What to Check Before Buying a Used Car: An Honest Checklist

I've been in the car business for 30 years, which means I've seen every trick that exists for hiding problems in a used vehicle. I've also watched plenty of buyers get taken. Here's the checklist I give friends and family when they're buying used — from anyone, including us.

Start with the CarFax before you get emotionally attached to the car. Look for accidents with airbag deployment — these are the serious ones. Multiple owners in a short time is a yellow flag. A history of use as a rental or fleet vehicle isn't necessarily bad, but it means higher mileage from varied drivers. Mileage discrepancy (odometer readings that don't line up with service records) is an immediate walk-away.

Do a cold start. Come to the test drive before the seller has warmed the car up. A cold start tells you more about engine health than a warm one. Watch for blue smoke (burning oil) or white smoke (coolant leak) on startup. Listen for knocking or tapping that quiets as the engine warms — that's often a valve train issue that becomes expensive.

Check the body panels carefully. Uneven gaps between body panels, paint texture differences between adjacent panels, or slightly different color shades under certain lighting indicate previous body work. Previous body work isn't automatically a dealbreaker, but it should be disclosed and should be reflected in the price.

Have it inspected by your own mechanic before you buy. This is the single most important recommendation on this list. Most reputable dealers, including us, will allow a pre-purchase inspection at the mechanic of your choice. A mechanic you trust can check things that a non-mechanic won't catch — transmission fluid condition, brake thickness, steering play, rust underneath. The inspection costs $100–150 and has saved buyers from $4,000 transmissions many times.

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