Before you ever step foot on a lot, start with a Vehicle History Report from reputable services like CARFAX or AutoCheck.
Be wary of salvage or rebuilt titles, which indicate the car was once deemed a total loss.
You don’t need to be a mechanic to spot these red flags. Walk around the car and look for: Avoid Buying a Lemon When Shopping for a Car, SUV, or Truck
Use the NHTSA Recall Lookup tool with the car’s VIN to see if there are dangerous, unaddressed safety issues. 2. The Visual "Lemon" Test