If you are in the market for used cars, chances are you will find many of them with automatic transmissions. You may prefer this type of car, even though it will be more difficult to get cheap car insurance. Typically, the hydraulic seals in an automatic transmission always have a tendency to leak. As the car ages, that will only get worse.

Unfortunately, assessing the health of an automatic transmission is not always easy. When you take the car on a test drive, you should pay attention to how long it takes the transmission to shift from one gear to the next. You will also want to count the number of gears. If there are only four, chances are the transmission is a bit under powered. Five gears will make for a longer lasting unit. For the most part, more expensive cars, like a used BMW will come with sturdier transmissions.

It is also important to review the service records on a car with an automatic transmission. In particular, you will be looking for notations that the transmission fluid has been topped off or replaced. You can also ask the car dealer to open up the hood so that you can see the level for yourself. If possible, you should visually inspect where the transmission clamps onto the engine for signs of leakage. While the idea of looking for these things in a used car may not be a pleasant prospect, you have only to think of the number of people that had the transmission die on their car as soon as they paid off the car loans.