A clean used car is nice. It is also the easiest part of the experience to fake. The goal is not to be paranoid. The goal is to look for the kind of care that is expensive, boring, and hard to stage.
Look for ownership habits, not just condition
A car can look perfect and still be neglected where it counts. You want signs that the owner stayed ahead of maintenance instead of reacting to warning lights. Service records are the obvious piece, but the deeper tell is consistency. The same shop. Regular intervals. A pattern that looks like routine, not panic.
Pay attention to cold behavior
If you can, see the car cold. Cold start behavior reveals more than a warm engine ever will. Listen for rough idle, watch for warning lights that linger, and notice if the seller is rushing you through the first minute. That first minute contains information.
Inspection is not an insult
A pre purchase inspection is not accusing anyone of lying. It is acknowledging that cars are complex and memories are imperfect. A good seller usually understands that. A seller who tries to talk you out of it is telling you something, even if they never say it directly.
The shine sells emotion. The inspection buys certainty.
Don't Grind My Gears 
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