An extremely important part of the used car buying process is the test drive. The reason for a test drive is simple, you want to make sure the car functions well and is in good overall condition, it also gives you an opportunity to discuss the vehicles history with the sales exec that will accompany you.
When you first get in the used Subaru Impreza in Frankfort there are a couple of things that you should do. Be polite of course but ask the sales exec to keep the chatter to a minimum when you are listening for any wind rush noise or excessive road noise. Take the car on roads with different surfaces; drive it as if it was already yours. The whole idea of a test drive is for you to decide if this really is the car you want.
During the test drive there are things that are more important than others to pay attention to.
* Acceleration: Press both easy and hard on the accelerator, does the car hesitate or jerk? You are looking for smooth acceleration under all conditions.
* Alignment: Once the car is travelling at about 20 miles per hour, take both hands off the steering wheel. If the car veers either left or right then there is a possible problem with alignment or steering linkage components.
* Braking: With the engine off pump the brake pedal, hold your foot on the pedal and start the engine; you will feel the pedal go down a bit. Stand on the brakes hard for about a minute, if the pedal goes down further it may mean a faulty master cylinder. The second test is done at about 30 mph. Step hard on the brake pedal and sees if the car stops smoothly and in a straight line. If it does not there may be rotor issues.
* Steering: If possible find a large lot and put the car through a series of turns. If the car does not respond with less than an inch of play in the steering wheel there may be steering component problems.
* Suspension and handling: This is a check of the overall soundness of the used Subaru Impreza in Frankfort that you are interested in, it should run rattle free, be easy to steer and not sway or lurch to one side or another. This is when you drive the car as you normally will and use all your senses.
Many used cars are certified pre-owned cars; you can comfortably expect that they will pass all your tests. A certified pre-owned car has already been subjected to a test of at least a hundred different points and carries a warranty that is similar to that of a new car.
If you are looking for a high quality used Subaru Impreza in Frankfort you are invited to visit Hawk Subaru in Joliet. Hawk Subaru carry an extensive range of used Subaru’s at attractive prices.
