Buying a used car through a Maine winter on Route 302

A Maine winter is the hardest test a used car will ever take. Road salt, deep cold and broken pavement all leave marks. Some of those marks show up on a test drive. A lot of them do not.

If you are shopping for a used car in Windham between November and April, here is what we would look at before handing over any money.

Get under the car, not just around it

Salt eats steel from the bottom up. Paint can look clean while the brake lines, fuel lines, subframe and rocker panels are flaking. Look at the underside in good light. Surface rust on heavy parts is normal up here. Rust you can push a finger through is not.

Pay close attention to brake lines. They are thin steel and they rot quietly. A line that lets go takes your brakes with it.

Start it cold

Ask the seller not to warm the car up before you arrive. A cold start tells you more than a warm one. Listen for slow cranking, which can point to a tired battery or starter. Listen for ticking or knocking that fades as the engine warms up.

Watch the dash. Every warning light should come on for a second at key-on and then go out. A light that never comes on at all can mean a bulb was pulled to hide something.

Check the heat and the defrost

You will live with the heater for five months a year. Make sure it blows hot, not warm. Run the defrost and see that it clears the windshield. Weak heat can mean a low coolant level, a thermostat stuck open or a clogged heater core, and none of those fix themselves.

Look at tires and brakes as a cost

Worn tires or thin brakes are not a reason to walk away. They are a cost to add to the price. Check tread depth across the whole tire. Uneven wear can mean the car needs an alignment or has worn suspension parts, which is common on cars that live on frost-heaved back roads.

Ask for the paperwork

Ask for the vehicle history report and any service records. Ask about the out-the-door price, with taxes and fees, before you talk about monthly payments. And if you want your own mechanic to look it over before you buy, that is a fair request anywhere, including here.

Our used car lot is empty right now, with more coming soon. You can still tell us what you are looking for and we will call you when a match comes in. And if you are buying somewhere else, we are happy to look over any car you are thinking about.