FREE 10+ Used Car Inspection Checklist Samples [ Vehicle, Safety, Purchase ]

US statistics show that more then 38.000 people die every day in car crashes alone. With a traffic fatality rate of 12.4 deaths per a hundred thousand households, and an additional 4.4 million individuals who are injured enough to require immediate medical assistance. Needless to say, driving is not as safe as most people would like us to think. Most of these accidents are caused by speeding, distracted driving, substance abuse, and much more frequent causes. But there is another factor  to a fatal car accident that seems to be quite overlooked most of the time. When a car is poorly maintained, a driver is more likely to encounter problems along the highway and has a greater possibility to not only cause harm to themselves, but also to others. Vehicle maintenance is of utmost important when owning a vehicle.

Some would even say it’s the biggest part of having to own your car. Keeping it in proper shape, fully maintained. A well maintained vehicle ensures that longevity of your car, saving you from having to spend too much money for bigger repairs, and helps avoid the risk of ending up with a car that’s going to leave you stranded. This is most especially for used cars, since these older models would generally require more repairs and maintenance than the brand new ones. Look, we don’t expect every car owner out there to know that much about motor vehicles. Sometimes owners just opt to bring their car to the shop periodically, and that’s perfectly alright. But as I said, being just knowledgeable enough can go a really long way for the performance of your car in the long run, and being able to save just enough money from not having to call your mechanic for really small repairs. A good way to maintain your used car is by inspecting it yourself periodically, and the best way to keep your inspection clean, proper, and actually effective, is by having a handy used car inspection checklist. Check out these used car inspection checklist samples listed below to have an idea of what a well drafted checklist looks like, and to acquire a free, ready-made, downloadable template that you can use right now.

10+ Used Car Inspection Checklist Samples

1. Used Car Inspection Checklist

2. Secondhand Car Dealers Inspection Checklist

3. Used Vehicle Inspection Checklist

4. Sample Used Car Inspection Checklist

5. Printable Used Car Inspection Checklist

6. Used Car Buying Inspection Checklist

7. Used Car Automobile Inspection Checklist

8. Used Car Dealer Inspection Checklist

9. Used Car Test Drive Inspection Checklist

10. Used Transport Vehicle Inspection Checklist

11. Used Car Inspection Summary Checklist

What Is a Used Car Inspection Checklist?

Essentially, a used car inspection checklist enables you to inspect and assess the condition of your car on your own. It helps with identifying basic mechanical flaws and problems that you may be able to troubleshoot on your own. It contains the name of a car part or component, it’s  description, and it’s optimal condition. If a certain component does not match with the optimal condition listed in the checklist, then there may be some problems causing it to not be optimized. And just like that, you’ve identified the potential issue with your car, now all that’s left is to repair it yourself. Professional mechanics also use this checklist for about the same reasons. Only difference is, professional mechanics generally take care of much more specific, advanced, and complicated problems. Hence their checklists tend to be more fleshed out than what you would utilize. Overall, it’s a widely critical tool to ensure that the motor vehicle is in perfect condition, and that both the driver and the pedestrians around them are kept safe. It also helps car owners with the potential bill of even bigger repairs.

What Should Be In a Car Inspection Checklist

More often than not, creating your checklist would mean that you also have to be quite knowledgeable about the intricacies of a motor vehicle. You have to know how the car works and what the optimal condition of every component should be.  We certainly don’t expect everybody to know that much.  That’s why we urge you to use the templated listed above, since they should  be more than enough help in having your own checklist. If you do know much and you’d want to create the checklist yourself, then you’d better stick around. We’ll discuss some of the core components of what a used car inspection checklist should have.

1. Contact information
   The very fist thing you have to keep in mind in making your checklist is to be sure to include the contact details and information of the owner of the vehicle, and whoever inspected said vehicle. Contact details such as name, contact numbers, email, and their signature.
2. Identification
   After listing the necessary contact information, be sure to have their identification reflected as well. Driver’s license, valid ID, registration, the works.
3. Specify vehicle details
   Of course, every vehicle model is unique from one another, and thus, the checklist should be as well. You should always specify the vehicle’s model to make sure that the checklist is tailored to the right vehicle, and everything matches when certain components should be replaced or repaired.
4. Main inspection
   This would be the main part of your checklist, where the checklist actually is. Here are some of the components that you have to check in a used car inspection checklist.
   • Engine oil check
   • Battery check
   • Headlight and signal lights
   • Tire treads check
   • Windshield wipers check
   • Belts around the hood
   • Review the auto emission inspection sticker to make sure that it is up to date
   • Brake and rearview lights check
   • Brake test

That should cover every basic thing to be inspected in your car. Other checklists also include checking the fluids such as the engine oil and the brake fluid. Specific components greatly depend on the model and build of the car  that you are inspecting so make sure to take note of everything else.

FAQs

Owning a car involves a whole lot of responsibility owners often overlook. Not just when on the road, maintenance is a very huge part of it as well. We may have people for that, professional mechanics and such, but being able to maintain your car on your own involves quite a bit of pride in it, and is just more economically viable for most of the time.