Can we talk about the advice my uncle gave me on buying a used car?

My uncle told me to always check the coolant reservoir cap for dried crud before even starting the engine, and I thought he was being paranoid. After I ignored that and bought a 2012 Honda Civic from a lot in Phoenix, the head gasket blew three months later and cost me $2,800 to fix. Has anyone else had a simple car inspection tip that saved them from a big repair bill?

3 comments

3 Comments

rodriguez.mia13d ago

Honestly I saw this TikTok mechanic say always check the oil dipstick for milky foam which wouldve saved me a blown engine.

brooket4312d ago

And checking the oil filler cap too is key, condensation can fool you.

anthonynelson13d ago

Did that TikTok guy actually show you what the milky foam looks like on different cars or was it just a quick clip? Because I've seen some people post videos where the dipstick looks weird but it's actually just water from condensation, especially if you only drive short trips. Real blown head gasket foam is like a thick milkshake color, and it'll be all over the oil cap too not just the dipstick. I always check both spots now after a buddy of mine had his car smoke out the tailpipe and it was coolant mixing in.