When you’re test-driving a used car, it can be easy to get caught up in the desire to buy that car. It’s important to follow a few tips to get the right vehicle.

Buying a vehicle of any age or type can be an emotional experience, but it really shouldn’t be. It’s important to be intelligent, informed, and objective when purchasing a vehicle, especially a used model. Part of the purchase process should be taking the vehicle for a test drive. When you perform this activity, you’ll want to know what to look for and pay attention to during the ride.

Keep your mind open to every car

Ads can make some cars sound incredible, and the look of a vehicle can make it seem perfect for you, but you’ve got to actually drive the car to know whether or not it’s the car you should drive. If you know that you can’t keep your emotions at bay or have an open mind, you should have someone else test drive the car for you. Find someone with a lot more driving experience and ask them to give you their honest opinion. Once they do, it’s up to you to heed their advice.

Create an evaluation process

You don’t know if you want to buy a used car without test-driving it first? One great way to understand whether or not a vehicle can fit into your lifestyle is to rent the same type of vehicle from a rental company for a weekend. Often, test drives aren’t long enough to know if a vehicle is right for your needs, but a weekend can be the perfect test. Sure, you’ll have to spend money on the rental vehicle, but this helps you understand what vehicle type is right for you.

Get the car inspected

While not part of the typical test drive, you should have any used vehicle inspected before you buy it. You can perform some of these items yourself, but if you take the car to a reputable mechanic, they will inspect it for you and give you their opinion for a nominal fee. This can give you peace of mind in knowing if a car is the right one or if it has too many issues for you.

Make a pre-ride checklist

Before you begin test-driving a used car, make a pre-ride checklist that you’ll follow and use to evaluate each car you drive. This can help you be more objective than if you don’t have a checklist. Your checklist should cover:

• Ride quality
• Noise
• Steering feel
• Tires
• Maintenance records
• Interior wear
• Seat comfort
• Sound system
• Brakes
• Bodywork

Grade each item objectively and be fair to each vehicle that you take for a drive. Take the car for at least 10 miles to judge each item. Don’t let the seller push you into a shorter ride.

Turn off the radio during the ride

If your car salesperson is going along for the test ride with you, don’t allow them to turn on the radio. This is your time with the car to evaluate whether or not it will be a good car for you. Turn on the air conditioner and then off again to see how long it takes to cool down. Turn on the heater fan and see how quickly the car gets warm. Listen for noises that don’t sound right to you.

Drive your way

Most test drives done by professionals are done in ways that don’t violate traffic rules. You don’t have to break the law, but if you normally accelerate or brake hard, you should do this during your test drive. If you typically speed, don’t be afraid to do that either. Take the car on a couple of freeway ramps and be a little more aggressive with it to see if it still performs well.

Use a dead-end road

Driving down a dead-end road or around a cul-de-sac is a great way to test the CV joints to ensure they are performing correctly. This is something you should do when test-driving a used car. While going around the turn, have the windows rolled down and listen for any unusual noises. The tight, slow circle with the steering wheel fully turned will present any odd noises if the CV joints need to be replaced.

Use these tips when test-driving a used car. These items can help you avoid taking on problems with a car that you don’t want to inherit from the previous owner.