Things to be aware of before buying a modern car (New or Used)

[Cobra Jet]

Man… I thought for sure someone would post this one before me…

TUNING, tuning, t-u-n-I-n-g…..

We’ve all seen too many recent threads on here about buyers getting a used S550 and then finding out it was previously “tuned” and they’re stuck with drivability problems OR Ford Service Centers that will deny warranty work or work all together from the PCM being tuned (tampered) with… leaving the now “new” owner of a “used” S550 on the hook for problems to figure out OR an exorbitant out of pocket repair bill.

Also some of these newbie owners are finding out that come inspection time, their “tuned” vehicle won’t pass their home State inspection for emissions….

Sponsored

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Wrong on both counts.

Tire pressure was checked the morning of the day the blowout occurred. Failure occurred where the sidewall met the tread and started as a mild vibration.

Tire was an OEM Goodyear F1 Supercar original to my GT500 around 12K miles.

Thanks for clarifying it wasn't from China.

In all serious, I'm glad you and the car are OK. As for the spare tire part, you can easily carry one if you buy it. Blow outs like yours are pretty rare. I'm guessing that thing had a factory defect.

 

[joe603]

What cars have battery in the cabin ? (trunk yes, but cabin ?)

My Durango had it under the passenger seat also...Mopar thing maybe.

 

[Headless Horseman]

Man… I thought for sure someone would post this one before me…

TUNING, tuning, t-u-n-I-n-g…..

We’ve all seen too many recent threads on here about buyers getting a used S550 and then finding out it was previously “tuned” and they’re stuck with drivability problems OR Ford Service Centers that will deny warranty work or work all together from the PCM being tuned (tampered) with… leaving the now “new” owner of a “used” S550 on the hook for problems to figure out OR an exorbitant out of pocket repair bill.

Also some of these newbie owners are finding out that come inspection time, their “tuned” vehicle won’t pass their home State inspection for emissions….

I agree with this! Hell I'm the original owner tuned by the great Wengerd and I can't get my vehicle to pass emissions. I've failed 3 times and now the tag is expired!

 

[Strokerswild]

Thanks for clarifying it wasn't from China.

In all serious, I'm glad you and the car are OK. As for the spare tire part, you can easily carry one if you buy it. Blow outs like yours are pretty rare. I'm guessing that thing had a factory defect.

That incident was a lesson to never not have a spare tire onboard any vehicle. My '15 carries the Automotive Authority spare with an OEM jack.

The tire shop figured there was a defect in the construction of the tire, since the entire outer sidewall separated from the rest of the tire. Earlier that day I noticed a tiny vibration like I had lost a tire weight, but apparently it was the start of the catastrophic failure, which happened about 50 miles later. I was lucky the rest of the tire thrust inward and not outward, where it would have probably destroyed the quarter panel (and who knows what else).

I've had two blowouts in nearly 40 years of driving, both were right rears.

 

[SBR70.3]

What cars have battery in the cabin ? (trunk yes, but cabin ?)

Dodge Durango. Reason #1,374 I chose the Explorer ST over the Durango R/T

 

[First Stang]

Had my first auto brake episode the other day. I was getting ready to do a controlled brake but the auto collision triggered ahead of me. With the sudden loud beeping, It literally slams on the brakes with full abs so it shakes the car. To the uninitiated, it was unsettling. I wish they added this test to the Track attack. (Maybe set up a snow cone or cloth barricade) Needless to say I adjusted the sensitivity to the lowest setting.

is there a quick way of knowing if a car had been tuned?

 

[ORRadtech]

is there a quick way of knowing if a car had been tuned?

To my knowledge the only sure way is if the tuning device was included with the car.
Modifications can be a big clue but aren't always a guarantee.
A dealer might be able to tell using things like key cycles but they will not be able to tell what was done or by who.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Might want to add battery voltage. I don't know how many brands have replaced 12 volt lead acid batteries with some form of Lithium but my Tesla has a 16V. They switched sometime in the last 2 years. Obvious weight savings and longer life but adds a need to research any 12v accessories to make sure they are okay with 16V. Smokers will like how their cigarettes and cigars light quicker.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Tactile vs touchscreen vs VOICE CONTROL.

Touchscreens while driving are the devil's work. You pay a fine for touching a phone but okay to focus on a touch screen while trying to bullseye some icon/picture of a button? Voice commands can be even slightly safer than tactile since you don't even remove your hands from the wheel. Quicker, too.

So, extent, reliability and ease of use of the voice interface is important to be compared to tactile and touch screen.

 

[gvn49]

Don't know if you feel this belongs in this thread but with quitte few dishonest people and dealers that know how to scrub or get clean titles I'd be careful of the once in a lifetime deal unless you know how to check for a vehicle that was in a flood I've seen them cleand up looking like they just came off the show room floor, no smell, dried , etc then months later the corrosin sets in and there are a lot of cars out there now that have been flooded. And FYI they can be shipped anyplace it the country or world.

 

[HoosierDaddy]

Don't know if you feel this belongs in this thread but with quitte few dishonest people and dealers that know how to scrub or get clean titles I'd be careful of the once in a lifetime deal unless you know how to check for a vehicle that was in a flood I've seen them cleand up looking like they just came off the show room floor, no smell, dried , etc then months later the corrosin sets in and there are a lot of cars out there now that have been flooded. And FYI they can be shipped anyplace it the country or world.

Good point. Was reading about that. May not be the only ways but there are states that will issue a non-salvage title for a vehicle that currently has an out of state salvage title if you know the magic words and procedures.

 

[Thomas]

Liabilities:

1. Any type of "smart" functionality that monitors the driver or turns the car into a rolling sensor which the driver has increasingly little control over.
2. Subscriptions for feature use of any type
3. Excessive reliance of core functionality on software
4. Software updates...
5. Most electronic "safety features".
6. Excessive beeping of ANY type (looking at you Toyota)
7. Infotainment that has utterly nonsensical design choices about what you or a passenger can, and cannot use while driving.
8. Sensors/features that require calibration in the event of any accident ($$$$$$$)
9. EVs
10. Your sketchy looking neighbor that steals your garden flamingoes for his seances.
11. The Government.

 

[S550HPP]

Tactile vs touchscreen vs VOICE CONTROL.

Touchscreens while driving are the devil's work. You pay a fine for touching a phone but okay to focus on a touch screen while trying to bullseye some icon/picture of a button? Voice commands can be even slightly safer than tactile since you don't even remove your hands from the wheel. Quicker, too.

So, extent, reliability and ease of use of the voice interface is important to be compared to tactile and touch screen.

Not to mention the gloss screens that look like crap VS cheap KIAs that come with matt screen . Have to take the time to learn voice command prompts which are useless in a convertible with top down.

 

[AZ_Ryan]

Not to mention the gloss screens that look like crap VS cheap KIAs that come with matt screen . Have to take the time to learn voice command prompts which are useless in a convertible with top down.

Our screens aren't gloss.

Sponsored