Free preview · from the dealership side of the desk
A used car can look perfect under showroom lights and still hide flood damage, a rolled-back odometer, a branded title or a $3,000 repair due in six months. The seller knows more about the car than you do, whether it’s a dealer or a private owner. That gap is the biggest risk in used-car buying, and the only fix is a systematic inspection.
From the dealership side, dealers inspect every trade before buying it, often with a lift and a scan tool, and price the risk in. You deserve the same. Free start: run the VIN through the NHTSA recall lookup and NICB VINCheck before you drive anywhere; both are free. Below: the full printable paperwork, walkaround, test-drive and mechanic checklists, a worked example of using the inspection to negotiate, and a walk-away list of findings that mean don’t buy.
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In the full guide
- Part 1: Paperwork, before you visit
- Part 2: Your walkaround
- Part 3: The test drive
- Part 4: The pre-purchase inspection (PPI)
- Worked example: using the inspection to negotiate
- Walk-away list: do not buy if
- What to say
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