Purchasing a used car is a savvy investment for any driver. Before you place a down payment on a used German auto, however, you may want to bring the vehicle to an auto mechanic in Sacramento for a pre-purchase inspection. During the pre-purchase inspection, your car repair professional will carefully evaluate the performance, safety, and efficiency of all of the vehicle’s vital systems. To emphasize the benefits of having your used car inspected before you buy, here is a brief overview of 3 reasons to schedule a pre-purchase inspection.

Identify Potential Problems

One of the top reasons to schedule a pre-purchase inspection at Frank’s Automotive for your used vehicle is that the inspection process will allow you to identify any potential problems that may be going wrong underneath the hood. Your mechanic will be able to tell you whether the brakes, coolant lines, or other major systems are going to require major repairs at any time in the near future. If the inspection does not reveal major mechanical problems, you can make your purchase with confidence.

Avoid Buying a Lemon

After you purchase a used car, you will not want to find out about major mechanical issues that were not revealed to you prior to the sale. With a pre-purchase inspection, you can ensure that you are not buying a car that is destined to break down. A qualified mechanic will be familiar with your make and model of car, so he will be able to warn you of any mechanical problems that are common with that type of vehicle.

Receive a Better Price

If the pre-purchase inspection reveals the need for certain mechanical repairs, you may be able to use this information to negotiate a better price for your vehicle. Your mechanic can provide you with an estimate for the cost of repairing the car, and you can relay this information to the seller. Ultimately, your pre-purchase inspection will allow you to get a fair price on a car that is in good mechanical condition.

If you want your vehicle to last as long as possible, it’s helpful to understand what types of problems you should look out for. When you know what to look for, you can call for alternator repair in Sacramento before the problem gets out of control. You might want to call your automotive electrical specialist about alternator repair if you notice strange noises coming from your car. Other symptoms include electrical issues like dimming lights, and problems when starting your vehicle. Read on for a closer look at some of the symptoms of an alternator problem that you should be aware of as a driver.

Odd Sounds

A loud, strange, or unexpected sound tends to surprise people, as it typically indicates that something is out of order. Just like you would investigate an unidentified sound in the middle of the night, you should keep an ear out for odd noises coming from your car. In some cases, your car might be making this sound because you have a problem with your alternator. Make sure you don’t waste any time in bringing your car in to your specialist for alternator repair so you can keep your bearings in place and your car functioning properly.

Electrical Issues

Problems with your automotive electronics may suggest that you need alternator repair, and they can show up in a few different ways. A failing alternator might leave you with dim or flickering headlights, as the alternator is responsible for providing power. An analogy: A vehicle with a charging system problem is like a child’s toy with weak or dying batteries– it may function but it will start to act weirdly. Lights, Radio, Climate Control & even Engine functions can be compromised. You should also pay attention to your power locks and windows, radio, and other automotive electronics in your car. Your battery could even drain due to a malfunctioning alternator, so seek help as soon as you can.

Trouble Starting the Car

When you get into your car and realize that you had left the interior light on all night, you might not be surprised when your car fails to start. If your car is routinely difficult to start, however, you might be having a real problem with your automotive electronics. Even if your battery is working, a failing alternator might not be able to get the power to your engine. However, a lot of times people confuse the vehicles ability to turn on lights in-dash as the battery being okay. The battery maybe strong enough to turn on lights but too weak to crank vehicle over. There is a difference between “Not Starting” & “Not Cranking Over”. If a vehicle cranks over and does not start, there could be another issue rather than the battery or starter. If your key turns over but engine does not crank over, that could be a charging system or starter issue. This is why we recommend a Car Diagnostic to be able to determine where the issues lies.

Every vehicle’s engine contains a series of vacuum hoses, which it uses to control everything from your brakes to your emissions. Without these vacuum hoses, your vehicle not only couldn’t run efficiently; it couldn’t run at all. That’s why a single air leak can spell trouble for your vehicle. If you suspect that there is a leak in your engine, take your vehicle to a Sacramento auto shop to have a professional car diagnostic performed. Here is a quick guide to how a simple smoke test can tell you whether there is a leak in one of your engine’s vacuum hoses.

Why air leaks are dangerous. In most contexts, air leaks may be irritating, but not hazardous. In the case of a vacuum hose, an air leak can hurt the performance of your engine. It can even trigger other issues inside your engine, resulting in potential damage. A vehicle with a malfunctioning engine is unsafe to drive. That’s why it’s so important that you get your engine checked as soon as you have cause to suspect that there may be an issue.

How to tell if you have an air leak. Most of the time, an air leak in one of your vacuum hoses will cause the red warning light on your dashboard to light up. However, you should also be alert to any reduction in fuel efficiency, which may suggest an air leak. You might also listen for any strange noises coming from under your hood. If you’re in doubt, have your engine professionally inspected.

How a smoke test can reveal an air leak. A professional at an auto shop can determine whether or not there is an air leak in one of your hoses using a smoke test. In this test, a special smoke machine is used to send white smoke through your vacuum hoses. If there is a leak anywhere, the smoke will seep out through it. The smoke is controlled by a regulator that ensures that the level of smoke isn’t high enough to do any damage to your engine.

When you bring your car in to an auto mechanic in Sacramento , your technician will use advanced diagnostic equipment to determine precisely wheat is going on under the hood. Auto diagnostic services have completely revolutionized car repair for today’s modern vehicle owner.

With auto diagnostics, your auto mechanic can use a specialized computer system to check your car for any mechanical trouble codes. In the event that a mechanical issue arises in your vehicle, a special trouble code will enter into your vehicle’s internal system. This trouble code can point your mechanic towards the precise types of repairs that are required by your vehicle. In addition, the onboard diagnostics system in your car stores a record of all past trouble codes and errors. By using auto diagnostics to pinpoint your mechanical issue, a mechanic can make sure that your car is in peak driving condition when it leaves the auto shop.