The week before you buy: five checks for any used car

Whether you buy from us or from anyone else, these five checks take a week and save most of the regret.

Read the history report

Owners, accidents, title brands and the mileage trail. A gap in the mileage is a question to ask, not a reason to walk away.

Start it cold

Ask for the car to sit overnight. A cold start shows noises and smoke that a warm engine hides.

Drive your own route

Your commute, your hill, your freeway on-ramp. Twenty minutes on roads you know tells you more than an hour on the dealer’s loop.

Get a second opinion

Any good dealer lets an independent shop look at the car. If one says no, that is your answer.