Car questions for dealers, sellers and mechanics

What is the lowest you would take today?

Ask it once, plainly, and then stop talking, because the pause does more than any follow-up argument. If the answer is the asking price, you can still walk away and call back in a week.

From: What Questions to Ask When Buying a Car

What is the delivery window, and what are my options if it passes?

Transport dates are estimates, so ask for the range and not the best case. The second half of the question is the useful one: whether you can cancel for a full refund after a stated number of days. Line the window up with your loan approval and your temporary tag, both of which may have expiry dates.

From: Questions to Ask When Buying a Car Online

Do you report my payments to the credit agencies, and to which ones?

A car loan paid on time can strengthen a credit record, but only if the lender passes the payments on. Some smaller lenders and dealers who finance in-house report nothing, or report missed payments alone, which matters if rebuilding credit is one of your reasons for borrowing.

From: Questions to Ask When Financing a Car

Is the title in your name and in your hand, and is it clean rather than salvage or rebuilt?

No title, a title in someone else's name, or a lender still listed on it can stall your registration for weeks or leave you unable to register at all. A branded title also cuts resale value and can limit which insurers will write a policy, so it belongs in the price rather than the fine print.

From: Questions to Ask When Buying a Used Motorcycle

Will you pay towing and storage, and up to what date?

Storage accrues daily at the yard, and a dispute about who owes it can end with the bill in your name. Get the cut-off date in writing and move the car before it.

From: Questions to Ask an Insurance Adjuster After a Car Accident

If another driver is at fault, do I still pay my deductible?

There are usually two routes: claim against the other driver's insurer and pay nothing, or use your own collision coverage, pay the deductible and let your insurer try to recover it. Ask how this company handles recovery and how long a refund tends to take. Under no-fault rules the answer may differ, so say where the car is registered when you ask.

From: Questions to Ask About Car Insurance