Purchasing a used car what to look for

Tiny
HARON FORTEAU
  • MEMBER
  • 2002 TOYOTA CORONA
  • 2.0L
  • 4 CYL
  • 2WD
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 122,570 MILES
Hey, i am looking to purchase the car listed above in good condition. everything basically works, engine looks good. however, the previous owner said that the steering fluid chamber had a leak which i saw noticeable oil below the steering fluid reservoir. upon a cold start i noticed a grinding sound upon startup. what could this be? trying to decide before i buy.

Link to video
https://photos.app.goo.gl/BuIIgAbyHJt8IWzf1
Wednesday, January 31st, 2018 AT 8:18 PM

3 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 12,963 POSTS
From the sound I would say you will need a new reservoir and new power steering pump. It sounds like it has been run low/dry a few times. I would also remove the serpentine belt when the engine is cold and start it to be sure there are no other noises, in the video it sounded like it could have a loose bearing in the bottom end but that could be an accessory rattling as well. It also looked like it was misfiring or running rough a few times.
Has the timing belt and maintenance been kept up? If you are really unsure see if the owner will let you take it to a shop to be looked over by someone who is not involved with the sale.

After that the decision is yours.
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Wednesday, January 31st, 2018 AT 9:41 PM
Tiny
CARADIODOC
  • MECHANIC
  • 33,741 POSTS
The best approach is to ask to have the car for a few hours, then take it to a shop of your choice for a thorough safety inspection. This takes about an hour, plus extra time to diagnose the cause of the leak.

Most commonly, the owner is selling the car because they know what the cause of the problem is, and it will cost a lot to repair, or they tried to diagnose it already, and gave up. If the repair was easy or inexpensive, they would have done it to make the car worth more, or they would not be selling it.

Do not let the seller tell you where to take the car, and do not take their word that an inspection was done already. The shop they insist you use could have people who are friends with the seller, and they will intentionally overlook some issues.

Expect the car to be due for regular maintenance services like an oil change and transmission fluid and filter change. The seller is not likely to keep up with that if they plan on selling the car.
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Wednesday, January 31st, 2018 AT 9:55 PM
Tiny
HARON FORTEAU
  • MEMBER
  • 2 POSTS
Thank you!
Will currently work on it and let you guys know how it goes.
The car was basically a trade-in because the owner wanted to upgrade to a newer vehicle. It needs a re-painting/bodywork so the dealer is 'stuck' with it. I am going to contact a good mechanic so he can fully assess this car for me.
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Thursday, February 1st, 2018 AT 3:11 AM

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