Cars for saleBuying guide
SHOP LIKE A MECHANIC
Everything we check when a car comes through our shop — for the vehicle you're thinking about buying. Pick your vehicle below for its known issues, rust spots, fluids and value, and bring our assistant along while you shop.
Start with a vehicle
Type the year, make and model — we'll suggest as you type, and the facts card fills in for that exact vehicle.
Before you go look
- •Decide what the vehicle has to do for you — commute, work truck, winter beater — and set a real budget that includes a little room for immediate fixes.
- •Research the model before you fall in love: our facts tool below lists the issues and rust spots that are normal for that exact vehicle, and a quick search of the model + 'problems' goes a long way.
- •Ask the seller for the VIN up front. With it, you can pull a history report (accidents, title brands, mileage records) and see if the story matches.
Price checks that actually help
- •Check the vehicle's value first so a sales pitch never sets your number. The KBB button in the facts card opens the model's value page — pick your trim and mileage.
- •Compare with what people actually ask nearby: the Facebook Marketplace button pre-fills a search for that exact year/make/model so you can see real asking prices around southern Maine.
- •If the price is way under book, there's usually a reason — title brand, rust, or work it needs. Ask; then verify.
The walk-around
- •Go in daylight and stay longer than you think you need. Squat at each corner: uneven tire wear means alignment or suspension money.
- •Look under the car for fresh drips, and check the ground where it usually parks. Oil, coolant and transmission leaks each mean different bills.
- •Rust matters most in Maine: look at the frame, rockers, brake and fuel lines, and the rear wheel wells. Surface rust is normal; flaking, holes or patchwork is not.
- •The facts card lists the exact rust-prone spots for the model you're considering.
The test drive
- •Start it cold if you can — hard starts, smoke and rattles show up before the engine warms and settles.
- •Drive long enough to get everything up to temperature. Listen for noises over bumps, feel for a brake pedal that sinks or shudders, and notice any pull to one side.
- •Use the things people forget: full-throttle acceleration, hard braking in an empty lot, heat and A/C, all windows and locks, and the spare tire.
- •Turn the radio off for the first few minutes — most expensive noises get masked by the stereo.
Under the hood
- •Pull the oil dipstick: milky means coolant is getting in (bad news); gritty or burnt smell means it wasn't maintained. Check the coolant for rust or an oil film.
- •Look at belts and hoses for cracks, and check the battery terminals for corrosion.
- •Find where the facts card says this engine's oil type and capacity go — a seller who knows those offhand usually maintained it.
Paperwork and the last mile
- •The title must be in the seller's name and free of liens — anything else is a walk-away unless you know exactly what you're doing.
- •Ask for receipts of recent work. A vehicle with a folder of receipts was loved; one with 'it's all new' and no proof was not.
- •Before money changes hands, have a mechanic look at it. That's not a formality in Maine winters — it's the difference between a good buy and a lesson. We do pre-purchase inspections; bring anything here.
Want help buying one?
Tell us about you and your budget. We'll help you find the right car — gas, hybrid or Tesla — and check it over before you buy.
1. About your cars
2. Honest budget check
Optional and only shared with the shop if you send it. Numbers per month, after taxes.
3. How do we reach you?
Value and price buttons open Kelley Blue Book and Facebook Marketplace in a new window — those prices aren't ours, and KBB assumes average condition.