechanic. A light tick or rapping in the top of the engine is not usually a serious problem, but a rapping noise could indicate issues.

Tip 9 - Put the brakes on and drop it into drive. If the vehicle idles roughly, there may be a problem.

Tip 10 - Take the car out on the road. Drive the car at a speed of approximately 20-35 miles per hour. Listen for rear end noise. If there is unpleasant droning sensation in your ears, it could indicate a problem.

Tip 11 - Find a straight, level stretch of road and hold the steering wheel lightly. If the car consistently pulls to the left or right, you may have a problem. When rounding a corner, the steering wheels should turn smoothly and have a tendency to return smoothly to its straight ahead position.

Tip 12 - If the vehicle has 4-wheel drive or is a 4x4 do the following; With the vehicle at a stop, put the vehicle into 4-wheel drive. Turn the steering wheel all the way to one side (left or right it does not matter). Then drive slowly while keeping the steering wheel completely turned. You should feel a slight hopping sensation, that means the 4-wheel drive is working.

Tip 13 - For the final step - While driving between 30 and 40 miles per hour, apply the brakes three or four times. If you get a consistent pull, either left or right, there may be a problem. Also if you apply slight pressure on the brake pedal and a pulsating feeling occurs this may indicate an issue.