Buying a Used Car From a Dealer: What to Check
Use the FTC Buyers Guide, independent inspection, itemized pricing, warranty terms, and VIN evidence before signing a dealer contract.
Enter your VIN. Check the car before you buy.
Identify the vehicle free, then choose whether to buy its reported history.
Title brands · Odometer records · Auction history, where reported
No subscription. No charge to check the VIN. Report contents vary by vehicle; applicable tax is shown at checkout.
See what the paid report includes →At a covered U.S. dealer, read the FTC Buyers Guide on the vehicle and make sure its warranty or “as is” disclosure matches the final contract. Verify the VIN, history, recalls, title, price, financing, add-ons, and every repair promise independently. The Buyers Guide is essential disclosure, but it does not certify condition or replace a pre-purchase inspection.
- Compare the window Buyers Guide with the signed contract.
- Negotiate using the itemized out-the-door price, not monthly payment alone.
- Get every promised repair or cancellation term in writing.
Read the Buyers Guide before discussing financing
The guide identifies whether the vehicle is offered “as is” or with a warranty and describes covered systems or the share of repair cost under the disclosed warranty. Obtain a copy and ensure the contract is consistent. Spoken assurances are difficult to enforce if the written documents say something else.
The guide also encourages an independent inspection and tells buyers to ask whether a service contract is available. Do not let “certified,” “inspected,” or a return-policy slogan substitute for the actual written terms.
Separate vehicle price from financing and add-ons
Request the out-the-door total showing selling price, taxes, government fees, dealer fees, trade value, add-ons, and any service contract. Then compare loan amount, annual percentage rate, term, total payments, and prepayment terms. A lower monthly payment can come from a longer and more expensive loan.
Decline unwanted add-ons before signing. If a product is described as mandatory, ask the lender and contract to identify the requirement in writing.
Verify the car despite the dealership setting
Run the VIN, review title and history, check recalls, inspect cold-start and road behavior, and hire an independent mechanic. Confirm who owns the vehicle and that the dealer can provide title under the state process. Photograph the condition and odometer at delivery and keep all advertisements and documents.
Buyer checklist
- Photograph the Buyers Guide.
- Verify VIN, history, title, and recalls.
- Get an independent inspection.
- Review itemized out-the-door and financing terms.
- Match all promises to the signed contract.
What this research cannot prove
- Warranty, return, and title rules vary by transaction and state.
- The Buyers Guide does not guarantee the car is defect-free.
- Dealer certification programs do not all use the same inspection or coverage.
Sources reviewed
Open the underlying public source and verify that its scope matches the question you are asking.
Frequently asked questions
Does the FTC require a three-day return period?
Do not assume one. Read the dealer’s written return or cancellation policy and applicable law before signing.
What does as is mean?
It generally means the dealer disclaims certain warranty responsibility, subject to applicable law; read the Buyers Guide and contract.
Can the Buyers Guide differ from the contract?
They should be reconciled before signing. Ask the dealer to correct any inconsistency in writing.