Test Drive Checklist: What to Listen and Feel For
The test drive is where a used car tells you the most, as long as you're paying attention to the car and not the seller. A lot of buyers drive around the block with the radio on, chatting, and come back with "it seemed fine." Here's how I'd do it instead.
Before you pull out
- Start it cold. Ask the seller not to start the car before you arrive. A warm engine can hide hard starting, cold-start noises and smoke.
- Watch the warning lights. Key on, engine off, the dash lights should all come on for their bulb check. With the engine running, they should all go out.
- Turn the radio off and keep the conversation for later. You're listening.
- Bring your license and proof of insurance, and agree on the route with the seller.
- Check the seat belts. Every belt should buckle, latch and retract.
Plan the route
Aim for 20 minutes or more if you can, and try to include four kinds of driving:
- A neighborhood street for low-speed shifting and stop-and-go braking.
- A rough road with bumps or potholes for suspension noises.
- A highway or fast road to get up to 50 to 70 mph.
- A parking lot for tight turns at full lock.
Five minutes on smooth roads near the seller's house won't show you much. If the seller won't let you take it on a real drive, that tells you something too.
Transmission
Put your foot on the brake and shift into Drive, then Reverse. It should engage without a long delay or a clunk. Once you're moving:
- Slipping: the RPM jumps but the car doesn't speed up to match.
- Flare: the revs flare up between gears before the next gear catches.
- Harsh shifts: a bang or jolt as it changes gear.
- CVT (continuously variable transmission): no shudder or whine as you accelerate.
- Manual: no grinding going into gear, and the clutch shouldn't engage right at the very top of the pedal travel.
A transmission that slips, flares or shifts harshly is on my walk-away list. Transmission problems rarely fix themselves.
Acceleration
From a stop and again at speed, the car should pull smoothly with no hesitation or stumble. Keep an eye on the dash: if the check engine light flashes while you're driving, ease off and end the drive gently. That car needs a professional diagnosis before anyone buys it.
Brakes
The pedal should feel firm, not spongy, and it shouldn't slowly sink while you hold it at a stop. When it's safe, with nobody behind you, do one firm stop. The car should stop straight with no pulling, grinding, squealing or pulsing in the pedal. If you saw deep grooves or a raised lip on the rotors during the walk-around, a pulsing or grinding pedal backs that up: brake work is coming.
A light orange film on the rotors after rain is normal and wipes off on the first few stops, so don't let that worry you.
Steering and alignment
On a straight, level road, the steering wheel should be centered and the car shouldn't pull to one side. There shouldn't be a lot of play in the wheel before the car responds, and it shouldn't wander in its lane. A crooked wheel or a pull can be as simple as an alignment, or it can come from worn parts or past damage, so note it and match it against what you saw on the walk-around.
Suspension noises
On the rough road, listen for clunks and rattles over bumps and potholes. Clunks usually mean something in the suspension or steering is worn or loose, and it's worth having the shop check the joints on a lift. If you pushed down on each corner during the walk-around and the car kept bouncing, the shocks or struts are probably worn too.
Tight turns in a parking lot
Turn the wheel to full lock both ways and drive slowly in a circle. Clicking that gets faster as you go points to the CV joints, especially if you spotted a torn CV boot underneath. Groaning or whining as you turn can be the power steering.
Highway speed
At 50 to 70 mph, feel for vibration through the steering wheel or the seat. It can come from tire balance, a bent wheel or worn parts. Listen for a hum or growl that changes with speed. That can be a wheel bearing or the tires.
Temperature gauge
Watch the temperature gauge the whole drive, including idling in traffic or at a long light. It should come up to normal and stay there. Overheating is one of the deal breakers on my list, especially paired with milky oil or sweet white exhaust smoke.
Parking brake and 4WD
Test the parking brake on a slope: it should hold the car. If the vehicle has 4WD or AWD, check that it works, but only engage part-time 4WD on gravel, dirt or grass. Part-time 4WD should not be used on dry pavement. Listen for clunks and binding.
EVs and hybrids
If it's an electric or hybrid car, there are a few extras. When you lift off the accelerator you should feel regenerative braking slow the car, and changing the regen setting should change how strongly it does that. Less regen when the battery is full or very cold is normal. The brake pedal should feel consistent. On a hybrid, the gas engine should start and shut off without shudders or warning messages. Any "check hybrid system," EV system or reduced-power warning, or a turtle light, is serious: get a professional diagnosis before buying.
After the drive
This is the part people skip, and it's where a lot of problems show up. When you get back:
- Let it idle for a few minutes.
- Look under it again for fresh drips. Dab anything you find on a white towel to see the color.
- Check for smoke and burning smells.
- Re-scan with your OBD-II tool for pending codes that may have set during the drive.
- If it has a transmission dipstick, recheck the fluid. Many transmissions are checked hot with the engine running, and some have no dipstick at all, so follow the owner's manual and never force it.
Write it down while it's fresh
If you're looking at more than one car, they blur together fast. Make notes in the car before you talk numbers. Then, if it's still in the running, get a pre-purchase inspection at a shop you choose and use what you found to work out how much to offer.
The test drive is only one part of the job. For everything else, from the history report to the frame rails, see what to check when buying a used car.