A price that is "only good today" asks you to decide before you know much about the car. This check takes about 25 minutes, and all you need is your phone. It won't tell you everything about the car. It will tell you whether the car is worth waiting for.
We're Car Pro Inspections. We inspect used cars for buyers across Atlanta and Orlando. This check is free, and you don't have to book anything to use it.
Match the VIN. The 17-character VIN is on the dashboard, visible through the windshield on the driver's side, and on the sticker in the driver's door frame. Both should match the paperwork. Take a photo of each, then type the VIN into nhtsa.gov/recalls to check for open recalls. It's free.
Read the Buyers Guide. Dealers have to display one in every used car they sell. It says whether the car has a warranty or is sold "as is". As is means any repair after you sign is yours to pay for.
Check the tires. All four should be the same brand and size. Put a penny in the tread with Lincoln's head pointing down: if you can see the top of his head, the tire is worn out. Look for cracks and bulges on the sidewalls. The last four digits of the DOT code on the sidewall are the week and year the tire was made (2419 means week 24 of 2019). Some tire makers say to replace tires at 6 years, so an older tire is worth asking about even with good tread.
Sight down the sides. Stand at each corner and look along the car. The gaps around the doors, hood and trunk should be even, and the paint should match from panel to panel. An uneven gap, or a panel in a slightly different shade, can mean body work.
Look for leaks. Open the hood and look around the engine, then shine your phone's flashlight on the ground under the car. Wet, oily areas or fresh drips are worth asking about. Don't open the radiator or coolant cap on a warm engine.
Watch the dash at key-on. Turn the key to ON without starting the engine. On a push-button car, press START without your foot on the brake. The warning lights, including the airbag and check engine lights, should light up for a few seconds, then go out once the engine is running. A light that stays on needs an explanation. If one never lights up at all, ask why.
Start it yourself. It should start right away and settle into a smooth, steady idle.
Try everything inside. Every window, the seats, the horn, the heat and the A/C. Notice the smell when you first open the door: a damp or musty smell, or a lot of air freshener, is worth asking about.
Walk the lights. Turn on the headlights and the hazard lights and walk around the car once. Look for cracks in the windshield while you're there.
Count the keys. Ask how many keys come with the car. A missing key or remote can be expensive to replace.
Drive on slower streets and on a highway if you can, with the radio off.
Test the brakes. On an empty, safe stretch of road, brake firmly from about 30 mph. The car should stop straight, with no grinding and no pulsing in the pedal.
Feel the steering. On a straight road the car should go straight without you correcting it, and the steering wheel should sit centered. Listen for clunks over bumps and in turns.
Watch the shifts. Accelerate gently, then firmly. The shifts should be smooth, with no jolts, and the engine shouldn't rev up without the car speeding up. Try reverse too.
Feel for shakes. At highway speed, feel for a shake in the steering wheel or the seat.
Check the dash again. When you park, look at the dash one more time. A warning light that came on during the drive matters.
Twenty-five minutes on the lot covers what you can see and feel. It can't read the fault codes stored in the car's computers, look underneath at the frame and the underbody, or check the brake pads, belts and hoses. Our inspection does those things (the scan works on most cars, not every one). One of our certified technicians comes to the car wherever it is in our Atlanta and Orlando service areas, road-tests it when the seller allows it and it's safe and legal to drive, and sends you a written report with photos.
Want us to look at it before you sign?
Updated September 2026. You're welcome to share or print this page.