Inspect the car before you commit.

Use three different checks

A history report describes recorded events. A mechanic evaluates the car’s present condition. A recall lookup identifies certain unresolved safety campaigns. Passing one check does not replace the other two.

The FTC recommends an independent inspection and notes that a history report usually does not list mechanical problems. Ask a shop that you choose what its inspection covers and what it excludes. A visual inspection, a diagnostic scan, a road test, and a specialist battery assessment are different services.

Agree the scope before booking

Give the shop the year, model, engine, mileage, VIN, and any seller disclosures. Ask whether it has experience with that vehicle type and can assess the concerns you have. For an EV or a plug-in hybrid, ask specifically about battery condition and the limits of its test; a generic inspection does not promise a battery-capacity report.

Bring a short question list:

• What appears to need attention immediately, and what can be planned later?
• What could not be inspected or tested?
• Are there signs that warrant a specialist assessment?
• What would the identified work cost, including labor and parts?
• Do the tires, warning indicators, and service records raise follow-up questions?

These are prompts for a professional, not instructions to diagnose or repair the car yourself. Do not crawl under a vehicle supported only by a jack or work on high-voltage components.

Match every record to the car

Compare the VIN on the car with the listing and documents. Run that VIN through NHTSA’s recall search. Read the results and limitations rather than treating a blank result as a clean bill of health. If a recall appears, ask the manufacturer or its dealer about the remedy and any safety instructions before proceeding.

Ask the inspecting shop to put its findings in writing. Save the estimate alongside the seller’s quote so a vague promise to “take care of it” does not replace a clear agreement.

Decide what the findings mean for you

Separate a repair you can price from an uncertainty you cannot. A worn item with a firm estimate may be straightforward to budget for; an intermittent fault with no diagnosis may not be. Include the inconvenience of arranging work, not only the parts bill.

If the seller refuses independent access, consider another vehicle. If repairs are promised before delivery, get the scope and timing in writing and arrange confirmation. Continue with the new-versus-used worksheet only after adding these findings to the ownership cost.