American Tire and Service
4520 Arrowhead Ridge Drive, Rio Rancho, NM 87124 505.891.8951

What To Do After You Buy a Used Vehicle in Rio Rancho

Last Updated: Sep 28, 2020

So you've bought a “new” used vehicle. How do you know what you're getting? It is hard to know what you're getting because Rio Rancho drivers sell cars for different reasons. Think about why you've sold cars. Did you just want something new or were there problems that you wanted to run away from? Maybe it was a little of both.

Rio Rancho area used cars with 25,000 to 35,000 miles, or 40,000 to 55,000 kilometers, on them are often lease returns, corporate program cars or vehicles that have done duty in NM rental fleets.Rio Rancho drivers feel pretty confident because they're newer and may still be under warranty. But how well have they been maintained?

If you plan on owning a car for a long time, you'll keep up on the maintenance so that you can avoid expensive repairs down the road. But, if you know you're only going to have the vehicle for two or three years, you may not be so committed to maintenance. It would be easy to think that skipping an oil change here and there wouldn't ruin a brand new engine. Then it'll be someone else's problem when it comes time to pay for the damage.

It would be very tempting to skip the 30,000 mile/50,000 kilometer service if you knew you'd be turning in your leased vehicle in a couple of months.

If the vehicle didn't come with maintenance records, you need to assume the worst. Most likely the coolant system and transmission have never been serviced. The cabin air filter has probably not been changed and a fuel system cleaning may be in order.

You'll want American Tire and Service in Rio Rancho to check the air conditioning, battery, engine air filter, serpentine belt and hoses. An inspection at American Tire and Service is well worth the cost.

And if your “new” used vehicle has more miles on it, an inspection is even more important. Check your owner's manual or talk with your American Tire and Service service advisor about what should have been done. Please don't forget the timing belt – that can be very expensive if it fails.

Your friendly and knowledgeable American Tire and Service service advisor will help you with a plan to take care of critical services and get the rest caught up. If your budget won't allow you to take care of everything right away, your friendly and knowledgeable professionals at American Tire and Service can help you prioritize your needs and get them taken care of over the next several months. And remember to keep your maintenance records. They'll help you get top dollar when it's time for you to sell.

Give us a call.

American Tire and Service
4520 Arrowhead Ridge Drive
Rio Rancho, NM 87124
505.891.8951
americantireandservice.com

At American Tire and Service we install quality NAPA replacement parts.