Long-distance and online used car purchases are more common than ever. This is the exact checklist we recommend before you wire a deposit on a vehicle you have never touched, including what to ask the seller and what an inspection can catch that photos never will.

Sellers know that clearing a diagnostic code makes the dashboard look clean for a test drive. We explain how our Mode 06 telemetry check reads the ECU’s readiness monitors to catch a fault that was cleared just days before the sale.

A fresh coat of paint can hide a lot. Here are the five things our inspectors check first when they suspect a used car has been in a wreck, from mismatched panel gaps to overspray in the door jambs that most buyers walk right past.