What matters most when buying a used car?

My list is very extensive, but if you’re spending 6 months or more of wages on something, then a full day’s worth of inspection is justified.

If you want a car that needs no repairs for the next year, then something like worn down brakes would need to be skipped even though the job could be done in a few hours for a few hundred dollars. Would you buy a $5000 car that needs no repairs because you don’t want to spend $300 on a brake job on a $4000 car that is otherwise in good condition? You’ll waste money thinking like this.

Be sure to read the owners manual and follow the recommended service schedule. If you want to do no service at all then you’ll have to buy a full electric car. But even that will need new tires etc.

Here is my list: Help me build a list of things to check when buying a vehicle