A used car arrives with more than metal and keys. The paper that describes how it was built, how it was cared for, and what protection still applies travels with it, and most of that paper has terms the new owner must act on. This page is a checklist for the buyer or the person taking over the upkeep of a vehicle someone else owned.
What should be in the packet
Ask the seller for the owner's guide, the warranty booklet, any maintenance log, the original window label if it still exists, and every service contract or extended protection document. Count the keys, including any spare or valet key, and ask whether the manual and keys are the ones that came with the car. Missing pieces are not a verdict on the car. They are gaps to fill before you rely on the record.
Does the factory warranty move with the car?
Many factory warranties run from the original in-service start and attach to the vehicle, not to the person, so coverage may continue for the next owner until it ends by time or distance. Other terms end at the sale or require a transfer step. Read the warranty booklet for its transfer language and for whether coverage began at the first retail sale. Note who must request the transfer and whether any paperwork must be sent to the manufacturer.
Service contracts and the cancellation route
A separate service contract is a different document from the factory warranty. Before you take it over, ask whether it is transferable at all, whether transfer carries a fee, and who you contact to start it. Check the waiting period, which is the time after purchase before the contract applies, and whether that period restarts on transfer. Find the cancellation section and read how a refund is calculated, which is often prorated by time or use, and whether the refund goes to the seller or to the new owner. Ask the contract administrator for the current terms in writing. The brand drawers on this site hold published factory terms and contract notes for comparison, such as the Acura service contracts page and the Audi service contracts page. The contract you actually hold controls.
Questions to ask the seller before money changes hands
Ask whether the warranty is still in force and when its coverage began. Ask whether any service contract was bought, by whom, and whether the seller has the signed copy. Ask whether maintenance was done at a dealer or an independent shop and whether the receipts exist. Ask for the name of each shop, not a summary. Ask whether any recommended work was declined and what the reason was. If the car has had collision repair, ask for that paperwork. Put each answer in writing or in the sale document.
What the new owner should do after the handover
Register the title and tags in your name as your state requires. If the warranty requires a transfer notice to the manufacturer, send it and keep proof of sending. Contact the service contract administrator within whatever window the contract names. Keep copies of everything in one folder, paper or digital, with a note of when each step happened. Do not rely on memory of who promised what.
When to stop and read again
If the seller cannot produce the warranty booklet, if a service contract is held by a company you cannot locate, or if the transfer terms require a payment you did not expect, pause the purchase or the upkeep plan until you have the terms in writing. A short pause is usually easier than repairing a missed transfer after the sale.