Used-car inspection checklist

Most of the money in a used-car purchase is saved before you see the car, by reading the records and knowing what to look for. This checklist is in the order that saves the most time: what to do at home, what to do on the lot, what to do on the drive, and what to do with the paperwork.

Before you go

• Get the VIN from the listing or the seller. No VIN, no visit. Where to find it.
• Decode it. Confirm the make, model, year, engine and trim match the listing. A "fully loaded" trim that decodes as the base model is a different car at a different price.
• Check recalls. Note any open ones and whether a remedy exists. Free recall check.
• Read the complaints and known faults. They tell you what to test: a model year with a cluster of transmission complaints gets a long test drive with hard shifts; one with electrical complaints gets every switch pressed.
• Compare the asking price with the market range for the same year and trim. A price well below the range needs an explanation. A price above it gives you your negotiating number.
• For a private sale, ask for a photo of the title with the VIN and brand line visible, and consider a title check from an NMVTIS-approved provider.

On the lot, engine cold

• Match the VINs. Windshield plate, door-jamb sticker, title. Any mismatch ends the visit.
• Walk around at arm's length, then crouch. Look along each side for ripples in the reflection that show filler or a repaint. Check that panel gaps are even and that the paint on adjacent panels matches in the same light.
• Open every door, the hood and the trunk. Look for overspray on rubber seals, bolts with disturbed paint on the fenders and hood, and a trunk floor that is newer than the rest.
• Tires. Four matching brands is a good sign. Uneven wear across a tire suggests alignment or suspension problems. Check the date code on the sidewall; tires over six years old need replacing regardless of tread.
• Under the hood. Look for fresh fluid on old grime, which means a recent leak. Check the oil: milky means coolant contamination. Check the coolant colour and the state of belts and hoses.
• Flood signs. Silt or a musty smell under the carpets, rust on seat bolts and under the dash, condensation inside lights, corroded unpainted metal under the seats.
• Interior. Wear on the driver's seat, steering wheel and pedals should match the mileage. A 40,000-mile car with a worn-through seat bolster is not a 40,000-mile car.
• Start it cold. Listen for rattles, ticks and smoke on start-up. Blue smoke is oil, white smoke that lingers is coolant.

On the test drive

• Warning lights. All should light with the key on and go out after start. A warning bulb that never lights has been removed.
• Brakes. Straight, firm, no pulsing through the pedal, no pulling to one side.
• Steering. No play at centre, no wandering on a straight road, returns to centre after a turn.
• Transmission. Smooth shifts cold and warm, no flare between gears, no shudder from a stop. Include a highway run and a hard acceleration.
• Suspension. Drive over a rough patch with the radio off and listen for knocks.
• Everything electrical. Windows, locks, mirrors, seats, climate control on both hot and cold, every screen and every camera.
• Test what the complaints told you to test. That is the point of reading them first.

The paperwork

• Title. Seller's name matches their ID; no brands you did not expect; no lien, or a lien release letter.
• Service records. Any receipts in the glove box. Regular oil changes and a timing belt done on schedule are worth more than any detailing.
• Recall repair orders for any open recalls you found.
• Bill of sale with the VIN, mileage, price and "as is" or warranty terms in writing.

When to pay for a pre-purchase inspection

An independent mechanic's pre-purchase inspection costs roughly the same as a tank of fuel and takes an hour. Pay for it whenever the car is expensive to repair, whenever you found anything on this list you could not explain, and always for a private-party purchase you intend to keep for years. Choose a shop that does not sell cars and tell them what the complaints and known faults said, so they know where to look.