Guides

Buying a Used Car: Complete Checklist

Published November 5, 2024 · Reviewed and corrected July 26, 2026

Buying a used car can save you thousands, but it comes with risks. A systematic approach helps you avoid costly mistakes. Here is a complete checklist based on official data and expert recommendations.

Before You Visit

Check recalls for the specific year, make, and model

Research common problems and complaints

Look up safety ratings

Check fuel economy estimates

Research the fair market value

Get pre-approved for financing

At the Dealership

Get the VIN and run a recall check

Request a vehicle history report

Inspect the exterior for damage, rust, and mismatched paint

Check all lights, windows, and locks

Test drive at highway speeds

Listen for unusual noises

Check engine oil and coolant levels

Inspect tires for uneven wear

Paperwork

Verify the title is clean — no salvage, flood, or other brand

Check that the VIN matches on the dashboard, the door jamb, and the title

Review maintenance records

Get a pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you chose, not one the seller suggested

Verify every open recall has actually been completed, by VIN

Check insurance quotes before finalizing

Where to Check Each Record

Three of the checks above rely on databases rather than on looking at the car. They are separate systems, and no single one covers all three.

Open safety recalls

Run the VIN through NHTSA’s recall lookup — it is free and authoritative, and it reports whether the remedy has been performed on that specific vehicle. A year/make/model search cannot do that, because recalls usually apply to a build date range rather than a whole model year.

Title brands, odometer, total-loss history

Use NMVTIS, the federal title database operated by the US Department of Justice, through one of its approved providers. State DMVs and insurers report into it, which is why it catches brands that a seller-supplied report may not. We do not hold this data and do not sell history reports.

Running costs

EPA’s fueleconomy.gov publishes the official window-sticker figures for the exact trim and engine, which is the number to budget against — not the seller’s estimate.

The 15-Year Rule Nobody Mentions

An open recall on a used car is normally a bargaining chip rather than a dealbreaker, because the manufacturer must fix it free of charge — and that obligation transfers to you as the new owner. But it does expire. Under 49 U.S.C. §30120(g)(1), the free-remedy requirement does not apply where the vehicle was bought by its first purchaser more than 15 calendar years before the recall notice was given — or more than 5 calendar years for a tire.

So on an older car, check the first-sale date as well as the recall list. Many manufacturers still repair out-of-window recalls at no charge, but at that point you are asking for goodwill, not exercising a right. Get the dealer to confirm coverage in writing before you treat the repair as free.

Start your research with Verify the Vehicle

Check a VIN

Verify the Vehicle

·Editorial team

We do not test cars or employ mechanics. What we do is read the public government record — NHTSA recall campaigns, complaints and investigations, and EPA fuel economy filings — and write it down in plain English with the source attached, so you can check us.

Last updated: July 26, 2026