Car problem diagnosis?
We are looking to buy a car and the price is indicative of what might be wrong. The seller said they bought the car a couple months ago and made trip of about 60 miles each way and then the carburetor went out and the car won't start or run. She also thinks that it could be the starter and not the carburetor. We wanted to see the odometer and the story there is that the odometer is missing a fuse = the miles driven is not accurate. If the car starts and runs we can handle the other issues which are more inconvenience than mechanical. What to make of fuse for odometer and carburetor going bad suddenly.
Update:92 Corolla with 156 miles. Body perfect, interior very good, tires very good, new battery they say, I will be visit them to inspect the car. I know how to look for leaks, tranny issues, effort by the car to start.
Cost is $450 and worth a shot.
Comments
Do not buy as you do not know anything about cars.
Buy If You Know What You're Doing. Sounds like a "Lemon Boulder". Insist on under hood inspection and look on how car stands. A look at How To Buy a Volkswagen in the Complete Idiot guide book will apply here. Could be simple case of fuel supply problem caused by dirty fuel or carb cutoff valve disconnection.
You don't say what the year, make and model car you are driving, so my comments might not apply to your car.
There is no fuse for the odometer. As for the carburetor, it could be a fuel injector (throttle body carburetor). Relatively inexpensive DIY fix. Or it could be something more serious. If the engine turns strongly over but does not start, rule out the starter and battery. If it doesn't turn over, it could be the battery or starter (usually one or the other, but seldom both).
I would approach this sale carefully. She's only quoting the obvious. I'm sure there are hidden problems (as there is with almost any used car).
Cars haven't had carburetors for over 20 years. There is no fuse for the odometer.
What kind of POS is someone trying to dump on you?
Find someone with a brain to help you buy a car. You're not even smart enough to tell us what year make and model it is so that we can try to help you.
Made up story. If the car has a carburetor, it's pretty old. The odometer is mechanical and not fused. Leave that hunk o junk to be somebody else's problem.
Run away from this. Cars have not had carburetors since the mid 1980s. In reality they have no idea why it does not run.
A jimmied odometer is bad news. I would not take this car for free.
Unless you are a skilled mechanic (where you would be asking this) this car will be an expensive heap of heartbreak for you.
There are so many problems with what you were told it even scares me, and I’m not involved. There are no fuses controlling odometers, also there’s very few cars produced since late 80’s that even have a carburetor. This could easily be a previously flooded car with electronics corroding and dying.
Don't be so gullible, lyong, this car is tired and is no longer road worthy. If it has a carburetor is it old technology which can and will be a nightmare to repair. The speedo is simply toast. Don't touch is so-called deal with a barge poll.
Do not buy this car under any circumstances.
Missing a fuse, huh? Nope - neither electronic or mechanical odometers work that way.
Avoid. They're not being truthful.