A buyer's order is the document that turns a conversation into a sale. Many of its lines are printed before you read them, and some are filled in by a different person than the one who handed you the pen. The useful habit is to read the order as a list of separate claims, each of which can be right or wrong, and to match each claim against what you were told and what you can verify. This guide is an evergreen checklist for that reading. It does not judge any vehicle, dealer, or product.
Match the vehicle before the money
Start with the identity of the vehicle. Compare the vehicle identification number on the order with the number on the vehicle itself, usually at the lower corner of the windshield on the driver side and on the door-jamb label. Confirm the model year, the make, the model line, and the body style. If the order names one model line and the vehicle on the lot is another, stop there. Mismatches at this stage are the kind that cause a file to be corrected later, and correcting a title afterward takes more effort than fixing a line now.
Read the equipment and condition lines
Ask for the equipment list in writing and compare it to what you were shown or what the listing said. Note whether the order describes the vehicle as new, used, or certified, and whether any condition statement, such as 'as is', appears on the order. Find out who wrote that statement and whether it is printed on the page you are signing or on a separate sheet. If you were promised a repair, an inspection result, or an accessory, have it written on the order itself, not only in a note from the salesperson.
Find every optional product line
Orders often carry optional products that were added in the finance office. These can include service contracts, protection treatments, theft products, gap-style products, and extended warranties under various names. Each one should be its own line with a plain description, a stated term, and a charge shown separately from the vehicle. Ask whether each line is optional, whether it can be removed before you sign, and what happens to it if you pay off the loan early or sell the vehicle. For how cancellation and transfer usually work, read the plain explainers on this site, and for the published contract figures, use the tables on this site's brand drawers. Then read the actual contract itself, not only the summary printed on the order.
Check the totals and what they include
Read the total line and every line that builds it. Look for the vehicle price, any charges the order describes as required by the state or by law, paperwork fees, and any amount that will be added to the loan. Ask what each fee is for and who keeps it. A total made of a listed price plus a set of optional products is a different decision from a total that includes only the vehicle. Ask for the total to be stated as the full amount you will pay, then check the loan or lease schedule against that figure before you sign.
Trade-in and payoff lines
If you are trading a vehicle, the order should show the trade-in allowance as its own line, with the payoff of any existing loan shown separately. Confirm the vehicle identification number of the trade, the odometer reading you gave, and whether the trade is recorded as a credit against the purchase or as a separate transaction. Ask what happens if the trade is inspected and its condition is judged different from what you described. Get that rule in writing before you leave.
Signature and initial lines
Before you initial or sign, read every blank. A blank left unfilled can be completed later, so ask for any empty line to be struck or marked not applicable. Ask for a copy of the completed order before you leave and keep it with the vehicle paperwork. If a line does not match what you were told, say so at the time and ask for it to be corrected on the order, rather than relying on a later conversation to fix it.
What to ask before you leave
Ask who will file the title and registration, how long that usually takes, and where to call if the documents have not arrived. Ask whether any product on the order can still be cancelled after you drive away, and by what route. Ask for the name and contact details of the person who will answer questions after the sale. Written answers to these questions are worth more than a verbal promise, because the order is the record you will hold after the conversation ends.