I am freaking out! I have limited income and bought this beautiful car from a local dealership for 3,900$. I am prepared if I have to to put up too 1,000 into fixing whatever the problem is I just hope it is nothing too serious. This is my First Ever Car LIKE THIS (have always drove around in minivans and 4 door cars like Kias and Ford Taurus in the past) So it sounds from the rip way different than I'm use too. I took my boyfriend along when I bought the car, he said everything looked good to him, Its not Running Hot, Oil pressure gage (or whatever its called) looks good. Only thing 'off' is this Check Engine soon light that came on when I was driving last night. I AM going to get it checked out this morning. I just have this knot in my stomach, 'fraid the car I fell in love with has some serious issues that I may not be prepared to dive into as I am a college student with limited income atm.

WHAT COULD IT bE?
(i'll post back when I find out what it is, incase someone like me is having similar issues)

I couldn't believe it only had 82,900 miles on it when I purchased the car and is as old as it is. but I checked the carfax report and everything seemed to check out just fine on it.

 

It could be nothing, a check engine light with the car running fine is nothing to get too worried about. It could just be a bad gas cap or maybe some emission item that can be fixed later. The big deal now is finding a good mechanic that will not try to take advantage of you. One that will explain when a item should be fix, needs to be fixed and has to be fixed.

Should be fixed= you are hurting the environment.
Needs to be fixed= you could further damage your car if you continue.
Has to be fixed= Major damage will occur if you continue to drive or the car is unsafe.

Anytime you buy an older car without a warranty you should get the car checked by a mechanic. Dealer are great at making a car look cherry but that will not fool a mechanic who looks at cars 8-10 hours a day. Little things like poorly done repairs and signs of lack of maintenance are huge red flags for a pro and barely noticeable to a amateur. Anytime you are looking at a sports car this is even more important. A half hour inspection can save you a ton of headaches or help you get a better price based on what is found.

Good Luck.

 

What is the code. You can have it read for free at a parts store.