New & Used Car Buying Checklists: From a Former Car Dealer

The car buying checklists we’ve created below are meant to help guide you during your car buying journey. If only buying a car was a simple and easy task … We all know it isn’t. Use the car buying checklist below to make sure you do your due diligence before spending tens of thousands of dollars.

We plan to add more checklists to this page over time. If you have a suggestion for a checklist, please let us know in the comments below. Since you are here, we think you may also be interested in these other free car buying resources:

• Deal School
• Email templates you can use when buying a car online
• Our Out-the-Door Price Calculator

Without further ado, let’s get into the car buying checklists.

Car buying checklist for a used car

Research

• Confirm that the seller is the owner of the vehicle. Make sure the vehicle is titled in their name.
• What is the status of the title? Make sure it isn’t salvaged.
• Ask to review any service records or reconditioning work the vehicle has undergone.
• Get your hands on the CarFax.
• Call your insurance company and ask them to run the VIN to see what history they can pull on the vehicle.
• Get a pre-purchase inspection completed.
• Research the seller’s Better Business Bureau ratings.

Want to make car buying easy? Let us do the hard stuff! It’s like Honey, but for buying cars, trucks, and SUVs. Sign Up For Free

Negotiate

• Understand how car dealerships make money selling used cars.
• Know how car salespeople have been trained to sell you a used car.
• View market conditions for the same year, make, model, and trim.
• Know how long the seller has been trying to sell that vehicle.
• Engage in negotiations towards the end of the month if possible.
• Make sure you are negotiating on the out-the-door price of the vehicle.
• Apply any manufacturer incentives after you have agreed to the selling price of the vehicle.
• Be prepared to walk away if you cannot agree to a price.

Purchase

• Know before you go to the dealership if you plan to finance, lease, or pay cash.
• If financing, secure loan options before going to the dealership.
• Negotiate on products in the Finance & Insurance office (extended warranties, GAP insurance, etc.).
• Review the buyer’s order, and make sure nothing is wrong.
• Enjoy your new car!

Car buying checklist for a new car

Research

• Configure the car you want to purchase on the manufacturer’s website to find similar inventory in your area.
• Go on many test drives.
• Research the dealer’s Better Business Bureau ratings.

Negotiate

• Understand how car dealerships make money selling new cars.
• Know how car salespeople have been trained to sell you a new car.
• View market conditions for the same year, make, model, and trim.
• Know how long the seller has been trying to sell that vehicle.
• Confirm how long the vehicle has been on the dealer’s lot by looking at the VIN plate which contains the vehicle’s date of manufacture.
• Engage in negotiations towards the end of the month if possible.
• Make sure you are negotiating on the out-the-door price of the vehicle.
• Apply any manufacturer incentives after you have agreed to the selling price of the vehicle.
• Ask the dealer how close they are to their manufacturer incentives. Use this as leverage during your negotiations.
• Be prepared to walk away if you cannot agree to a price.

Purchase

• Know before you go to the dealership if you plan to finance, lease, or pay cash.
• If financing, secure loan options before going to the dealership.
• Know and understand the manufacturer’s warranty on the vehicle before contemplating any other extended warranty products.
• Negotiate on products in the Finance & Insurance office (extended warranties, GAP insurance, etc.).
• Review the buyer’s order, and make sure nothing is wrong.
• Enjoy your new car!

Please let us know what other car buying checklists you would like to see in the comments below. We’ll frequently update this page. Thank you!

Spread the knowledge

Save time and skip dealership!

Our concierge service can find any car for you.

Want to do it yourself?

Try Insights. Data and tools to help you research.

Save time and skip dealership!

Our concierge service can find any car for you.

Get exclusive discounts, CarEdge news, and trends

By signing up, you agree to CarEdge's Privacy Policy and Terms & Conditions.

Related articles

How to Spot a Lemon Law Car in 6 Easy Steps

by Justin Fischer | Last updated Sep 3, 2024

The 5 Best Off-Road Vehicles For 2025

by Justin Fischer | Last updated Aug 30, 2024

The 10 Best Labor Day 2024 SUV Deals – Unbeatable Leases and Financing Offers

by Justin Fischer | Last updated Aug 27, 2024

4 Comments

1.) Are there incentives on used cars?
2.) Never mind negotiate on GAP, warranties, VIN etching, nitrogen filled tries etc… just refuse them! 3) what does it really cost the dealer to make a car certified pre-owned thru manufacturer? $300-500 per car?
4.) What do dealers actually spend getting a car detailed? $150-200 per car?? Thanks. Reply

I’m going all in come January.
My plan:
A. Payed off current vehicles
B. Waited 4 months for credit to catch up with payoffs
C. Will pull credit report in December.
D. Picked vehicle “Mercedes Benz gls “
E. Used, 2017-2020
F. Low mileage cost 35-40k
G. Have backup vehicles and can walk away.
Wish me luck Reply

I’m looking now for a 2020 F-150 XL STX 4×4 (Chicago suburbs.) Prefer V8. If I don’t find what I like or get a reasonable price, I plan on ordering a 2021 F-150. Does it make a difference (price/incentives) when I place an order ? December 2020 vs January 2021 ? Reply

I’ve picked out a 2015 Infinity QX50. Dealer is HGreg(Miami). I would be incredibly grateful for a quick call at 305-975-5959
Can I negotiate sales price? (they say no)
Are other fees negotiable? Sales Price: 19,998
PreDeliv; 999
Elec Reg: 399 Subtotal: 21,396
Taxes(7%) 1497.72
License: 250
Private Tag 25 Sub total: 23,168.72
Total: same Reply

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

CarEdge

• Car Buying Service
• Car Buying Tools
• Car Selling Help
• Extended Warranty
• Technology Warranty
• Tire & Wheel Coverage
• Key Replacement

Resources

• Blog
• CarEdge Community
• Value Rankings
• Cost to Own Rankings
• Depreciation Rankings
• Insurance Rankings
• Maintenance Rankings

About

Support

• [email protected]
• 402.744.6203
• Inventory Removal

Popular Cars

• Acura MDX
• BMW M3
• Chevrolet Colorado
• Chevrolet Equinox
• Chevrolet Silverado 1500
• Chevrolet Tahoe
• Chrysler 200
• Chrysler 300
• Dodge Challenger
• Dodge Charger
• Dodge Durango

• Dodge Journey
• Ford Fusion
• Ford F-150
• Genesis GV70
• Honda Accord
• Honda CR-V
• Honda Civic
• Honda Passport
• Honda Odyssey
• Subaru Outback
• Subaru Crosstrek

• Toyota Camry
• Toyota Avalon
• Toyota Corolla
• Toyota Prius
• Toyota RAV4
• Toyota Tacoma
• Toyota Avalon
• Volvo S90
• Volvo XC90
• Volkswagen Atlas
• Volkswagen Jetta

A Vehicle Service Contract (VSC) is often referred to as an “auto warranty” or an “extended car warranty,” but it is not a warranty. A VSC does, however, provide repair coverage for your vehicle after the manufacturer’s car warranty expires. A VSC is a contract between you and a VSC provider or administrator that states what is a covered repair and what is not. Not all vehicles qualify for coverage; CarEdge does not offer VSCs in California. Auto Advocate Inc, DBA CarEdge Insurance Solutions offers mechanical breakdown insurance (MBI) in California.

CarEdge.com is not affiliated with any automotive brands or their trademarks. Manufacturer logos and vehicle photos are for editorial purposes only. The vehicle listings and prices are provided by the seller or content partners. CarEdge.com is not responsible for the accuracy. All pricing and related market data is in US Dollars.

States eligibile for below invoice pricing and 100% free delivery:

Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Delaware, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia.

What if I don’t live in these states? If you're outside these areas, don't worry! We're committed to making sure everyone can enjoy our deals. Although the delivery fee will not be waived, you can still purchase from CarEdge and either pay for shipping or coordinate pickup at a participating dealer.