Having just turned 17 ive booked my ps in a view days and i'm also after a car. Just strolling through the 'for sale' section of this forum i had an epiphany - i know **** all about cars. It was like another language and i don't think its a wise idea for me to go out on the market without having any general knowledge on how a car works. How did you all learn so much about cars? Was is the actual hands on side of things, passed down knowledge from someone else? Or was it reading various articles and website? Ive had to raise the money by myself, and im going to have to go out on the market by myself. If anyone can point my in the right direction to find out the basics, like how a car engine works, or certain questions i should ask an owner when looking at a car, it would be much appreciated.
http://autozine.kyul.net/technical_.../tech_index.htm (http://autozine.kyul.net/technical_school/tech_index.htm)
read all articles on that site and you should be right, some specific sticky articles i would recommend on this site, but dont believe everything you read/see mate.
hmmm... if your looking at buying your first car and don't know much about cars in general, i don't think its so much - 'How a car works'.. its more - what BAD things to look out for & avoid... even simple stuff like - if oil is pissing out everywhere.. or if when the cars running - you've got a smoke screen coming out the ass end.. Generally - if everything SOUNDS smooth.. then your sort-of on the right track..
Some original photos have not been recovered yet.
Knowledge comes from experience. No one that I know of was born with this info. You pick it up from making mistakes, and others mistakes. If it sounds good, not rattleing at ya, no smoke or oil, then it should be OK. If you are unsure, get a mechanical check done. Here in SA we have the RAA that do that. It costs a bit, but can save ya heaps. And do be afraid to walk away from a deal. If ya not totaly satisfied, dont buy it. If ya buy a cheap car now, you will be paying for it for years to come. Better to pay more now, than later. Make sure it has a RWC or whatever you have there for rego purposes. Good luck and happy (safe) motoring. Hope this helps.
I'm 16 1/2 (17 in 20 days or something, not counting at all :P:P)...got my P's a few months back and the main ways i've learnt things about cars:
- Owning 3 of them myself in a short period of time, found out whats been wrong and why..how to fix it, etc
- Reading and asking questions on this forum
- Annoying the hell out of platinum
Some original photos have not been recovered yet.
To be honest, i learnt most about car's when i was growing up most of the family are tradesmen, mechanics, sprayers engineers and such. The rest i just read and picked up - and also i picked up a lot from here, havving this community baised help desk is a wicked place to learn and read, theres a lot of mechanicle minded people on here. The best advice i can give you..is play with ur car, start small..take off something easy..put it back on..etc and read a lot, manuals, books, 'rb30et for dummies' etc. it's all a learning experiance..and is quite phun to :P
Some original photos have not been recovered yet.
Ive had 5 in a year and a half.
i gues your looking at buying a vl marto? if so chec all of the below, still good to know for any car that your thinking of buying:
- check for rust around front and rear windscreen. also check under all the boot rubber moulds as well as underneath the window sill in the rear for rust.
- check the ground where the car has been parked, usually resides etc. this way if it sits in the garage all the time, check there - if there are oil stains etc you'll know there has been oil leaking from somewhere etc.
- obtain the engine no and vin no. engine no is located elft side of the block and vin is located on the firewall. ring your local vicroads, rta etc and do a check on both engine and vin no.
this way they can tell you if it has ever been written off, if the car is stolen, if its the original engine and if the car is under finance.
theres plenty more as well - I might write a tech article to help out the new comers to the car buying scene.
