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Questions to Ask Before Buying Any Car
Questions to ask before buying any car in the US—price, history, OTD, and total cost so you don't overpay or buy the wrong car.
AutoPremo Team
January 31, 2026
2 min read
Before buying any car in the U.S., ask the right questions—about price, history, OTD, and total cost—so you don't overpay or buy the wrong car. Here are the questions to ask before buying any car.
TL;DR Ask: (1) What's the out-the-door price—selling price plus tax and all fees? (2) Can I see the full breakdown in writing? (3) What's the history (accidents, recalls)? (4) What's the total cost of ownership (payment + fuel + insurance + maintenance)? Use autopremo.com to know market and total cost before you ask.Questions to Ask Before Buying Any Car
- What's the out-the-door price? — selling price + tax + all fees. Not "price" or "payment"—OTD. Get it in writing. Use autopremo.com OTD calculator to know your target OTD before you ask.
- Can I see the full breakdown in writing? — selling price, incentives, fees, OTD. No breakdown = no deal. Use autopremo.com.
- What's the history? — accidents, recalls, title (clean vs salvage). Get a history report; verify before you buy. Use autopremo.com price checker to see market; factor history into what you'll pay.
- What's the total cost of ownership? — payment + fuel + insurance + maintenance over 5 years. Don't buy without knowing total cost. Use autopremo.com total cost of ownership.
- Is this price at or below market? — compare their OTD to comps (same year, make, model, trim, similar mileage) in your area. Use autopremo.com price checker. If above market, negotiate or walk.
What to Do
- Ask these questions before you agree — OTD, breakdown in writing, history, total cost, market. Use autopremo.com to know market and total cost so you can evaluate their answers.
- Don't buy without written OTD — no breakdown = no deal. Use autopremo.com.
- Don't buy above market — if their OTD is above median comps, negotiate or walk. Use autopremo.com.
Bottom Line
Questions to ask before buying any car: OTD, full breakdown in writing, history, total cost of ownership, and is this price at or below market? Use autopremo.com to know market and total cost so you don't overpay or buy the wrong car.