BuyerSideAuto
Independent buyer protection

Check the deal before you hand somebody money.

When you buy a used car, the seller usually knows more about it than you do. BuyerSide gives you the checks, the questions, and a clear signal for when to stop.

Run the free checklist → How it works

Free. Works on your phone, standing next to the car. No account needed.

Example result
Stop

Don't buy yet.

Something doesn't add up. Don't hand over money until each item is resolved or independently verified.

  • Odometer doesn't match the history report.
  • A warning light stays on after the engine starts.
  • Seller won't allow an independent inspection.

You don't need to be a mechanic to ask better questions.

The checklist walks you through the car in the order you'd actually look at it, then tells you plainly what you found.

1

Check the VIN before you go

Recalls, theft and total-loss records, title brands, and history reports. Free or a few dollars each.

2

Walk the car, stage by stage

Nine stages, from the walkaround to the paperwork. Tap anything you notice. Takes about 15 minutes plus a real test drive.

3

Get a straight answer

Green, Caution, or Stop, with the specific reasons. Skip a stage and it says so, instead of pretending the car passed.

Never rely on one source of truth.

Not a report, not a checklist, not the seller's word. Each check catches things the others miss, so you compare them.

Recall lookupOpen safety recalls on the VIN.
Theft and total-loss checkInsurer records. Useful, not complete.
Title checkTitle brands and state-reported mileage.
History report and recordsCompare mileage and dates across all of them.
Your own eyesWear, leaks, smells, and whether the story fits the car.
Independent inspectionA mechanic you chose, not one the seller picked.

What the results mean

No made-up "vehicle health score." Just what you found and what to do about it.

Stop: walk away

A VIN that doesn't match, or signs of flood damage. Not a negotiating point. There are other cars.

Stop: don't buy yet

Something serious enough that you shouldn't pay until it's diagnosed, resolved, or verified.

Caution

Things worth asking about, negotiating on, or pointing your inspector at.

Incomplete

You skipped stages. A clean result only means something if you actually looked.

Green

Nothing flagged. Good sign. Still get the independent inspection before you pay.

The cheapest time to find a problem is before you own it.

Spend a little before you buy. Improve your odds of not buying somebody else's problem.

Run the free checklist →

Whose side we're on

Yours. That's the whole point of the name.

We don't sell cars, and dealers don't pay us to send you their way.

Your checklist stays on your phone. We don't see it.

We tell you when we're not sure, and when a professional should look.

The checklist is free. No account, no catch.