A quick rule of thumb: the homeowners who avoid problems are the ones who get everything in writing, verify licensing and insurance before work starts, and never rely on a verbal promise for anything that matters. If a detail is important enough to ask about, it is important enough to have in the written quote or contract.
— WikiQuestions editorial guidance
Buying a used car can be a smart decision – you’ll save on all the interest and depreciation of a new car (they typically loose $3,000 the moment you drive them off the lot), you’ll know the car doesn’t have any major manufacturing faults, and you’ll often find your insurance costs less.
But once you’ve browsed AutoTrader for hours looking at models and find one you like in your price range, it’s time to go and take a look at it. Unless you’re a mechanic, you won’t necessarily know what you’re looking at, so you’ll need to ask the right questions to tell if the vehicle is a good buy, regardless of whether you’re buying privately or from a dealer.
Grab a pen and paper to note these down, as we’ve rounded up 16 of the most important questions to ask a seller when buying a used car to ensure you buy one that lasts.
Table of Contents
How was the car maintained?
Ask if maintenance on the car is up to date and find out if it was serviced at the dealership, by an independent mechanic (if it is a private seller), or by a mechanic who is not connected to a garage. Look at the service history and if they serviced the car themselves, ask them if they did so because it’s cheaper, if they’re a professional, or if they’re an enthusiast. Doing it themselves is not necessarily a red flag, and any service is better than no service.
Are service records available?
The answer to this question should always be yes, even if the car hasn’t been serviced every year by a professional. These records should be kept in the vehicle’s folder and will tell you whether the seller has had the car serviced regularly. If the seller says that the service records are not available this is a big red flag and you should just walk away from the sale. There should always be some service history, even if it was just for the first 3 years of the vehicle’s life.
Has it been in any accidents?
Most often, serious accidents are reported on a vehicle history report, but you shouldn’t assume that this report will tell you everything, so it is best to ask the seller directly. If the car was in an accident, find out exactly how it was damaged and how the vehicle was fixed.
Do you know of any issues or repairs that need to be made?
As the owner will have driven the car most often, and probably very recently, they should be aware of any issues with the car and possibly more importantly any repairs that will need to be made by you. It is not likely that the seller will just offer up this information so it is an important question to ask, and hopefully, you’ll get a truthful answer. An honest answer will also help you decide if you’re happy to purchase from this person or business.
Can I have the VIN?
If you are not sure that you have been given all the information about the history of the car you should ask for the vehicle identification number (VIN). This is a 17-digit number that is assigned to every vehicle in the US and other countries around the world, and will allow you to access a Carfax vehicle history report, which includes service and repair information, vehicle registration, and reported accidents.
This will cost you about $40 to obtain, but it may be worth it if you are seriously considering purchasing the vehicle. In particular, look out for repairs that have been made in the past. If any repairs are well spaced out it will likely be due to general use and therefore will be a well-maintained car, however if they are more frequent and over a short time, the car may have a serious mechanical problem.
What features don’t work the way they’re supposed to?
Everyone knows that older used cars nearly always have something minor wrong with them, like a faulty stereo or a fan that only works on 1, 4, and 5. However, some sellers may try and gloss over other defects if you do not ask them specifically and these defects will just come as an irritating surprise later on, such as broken speakers, weak AC, or damaged displays. When you look around the vehicle, be sure to press all the buttons to see if they work as they’re supposed to.
How many miles a day or week are you driving this car?
This is an important question to ask as you want to be sure that the car is being driven regularly for a reasonable number of miles. This is much more preferable over the car being driven for few or many miles in between very long periods of the vehicle sitting immobile. You should also ask what the car has been used for. This is because if the bulk of driving is done on the highway, which cars generally find extremely easy, as opposed to city driving where you will constantly be stopping and starting which takes its toll.
Is there any reason you wouldn’t drive the car coast-to-coast tomorrow?
This is a bit of a different question and can sometimes throw the seller off. If the answer is “No, I’d be confident in this car”, you can be confident that the car is in full working order. This shows that the owner believes the car is reliable and doesn’t have any issues that would appear when taking such a long trip, and that the vehicle can be driven for many hours at a time without breaking down, experiencing engine failure, or overheating.
What is the ownership history?
If the seller doesn’t have many details about the car or has only owned it for a short amount of time, this can be a warning sign, and shows that they may not have asked the right questions when they acquired it!
If the car has passed through many hands in only a handful of years it might mean that the car has had many mechanical issues or expensive upkeep, you want to be looking for a seller who has looked after the car for at least a few years. Multiple owners of a single vehicle can lead to infrequent maintenance, missed services, and a lack of records.
If the seller has only owned the car for a year, ask them if they’re a car enthusiast (as they’re more likely to chop and change vehicles without it being the car’s fault) or if they’re getting a company car.
Why are you selling the car?
Many sellers will have a convenient story at the ready to answer this question. Be wary of long-winded or complicated answers, an honest seller will have an easy, honest answer such as ‘we don’t need this one anymore’ or ‘we needed something bigger/smaller/cheaper’. Generally, you will need to rely on your judgment as to whether you trust the seller and their answer!
Can I take it for a test drive?
You should test drive any used car you want to buy. As well as all the usual operating tests, make sure you check things like the air conditioning and heating, and the sunroof. Then note how comfortable you feel in the car and any performance issues that you might want to relay to your mechanic. A test drive can make or break the sale.
If they are worried about insurance, ask them to drive you around in the vehicle or drive you to an empty parking lot where you’ll be able to get behind the wheel.
Does the car have a spare tire and jack?
You probably won’t go rummaging around in the trunk when you go to see the car, but you want to know this is there as replacing these items is a considerable expense, and you don’t want to drive without them in case of an emergency. You should also ask if the spare tire is a full-size or one of the smaller spares or donuts.
How did you arrive at this price?
If you are getting serious about buying the car, find out how the seller priced it. Many people will just pick a figure out of the air and then price their vehicle slightly higher than what they’d actually like to give themselves some wiggle room. However, if the seller says they used a pricing guide, you can double-check yourself to see if the price is accurate. This is a great thing to do before you go and see the car, too.
Will you take X dollars less?
Once you are serious about buying the car, it’s time to negotiate on price. Don’t be afraid to ask a seller to take less than the asking price, the worst thing that can happen is the person says no. Remember, if the seller is serious about selling their vehicle, you are in the position of power. Go with your gut on how much you think the seller might take, but make sure to have good reasons as to why you are offering less.
Can I get a mechanic to do an inspection?
Ask this only if you are serious about buying. Most reputable sellers will be fine with this request, but if there is hesitation or pushback that is a warning sign. If they say yes, you may decide to go ahead with the sale regardless, but otherwise take the car to a trusted mechanic together or use a mobile inspection service, if you can. Even if you are buying from a dealership that has in-house technicians to check the vehicles, there is no substitute for having a mechanic you trust look at the car, so don’t hesitate in asking this.
Do you have the title?
The title shows who owns the car and you and the seller will both have to sign it to do a title transfer. A long-time owner might not know where the title is hiding or a seller might not have the title if there’s an outstanding loan from the bank since it won’t legally be theirs. There are always ways to work around these issues but knowing the status of the title early on will help you decide if the car is worth the extra time and hassle.
Conclusion: Before buying any used car, get answers about its current condition, service and ownership history. If you feel like the seller is holding back any information when you ask these questions, walk away from the deal, it is not worth your time and you are likely to get cheated. If everything feels good, go ahead and buy your new wheels!