Used Vehicle Inspection Checklist: Fill & Download for Free

Mechanic’s tools are sold by piece count for unaware amateurs. The same applies to vehicle inspection point count.This is actually a very nice set. The complement of no-name brands tends to be worse. :)Imagine that this is a vehicle inspection checklist.You have 4 major groups.For a car that could be engine (3/8″), suspension (1/2″), body (1/4″), and interior (specialty).If you read the small print (and someone was kind enough to transcribe it for me:The heavy-duty carrying case contains:– 35 pieces of 1/4″ drive tools– 49 pieces of 3/8″ drive tools– 13 pieces of 1/2″ drive tools– 53 pieces of Specialty ToolsThe pieces include:– 2 Ratchets– 92 Sockets– 2 Extension Bars– Adapter– 8 Wrenches– Magnetic Handle– 12 Nut Driver Bits– 20 Screwdriver Bits– 11 Hex Keys– Spark Plug SocketSource: Craftsman 150-Piece Mechanics Tool SetAmong the useful stuff, we also see the artificially inflating fluff. 20 screwdriver bits and 12 nut driver bits comprise 20% of that 150 number. Many of those sockets will never be used by you. Some of those sockets are duplicates.My car uses 8mm,10mm,13mm in the engine compartment for majority of its components. My interior uses 6mm for some dash pieces. I may have used 5mm for my speaker bolts. I can carry a much smaller toolkit.Similarly, the 109 point inspection will include a major groups checklist and then add fluff items to inflate the count.Here is Ford’s certified pre-owned checklist. Completing it certifies the vehicle for additional manufacturer’s warranty.Source: https://www.ford.com/resources/ford/global/pdf/cpo/ford_cpo.pdfAs you can see, it’s the kitchen sink of stuff. You can expect Enterprise’s checklist to look very similar.Excluding the fluff, we will end up with a checklist similar to this one for Uber:Source: http://uber-static.s3.amazonaws.com/la_dops/uber_TNC_inspection_form_v9.pdfInterestingly, they inspect tie rods and rack and pinion but not shocks and struts. The technician will likely notice other things like oil leaks while looking but doesn’t have to record them on the form.

There are many many ways, ranging from 3–5 thousand dollar computer scanners, to some simple multimeter tests, to audio and visual cues.For simplicity's sake, I'll list off some fairly simple things that any Joe off the street can look out for.Open the hood, and check all of the fluids.Oil: You want to remove the fill cap and check the back of it. What you don't want to see is light-colored froth on the back of the cap. This indicates coolant and/or water in the oil. A tell tale sign of a leaking or blown head gasket. Check the dipstick. You want to ideally see an amber color. You again don't want to see any frothing here, and you don't want to see a thick, black sludge. You also don't want to see any metal shavings.Coolant: Different manufacturers use different colors of coolant, but they're all bright. You don't want to see cloudy brown coolant, indicating a lot of rust. You also don't want to see oil, or a rainbow-like sheen floating on top of the coolant. This again is an indicator of a compromised head gasket.Power Steering Fluid: You want to see clear, pink, or amber fluid. If it's very dark and cloudy, it's contaminated with rubber from worn out seals and o-rings.Automatic Transmission Fluid: You're ideally hoping to see bright pink / red. Brown or black-ish is a no-no, and you want to walk away. (You can also give the fluid a smell, a distinct burnt odor is a good indication the vehicle was driven without enough fluid. (Thanks James Flaherty))Clutch Fluid (Manual Transmission): The fluid should be clear but probably won't be. The darker it is, the worse it is. It's common for fluid to be light brown. Very very dark is a bad sign.Brake Fluid: Same as clutch fluid. The closer to clear, the better.These fluid reservoirs will have level markings or a dipstick and you want them all to be at the proper level.Before starting the engine, go back to the rear of the car. Stick a finger inside the exhaust pipe and rub the inside quickly. It's normal to have a black soot-like substance. What you're hoping NOT to get is a wet oily residue. This indicates the car is burning a lot of oil. A dark oily spatter on the bumper around the exhaust indicates the same.While you're back here, look for rubber slung on the rear bumper and rear fenders if it's a rear wheel drive car. This indicates burnouts have been performed. It's literally rubber from the tires thrown up onto the body.With the engine off, turn the key to the run position. You want to make sure you see the various dash lights and make sure no one removed a bulb to hide a warning light.Sounds: Start the engine, and while idling and driving listen for any knocking or tapping sounds. It's normal if the vehicle has sat for a while to hear some tapping when you first start it. But if the fluids are at the right levels, it will go away in 5–15 seconds.Turn the wheels hard from one side to the next a few times. You are listening for any metallic clunks or thuds. This would indicate front end suspension issues. Ball joints, control arms, tie rod ends, wheel bearings, etc. You are also listening for any excessive "whine" which would indicate a bad power steering pump if the fluids are okay.The exhuast should have a consistent note. A "bubbly" sound can indicate an exhaust leak. Excessive noise, if it appears to be a normal exhaust can indicate a blown out catalytic convertor or muffler.Observe the exhaust while the engine is running. Once again, if the vehicle has been sitting a long time, expect a small amount of smoke. Shouldn't last more than a minute or two. Aside from that, thick white smoke usually means a blown head gasket, but could be a cracked head or block, the vehicle is likely burning coolant. Blue smoke indictes that the vehicle is burning oil, reasons for this are many. Black smoke indicates the vehicle running very rich. Check the air filter, but if it seems fairly clean and the smoke continues with the filter removed, the issue probably lies in the fuel delivery system.The list of things to look for goes on and on. But this is a fairly good checklist that can be done in 5/10 minutes before you take a test drive.Once driving you are feeling for vibration, in the whole vehicle or in the steering wheel. You want to make sure the car doesn't pull one way or the other. This usually indicates front end suspension issues, but can be as simple as needing an alignment or tires.You want to make sure the vehicle is shifting smoothly, regardless of if it's manual or automatic.You want to make sure the suspension isn't excessively bouncy, indicating bad shocks or struts, and that you aren't hearing a metallic thump on small bumps.Make sure the brakes feel solid, there is lots of pedal, and the vehicle doesn't shake upon braking. This would indicate warped rotors.Check the air conditioning and heat, all the windows, the door locks.This answer turned out to be very long, but this is a quick and dirty checklist whenever you're looking at a used vehicle.You should also very much consider finding a mechanic that offers a pre-purchase inspection. It'll cost you a little, but give you a lot of peace of mind. If the seller refuses to allow you to have a mechanic look at it, then walk away.Best of luck on your journey in finding a car!Edit: Still new to Quora and I'm not sure how credentials work, but I spent 10 years as a certified mechanic before changing careers and I still wrench on my vehicles and those of my family and friends.

All CPO vehicles are used, but not all used cars are CPO. CPO stands for “certified pre-owned.” Many dealerships affiliated with a certain brand will subject a used vehicle to a rigorous maintenance and inspection checklist before putting them back on the market with a factory-backed stamp of approval and, oftentimes, a warranty and roadside assistance. However, they’re often more expensive than typical used cars.