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Well the time of irrational exuberance is now long gone.  For most Americans luxuries like new cars are a thing of the past. Now when a family is in need of a new car they are forced to look into buying a used car.This is made clear by all of the finacial woes the big three car makers are experiencing.  There sales are down.

But families still need transportation.But when the money is hard to come by most families are going to have to choose a cheaper option.That alternative choice is a used car. 

As a San Diego auto repair shop owner I am asked to inspect some of these used cars.Because when you are making a purchase of a used car, the last thing you want is a lemon.  So by getting a proper inspection done you can avoid costly problems.

So when you are examining the used cars, take in mind these 2 things to look for.  First you want to check the brakes.  We do San Diego brake in our shop.  So I know first hand that brake repairs can become expensive.If you buy a used car where the brakes were not taken care of by the previous owner it can become expensive.Last thing you want to happen is the need to get the entire braking system replaced.  So make sure the brakes are good.

Second, you want to ensure that the car is running clean.  In other words can it pass a smog test.  In my business I do San Diego smog check.The last thing I am sure you want to happen is to buy a car that is in need of expensive repairs.  Especially if those repairs involve emission problems.

If you make a purchase of a used car that can’t pass a smog test that is not a good situation.It is a sign of a previous owner not taking care of it.What most likely occured is they didn’t do any maintenance on it.These could be the start of a lot more problems in the future.

If you take the time to inspect a couple of items you will save a lot of money. By not inspecting you can lead yourself into some big repairs.When you need to save money, I am pretty sure you don’t want that.