A pre-purchase inspection

By Bill Snow, Owner/Operator of Rad Air Wickliffe

March is a month in which we celebrate the luck of the Irish. Whatever your nationality, buying a used car is not something you should leave to luck or chance. Knowledge equals buying and negotiating power.

With the shortage of cars for sale right now, the prices are ticking upward.

Even if you go to a dealership that offers “certified pre-owned” automobiles, that doesn’t necessarily make them a great buy.

That certification means they have performed an inspection following parameters set forth by the manufacturer.

It’s always a smart idea to have an independent set of eyes evaluate a car you’re thinking of buying. During an inspection, we touch every component on the car, checking the heating/cooling, radio, steering, suspension and do a comprehensive digital diagnostic, too, with our technicians using their tablets to pinpoint issues, taking notes and video.

Most of the time with certified pre-owned cars, we do not find anything to worry about, but we can identify issues such as older tires that will need to be replaced in six months that you can use as leverage to negotiate a better price.

If you’re buying a car from an individual, a pre-purchase inspection could save you thousands of dollars and avoid heartbreak. We often see real lemons that come in after someone bought them “as is” with no warranty and there’s nothing they can do (but pay for costly repairs that could’ve been avoided).

Rad Air Complete Car Care and Tire Center is located at 29257 Anderson Road, in Wickliffe. Call 440-943-9666 or visit RadAir.com for more information.