Back to all

What to Do After You Buy a Used Vehicle in Plainfield

September 4, 2022

So you've bought a used vehicle in the Plainfield area. Do you know what you're getting? It is hard to know what you're getting because people in the Plainfield area sell vehicles for different reasons. Think about why you've sold vehicles. Did you just want something new or were there problems that you wanted to run away from? Maybe it was a little of both.

Used vehicles in Illinois with 25,000 to 35,000 miles/40,000 to 55,000 km on them are often lease returns, corporate program cars or rental fleet vehicles. Most Plainfield buyers feel pretty confident about these because they're newer and may still be under warranty. But how well have they been maintained?

Plainfield drivers who are planning to own a vehicle for a long time will keep up on auto maintenance so that they can avoid 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 is very tempting for Plainfield drivers to skip the 30,000 mile/50,000 km service if they know they'll be turning in their leased vehicle in a couple of months.

If the vehicle didn't come with maintenance records, Plainfield used vehicle buyers 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 at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Plainfield may be in order.

You'll want Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Plainfield to check the A/C, battery, engine air filter, serpentine belt and hoses. A used vehicle inspection at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Plainfield is well worth the cost.

And if your “new” used vehicle has been driven an even longer distance, an inspection is even more important. Check your owner's manual or talk with your service advisor at Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Plainfield about what should have been done. Please don't forget the timing belt; that can be very expensive if it fails.

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Plainfield will help you with a plan to take care of services and get the rest caught up. If your budget won't allow you to take care of everything right away, we can help you prioritize your needs and get it taken care of over the next several months. And remember to keep your maintenance records. They'll help you get top dollar on the Illinois used vehicle market when it's time for you to sell.

Tuffy Tire & Auto Service Plainfield
23846 W 135th St
Plainfield, Illinois 60544
815-436-1337

More articles from Tuffy Plainfield

Losing Your Cool (Why is My Air Conditioning System Not Working?)

January 19, 2025

When you turn on the air conditioning in your vehicle, you expect cool air to come out of the vents. You depend on it, especially in hot weather, but it can also be important in humid weather when you need it to help defrost your windows and windshield. The air conditioning system has a lot of p... More

No Strain, No Gain (The Basics of Oil Filters)

January 12, 2025

Ever wonder what one of the best things is to ever happen to your vehicle's engine? It's the little thing that usually looks like a can, the oil filter. Just like your kitchen sink strainer filters out errant particles of food from clogging your drain, the oil filter cleans out small particles t... More

Steering You Right (Tie Rod End Replacement)

January 5, 2025

For drivers, S stands for safety. And there are three other words that start with S that are all equally important: starting, stopping and steering. For your vehicle to be at its safest, all three functions must be in top shape. Steering is one of those things we take for granted. After all, y... More