We are buying a truck, and I test drove it tonight and it seems to have no shocks and pulls greatly to the right.

I know that the pulling could be from tires or front-end alignment, and the shocks would need to be replaced, and I looked it up online and they said $50-100 (different places) for the alignment, and I don't know what labor would be for the shocks but they seem to run $35 and up each.

It also has a problem with the driver's seat--can't adjust the back's angle--and has a rattly-ticky sort of thing happening when one first takes off.

I am just wondering if the front-end stuff could run into more problems than just alignment and shocks? I don't know very much about that sort of thing, to tell the truth.

Thanks very much!

We have never owned a new car.

Every used car we have purchased from a reputable car lot OR from a friend/coworker has been a great car.

Of those we have bought from total strangers, only one turned out to be a good car.

My advice, buy a used car from someone you know and trust - unless you are a mechanic.

My advice is to never, ever, by a car that has the kind of problems that you describe. It may have been in an accident or has serious problems from something else. There are lots of used cars out there. Spend your money on one you will not have to immediately have major work done on.

Thanks, Kelly and DS I thought it would be ok if there weren't any other problems, but DS made it seem like there was too much of a chance that there would be other problems, so I'm gonna tell the guy no.

And hope that he wasn't lying when he said someone else was interested!

D[F].

I've bought and sold a few used cars and of course, I am giving advice about one that I know nothing about, but it's sort of a standard rule I think, that steering, alignment, frame problems, in a used car, are a good indicator that something seriously wrong probably happened to that vehicle. It is likely the reason the owner is trying to unload it. Best to keep looking.

Honestly, if you discovered problems like that on a simple test drive, it is likely that there are other problems as well.....unless you're a professional car re-builder it is not a good idea to buy a car that you know has problems....

Sorry 'bout that!



Yeah, I think y'all are probably right. I'm so bummed out that the man we used to buy cars from went out of business--he was great I don't mind buying a car knowing that things will need to be done to it, but this one seems like we don't know what the problem is.

Thanks, everyone, for all your help. We're going to look for something better

Thanks very much, everyone We had to go to town today, so I stopped in at a little car place, and they had a great car in much better shape! I talked the guy down to only $200 over the original price of the other one!!!!

But it may get sold to someone else before we can get back to him--at least we know they are out there!