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Used Car Inspection Checklist
What to ask, read, check and drive before you buy, from the first phone call to the mechanic's verdict.
A real, editable checklist below — tick, tap a line to rewrite, drag to reorder.
Tick the circles, tap any line to change it, drag the dots to reorder.
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Consumer Reports orders a used-car check in four steps: ask the seller questions, read the window sticker, inspect the vehicle, then take it to your mechanic. This list follows that order. Copper State Credit Union and Fleetrabbit add the dashboard, under-hood and test-drive checks that fill in the inspection. It assumes you can see the car in person, from a dealer or a private seller. It leaves out price negotiation, financing and paperwork that varies by state.
Why these items are on the list
- Ask about total mileage. Averaging over 20,000 miles a year or under 5,000? Consumer Reports says to ask why.
- Ask about crash history. Verify the answer with a vehicle history report such as Carfax, Consumer Reports suggests.
- Request service records and receipts. Check the records for whether earlier owners followed the maker's service intervals, per Consumer Reports.
- Check for open recalls by VIN. Use the manufacturer's site or the NHTSA website, says Consumer Reports.
- Read the dealer's Buyers Guide. As-is or under warranty? The Buyers Guide states which, per Consumer Reports.
- Line up a pre-purchase mechanic. At $100 to $150, Consumer Reports calls the inspection worth it for expensive parts.
- Plan a daylight, dry-day inspection. Floodlights and rain hide body defects, says Consumer Reports; Fleetrabbit also says inspect in daylight.
- Bring gloves, rag and flashlight. For checking fluids and looking under the car, per Consumer Reports.
- Ask seller not to run it first. An hour without driving makes issues easier to spot, says Consumer Reports.
- Check panels for gaps and rust. Misaligned panels can mean shoddy repair work, says Consumer Reports.
- Check paint match on every panel. Mismatched color or finish may mean repainting, per Consumer Reports.
- Look for cracks in glass. Consumer Reports says any crack will worsen, and a small chip is a negotiating point.
- Test tire tread with a penny. See all of Lincoln's head? Copper State says the tires need replacing.
- Check that tires match. Mismatched tires differ in speed rating, tread life and traction, says Copper State.
- Confirm spare tire and jack. Copper State and Fleetrabbit both include them on their lists.
- Watch dash lights on, then off. At first key position, Copper State says warning lights should come on, then go off.
- Test lights, wipers, heat, A/C, windows. Every control inside the car: Copper State suggests working through them.
- Check fluids with engine off. Engine off: Copper State lists oil, transmission, steering and brake fluid; wipe the dipstick first.
- Listen at idle for drips and clacking. Hood open, engine running: Copper State says to listen.
- Test drive with radio off. With the radio off, Copper State says you can hear noises the whole time.
- Drive over bumps and at highway speed. Repeated bouncing is a warning, says Copper State; Fleetrabbit calls a highway drive especially important.
- Brake firmly from higher speed. From higher speed, Copper State says the pedal should feel firm and not sink toward the floor.
- Check temperature gauge after driving. After driving, Copper State says it should not be in the red.
- Confirm clean title and odometer. Fleetrabbit says the title should not be salvage or rebuilt and mileage should match records.
Work through the phone questions, the walk-around and the test drive in order on your phone, and mark what you skipped; share it with a friend or mechanic who is looking at the same car. Ticking is the easy part.
When to use it
Use it before you drive to see a used car and again during the visit, ideally on a dry day in daylight.