Red Flags to Look For When Buying a Used Car

Car prices are still up considerably since 2019, making buying even a used car a major investment that requires research and consideration. If you’re buying a used car, you obviously want to buy a one that will last as long as you need it, and you’ll want to check out its quality as thoroughly as you can before pulling the trigger. It’s a major purchase, so you pull up the car’s history report and you look for the obvious signs of damage or other problems.

But what about the non-obvious signs? Just because the car in question has a clean history, looks to be in good condition, and seems to run well doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a gem. Ultimately, you’ll have to go with your gut when deciding to spend a small fortune on a used car, and knowing to look for these subtle red flags may help you avoid accidentally buying a lemon you’ll regret.

Low price

First and foremost, the price should be right. It’s one thing to find a bargain, or to haggle your way to a great price—it’s something else to come across an absolute steal. Your research should tell you the expected price range for the make and model of car you’re considering. If the car you’re looking at is priced dramatically lower, it’s not a deal, it’s a red flag. The possibility of getting scammed goes up inversely with the price, for one thing. If it’s not technically a scam, it’s often a sign that the seller knows the car has hidden problems, and is trying to proactively insulate themselves from complaints.

Wavy panels

You’ve found a unicorn: a moderately priced used car that looks almost new and seems to be in great condition. There are no accidents listed—but there’s one more thing to check. Get up close and look down the side of the vehicle—are the metal panels on the exterior of the car wavy? Do you see a lot of indents that can be difficult to notice when looking straight on? These can be signs that body work was done on the car—and not great body work, either. That in turn implies an accident that never got into the official reporting.

Electrical oddities

It’s easy to overlook small problems with electrical systems in used cars. We’re usually checking them out in full daylight, which can make it hard to notice when lights fail or work inconsistently. It’s worth paying attention, though; flickering lights or electronic components that work incorrectly or inconsistently can indicate some amateur-hour electric repairs or possible water damage from a flood.

Turn on all the exterior lights and have someone press down on the brake pedal—if lights flicker, dim, or shut off, you’ve got problems. If you have to press really, really hard on the brake pedal to get your rear lights to come on, that’s also a bad sign. And any electric components that don’t work properly but weren’t disclosed in the vehicle’s listing should be regarded as something the seller hoped you wouldn’t notice.

Bald tires

If you’re in the market for a used car, know how to check for bald tires—tires that have very little or zero tread left on them. Bald tires aren’t just dangerous; they’re often a sign that the owner hasn’t kept up with the maintenance of the car—and unlike other deferred maintenance, bald tires can be easily overlooked. Even if the car looks great and appears to run well, if the owner is willing to drive around on what are essentially dressed-up balloons, you have to wonder what else they haven’t paid much attention to—and are perfectly willing to make your problem.

Odd improvements

Maybe you’ve found a solid-looking beater just to get you through a short period of time. Everything looks good, and there’s even a little bonus: There’s all-new carpeting inside!

Yeah, that’s a red flag. Folks don’t pay to upgrade random aspects of their ancient old cars. New carpet, new upholstery, a recent paint job but the car is rusting away underneath—those kinds of incongruent upgrades aren’t a win for you; they’re a giant red flag that this car was damaged and things were replaced to hide the fact.

Moved badges

“Badges” on cars are those metal logos affixed directly to the car body that announce the manufacturer, model, and other aspects of the car (some dealerships will add their own, and owners sometimes put custom badges on their vehicles, too). If the badges on the used car look off, somehow—in the wrong spot, or unevenly affixed—it could be a sign that they were removed to do some serious repair work that isn’t noted in the vehicle history, or that a prior owner did a lot of their own work on the car, which may or may not be a problem. If the badges look wonky, it’s worth asking some questions.