Use a checklist to keep track of what you have learned about a car. It is easy to spend half an hour examining a scratch and then forget to find out whether the financing is final or the second key is included.

The steps below follow the purchase from the first conversation through delivery. Keep notes for each vehicle separately. A useful answer about one car does not carry over when you switch to another.

Before you make the trip

  • Set a payment and purchase budget that leaves room for insurance, fuel, and upkeep.
  • Get the VIN, advertised price, mileage, and a description of the actual equipment.
  • Request an itemized purchase quote using your registration location and any relevant trade details.
  • Establish which advertised discounts apply to you and whether any price depends on financing conditions.
  • Arrange enough time for a test drive and an independent inspection.

Bring the car you intend to trade, along with the information needed to obtain its payoff if you still owe money. Explaining the whole transaction early gives the dealer a chance to work on the appraisal and financing while you evaluate the replacement.

At the car

Match the VIN on the vehicle with the listing and paperwork. Look at the condition in good light, including the tires, cabin, cargo area, and places where obvious damage or repairs may show. Compare what you see with the seller's description and available history.

Then try the car as you intend to use it. Adjust the seat and mirrors, sit in the back, and test the equipment you care about while parked. Bring a child seat, mobility aid, or other essential item if its fit could determine whether you buy. A vehicle can be mechanically sound and still be wrong for your household.

Drive on a sensible route that includes ordinary stopping, accelerating, turning, and parking. Write down any noise, warning light, or behavior that needs an explanation. Take those observations to the inspecting mechanic.

Before you agree to the purchase

  • Review the vehicle's history and current VIN recall result.
  • Read the inspection findings and price any work you would be taking on.
  • Read the dealer's Buyers Guide and the applicable warranty documents. Maine and Wisconsin use their own versions of the guide.
  • Decide which optional products you want, with their prices and terms in front of you.
  • Compare the proposed loan with any other offers you obtained.

This is the point to resolve uncertainty. If the dealer has agreed to replace tires, supply a key, or complete another repair, get the details and timing in writing. A promise that matters to the purchase belongs with the purchase paperwork.

At signing and delivery

Read the completed documents against your notes. Check the VIN, purchase figures, trade allowance, payoff, cash down, and selected products. For financing, review the APR, amount financed, finance charge, payment schedule, and total of payments.

Find out whether financing is final and what conditions remain before taking the car. Also read any return policy before you sign. There is no general federal requirement giving dealership buyers three days to cancel; state rights and written dealer policies can differ.

At handover, collect the agreed keys, accessories, documents, and repair commitments. Keep copies somewhere you can find them later. For a financed trade, obtain confirmation from the previous lender that the payoff was received and the account is satisfied.

An incomplete answer is still an open item, even when everyone is ready to finish. Resolve the items that could change your decision before handing over the money.