Hi Everybody,

Just thought I'd ask the questions since using the most basic search terms won't allow me to turn up any threads. Hopefully this can become a guide for all of those who have just purchased a used car. I am writing this thread in mind to a used Acura 04 TL bought in 08.

Question: I've just bought a used car with over 50K in miles. (Specifically, the one that I bought is 65K). The previous owner took good care of the car, but they were just your average joe driver, and only took the car in for regular scheduled maintenance at the dealer. What should I do to the car to insure that it's running in like new condition?

So here's what I've gathered so far from reading the forums:

Prelim - Check that your car hasn't had any factory warnings or recalls. Take it to the dealer first before actually doing anything with it.

1. Clean the damn car! Wash it, polish it, wax it.
2. Seafoam it! Do both of the treatments, one with the vacuum line, and one with the oil change.
3. After you seafoam it, give it an oil change (with a new filter). Recommended oils I've seen so far are synthetic, preferably Amsoil or Chevron / Mobil.
4. Throw some new spark plugs.
5. Change the air filter
6. Refill all fluids
7. Check the brakes and rotors
8. Touch-up

I'll be adding questions that might pop-up for me as new posts then add those questions into this original post.

If you guys have anything to add, anything at all (no performance mods or hacks please) that would be helpful or necessary for a used car buyer to do upon receiving his car, please do say.

Mind you this is the current procedure that I'm following for my car that I just bought. If you guys add something, take it with a grain of salt when you add it, because it's most likely that I'll do it.

 

You may want to add clay bar to the cleaning process. I got my 05 in Jan. and did a clay last week on my NBP and it came out like new. Just a thought. Good luck on this.

 

Definitely wash it with something a bit astringent that will remove residues from existing wax, etc, then clay bar it (for sure) then polish, glaze, wax/seal. Autopia.org is an amazing resource for how-to's & product reviews for polishing, etc. www.properautocare.com has a lot of reasonably priced and good products for sale, and they're near me so I've met most of the people there, they're good guys.

Change all the fluids, if you're AT, do the 3x change method (search for it) if you're MT it's cheaper. I really really like both Royal Purple and AMSOil for fluids, worth the $$ for the oil and tranny fluid. Coolant, brake and power steering fluids - might as well stick with Honda, and they aren't too expensive.

Seafoam, but read the instructions on here carefully, and make sure to do the plugs afterwords! Use NGK plugs, either the Irridium IX or the OEM Irridium ones.

Air filter- if you don't want to go CAI, go with a stock sized K&N, and get rid of the resonator while you're at it.

Get a Cabin Air filter (activated carbon one from Rockauto.com is best bet)

Leatherique the seats, it'll bring back a lot of the buttery softness and increase their longevity while preventing new creases/wrinkles from forming

 

Seafoam the gas tank 2 oz to 1 gallon of gas
CHANGE the brake fluid- now! and once a year forever!

 

+1 on the clay bar after wash and before polish and wax.

I'd also clean out the throttle body with some TB cleaner spray (Seafoam Deep Creep or the Valvoline variant for example)

 

So does anybody know how many posts I have to have in order to edit my original post?

I'll probably be needing some help on draining / flushing the fluids. I can easily say the only things I can say I'm confidently good at (and knowledgeable about) are the electrical systems, rotors and brakes (not so much), and the navi.

If I need to drain the fluids / flush the system, is there a guide that I missed on how to do this?

I will heed your advice and do all the things that weren't included in my original post that are above this post.

 

you can't edit a post if it's been up for more than 5 mins.