Good advice

 

I was going to ask the same question. Im looking to buy a used lX

 

You should look at the undercarriage to see if the car has any damage there as well.

 

low low miles.. no mods.. adult driven.. thats what i did and i'm happy with my buy!

 

^^
Agreed I would look under and inspect the pinch welds and look for any rally'ing humps. But first I would check:
-Clean carfax
-Inspect all front fenders all panels for vin stickers
-Good shifting, clutch
-Check ECU wiring harness which mine was hacked into
-Check all underplastics and see if they are still there or not torn apart.
-Check for leaks

 

https://www.evolutionm.net/forums/sh...d.php?t=300349

 

Check the tires to see how beat up they are - that could be an indication of track use (unless they just put on new tires).

But your best bet is to buy from someone on this forum and look at their post history. You can learn a lot about mods, accidents, breakdowns, etc from peoples post history on Evom.

 

i would say a record of the maintenance. You can generally tell how the previous owner treated their car when you meet them.

 

Nothing is wrong with a used car...car guys know what to look for...I WOULD buy a modded evo no problem...do a compression and leak down test...also test drive it to check how smooth the tranny shifts and no whines...then get a sample of all drive train fluids to check for excessive metal shavings.

I would let a guy who has an evo test drive it to see if there is anything that is alarming.

A nicely modded car with a healthy engine is a plus...hey the guy saved you money for parts and tuning...thats if its RIGHT.

I bought allot of used cars....12 used cars to be specific...all performance oriented....and ALL were good if not great....its the guys that do their oil change at the dealership that normally shy away from used cars...cause they dont know what to look for.

And yes dont buy it from a dealership.....good luck

 

A brand new evo would be your best bet but here are some things to checkout.

Maintenance records? stock clutch? ecu reflash? transfercase whine? trans rebuilt? Any body panels not fitting straight? rust on car? Steering wheel flaking? etc.

If the car was mod'd fine, but if it was maintained and had a good tune it should be fine.

Good luck.

 

Thanks fellas, alot of good information, I will definatly post up some pics when I get it. The part about check the bolts for wear so see if someone put it back to stock to drive is a pretty damn good idea, I will also do a compression test. Will keep posted!

 

very very good information in this thread. Just take your sweet time inspecting the vehicle. There is no time limit for checking out a car. Just like everyone on here has said, check everything!!! You dont know who you are buying from, you ow them no explanation to why your checking every angle of the car. Your not being a jerk, because he can easily be dicking you over.

engine bolts worn out
brake rotors
wiring harness near ecu (electric tape/ birds nest/ solder drips)
tape/drill holes/zip ties/T's in vacum lines
compression
smoke coming from exhaust
listen for wheel bearings
Any Leaks
clutch/trans
under body panels
test drive it
check out oil condition in valve cover
check out coolant
listen for vibrations in dash, something may have been taken apart for a reason

 

Many people try to put it back to stock to sell. I say be careful if you buy it from a dealer cus they won't have an idea of what they are selling specially if it's been moded or not. Look for zip ties, drill holes, screws that aren't tight, look at wires to see if something was taped to it. The more time u have to inspect the car the better. Good luck
I agree

 

Thats better, I agree

 

Check the car all around, tires, bolts etc...Test drive for sure, Try for a low milage 05 or 06 if anything.