Before you meet
- Bring a way to record the full VIN and compare documents.
- Review recall information and arrange an independent pre-purchase inspection.
- Ask the seller to bring the title, identification, service records, and lien release if applicable.
At the vehicle
- Match the dashboard VIN, door-jamb label, title, and registration.
- Confirm the seller's identity matches the title.
- Check warning lights, cold start behavior, tires, leaks, body alignment, and visible repairs.
- Compare the odometer with paperwork and service records; inconsistency requires explanation and evidence.
Before payment
- Read the title completely, including brands, lienholder fields, and signatures.
- Confirm the transfer process and state requirements for where you will register.
- Do not accept a missing-title or bill-of-sale-only deal where the state requires title evidence.
- Use a traceable payment and complete the handoff in a place suited to verify documentation.
What this checklist cannot prove
It is a diligence aid, not a title report, inspection, or guarantee. A clean-looking vehicle or missing data does not prove clean history.