I’m a mechanic – you need to know a used car check so you’re never ripped off

AN experienced mechanic says that drivers need to know a simple used car check so they’re never ripped off.

Scotty Kilmer – with more than 56 million followers on social media – uploads videos warning drivers about possible car scams.

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YouTuber @scottykilmer starts off by saying that he’s seen thousands of cars that don’t start because of dirty air filters.

But, Scotty explains that this particular Toyota won’t start because the engine is burning oil.

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He said on the video: “So what about spark plugs – this has over a hundred thousand miles. We will go and check them.

“Pull out the number one spark plug. We have to take the 10mm bolt of the ignition coil – squeeze this so the electrical contact comes off, and pull it off.

“Then, we are going to stick the socket in and take out the spark plug.

“And as you can see, it has a lot of crud on it. And when you look at it closely, it’s covered with burned stuff – that’s burnt oil.

“This wasn’t a good choice from the customer, maybe it will last a while, but the engine is burning oil.

The mechanic suggests checking on a spark plug before purchasing a used car, to help give an indication of the engine’s condition.

He continued: “If it’s covered with burnt crud, it means that the engine is burning oil, so don’t buy the car.

“This is a Toyota Corolla; they can run years and years still burning oil, but you’ll have to change the oil and the spark plugs more often.

“Eventually, you might have to change the catalytic converter, but they can still run.

“You just put them so they’re snug; once you get them snug, get them tight and then a little bit of turn and, of course, change all four, and then we will see how the engine is.

“It looks like all of them, and the second one is burning a lot of oil too. That’s bad news. The last owners did not frequently change this car’s oil.

“The new plugs should make it run better. Just gonna have to add oil as it burns and see how long it last.”

The mechanic revealed that the car started more easily after replacing the spark plugs, but the engine still made a strange noise due to excessive wear and tear.

The video uploaded to YouTube has had more than 83,839 views and 301 comments on the video.

Users expressed gratitude for the videos this mechanic uploads to social media.

One said: “Not only is he honest, but he takes the time to figure out problems. ️Thank you for all your valuable information.”

Another said: “Scotty, you are the only honest mechanic. There aren’t any out here.”

Another said: “I just noticed Scotty is a real mechanic because he doesn’t use power tools, especially on top of the engine. He probably has a feel for torque specs within only a per cent or two.”

This comes after drivers were blown away after discovering five hacks that will save them money on summer holiday car rentals.

Plus, a man who has owned a Tesla Model 3 for just two days says he already hates his EV.

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