Duke here and what a beautiful day it is! So you've bought a used vehicle in the Los Altos area. Do you know what you're getting? It is hard to know what you're getting because people in the Los Altos area sell vehicles for different reasons. Think about why you've sold vehicles. Did you just want something new or were there problems that you wanted to run away from? Maybe it was a little of both. So today I will bark to you about "Did you buy a used car, NOW WHAT????" Let's unveil the possibilities.
Used vehicles in CA with 25,000 to 35,000 miles/40,000 to 55,000 km on them are often lease returns, corporate program cars or rental fleet vehicles. Most Los Altos buyers feel pretty confident about these because they're newer and may still be under warranty. But how well have they been maintained?
Los Altos drivers who are planning to own a vehicle for a long time will keep up on auto maintenance so that they can avoid repairs down the road. But, if you know you're only going to have the vehicle for two or three years, you may not be so committed to maintenance. It would be easy to think that skipping an oil change here and there wouldn't ruin a brand new engine. Then it'll be someone else's problem when it comes time to pay for the damage.
It is very tempting for Los Altos drivers to skip the 30,000 mile/50,000 km service if they know they'll be turning in their leased vehicle in a couple of months.
If the vehicle didn't come with maintenance records, Los Altos used vehicle buyers need to assume the worst. Most likely the coolant system and transmission have never been serviced. The cabin air filter has probably not been changed and a fuel system cleaning at Allied Auto Works may be in order.
You'll want Allied Auto Works to check the A/C, battery, engine air filter, serpentine belt and hoses. A used vehicle inspection at Allied Auto Works is well worth the cost.
And if your “new” used vehicle has been driven an even longer distance, an inspection is even more important. Check your owner's manual or talk with your service advisor at Allied Auto Works about what should have been done. Please don't forget the timing belt; that can be very expensive if it fails.
Allied Auto Works will help you with a plan to take care of services and get the rest caught up. If your budget won't allow you to take care of everything right away, we can help you prioritize your needs and get it taken care of over the next several months. And remember to keep your maintenance records. They'll help you get top dollar on the CA used vehicle market when it's time for you to sell.
I leave you with funny used car joke,
A guy looking in the classified for a used car...
sees a new Corvette listed for $50. Thinking it's a misprint, he decides to go check it out anyway. Arriving at the sellers residence, it's a dream car, not a scratch on it and it runs great.
"Ma'am, I want to buy this car. But the paper said it was only $50, what do you really want for it?"
"That's right, $50 and it's yours!"
"Excuse me for being nosy, ma'am, but why are you selling it so cheap? Is it stolen or something?"
"No, it's my husbands car. He ran off with his young secretary last month, and two days ago I got a telegram from him saying to sell the Corvette and send him the money!"
DUKE
Allied Auto Works
2073 Grant Road
Los Altos, CA 94024
6509687227
alliedautoworks.com