Winter with its cold, damp weather presents unique challenges when it comes to test driving a used car, which is why you need to follow these tips on how to test drive a used car in winter for the best results.

In spite of the challenges, winter can be a good time to buy a used car because you're not competing against the casual buyers who might give an owner an inflated sense of price by declaring a false interest.

It's nice not to have much competition when out shopping.

Expect To Get Dirty

Unless the seller keeps the used car in a garage, you're going to get dirty. Winter's just a messy period. Be considerate and try not to get the interior of the car dirty. Maybe bring a towel to sit on and/or wipe your hands if your clothes get dirty why poking underneath the hood.

Also, the car is going to be dirty. In my advice on how to test drive a used car, I say to look for spots or stains because they might be permanent. You're going to see spots and stains in the winter that might not be permanent. Give it a quick rub with your finger just to see if it's wet snow or ice that can be cleaned easily.

Bring a Change of Shoes

Don't judge a car on how it feels when wearing your winter boots. Bring a pair of sneakers or shoes so you get a feel for how the vehicle drives the rest of the year. Clunky boots just won't give you a true feel for the car and you might end up turning down something you would have really liked.

Get Off the Road

No, don't drive into a ditch. My advice on test driving a used car references things you would do on a street. Consider going to a large empty parking lot like you might find at a high school instead. There's no need to tempt fate on a cold day when black ice can suddenly appear.

Just like you would with a sunny-day test drive, get the vehicle up to speed and jam on the brakes. You want to see how they feel. ABS should kick in with a thump-thump-thump if working properly.

Also, when braking, see how straight the car stops. Pulling in one direction or another could indicate brake or alignment problems. Get them checked out.

Keep Your Coat On

This is the best way to test the air conditioning. A bulky coat is going to replicate how you might feel on a hot summer day. Does the air conditioning cool you sufficiently? If so, it's probably going to work fine come summer time.

Take Your Coat Off

Do this to test the heat. See how quickly it can warm you up on a cold day. It's an important consideration. Don't settle for how it warms you while already wearing a warm winter coat. It's not the same.

Take Your Gloves Off

Your fingers, not surprisingly, are extremely tactile. Your sense of touch is going to help you find flaws with the car that you won't find with the gloves on. However, you should make sure part of the test drive does have some glove time. You still need to see how things can work with your bulky finger warmers on.

Get the Car Washed

See if the owner is willing to let you run the car through a car wash - at your expense of course. No need to go overboard. Just get the basic wash (or do it yourself at a self-serve car wash). This helps you see if there are any leaks because seals aren't as tight in cold weather. Also, if time allows, let the car sit while wet so it freezes up a little bit. It's a great way to test the defroster to see how quickly it works.

Negotiate Outdoors

Only do this if you really like the car but negotiating outdoors is going to make the owner more likely to seal the deal. Who wants to be cold after all? Finalize nothing until you get an independent inspection. That's good advice in the summer or winter.