NFA Finance

After more than 25 years in the car business, people often ask me the same question:

“What do you look for when buying a car?”

Most people expect me to start talking about mileage, Carfax reports, auction values, or market trends.

Those things matter.

But they’re not the first things I look at.

The first thing I look at is the seller.

I’ve learned over the years that I’m not really buying cars.

I’m buying people.

A clean title matters.

Service records matter.

Condition matters.

But the person standing in front of me usually tells me more than the vehicle ever will.

I like dealing with private sellers.

I like hearing the story.

How long have they owned it?

Why are they selling it?

What repairs have they made?

Do they know the vehicle?

Are they honest about its flaws?

The best deals I’ve ever bought weren’t necessarily the cheapest cars.

They were the cars that came from people who took care of them.

The second thing I look for is maintenance.

A vehicle that has been cared for is usually worth paying more for.

Oil changes.

Tires.

Brakes.

Receipts.

A folder full of records tells me more than a freshly detailed engine bay ever will.

The third thing I look for is originality.

I generally prefer vehicles that haven’t been heavily modified.

Original owners.

Original paint.

Original interiors.

Original equipment.

The closer a vehicle is to the way it left the factory, the easier it is to understand its history.

Another thing I’ve learned is that I don’t like surprises.

When someone tells me everything that’s wrong with a vehicle before I find it myself, my confidence goes up.

Honesty creates value.

Trying to hide problems destroys it.

One lesson that took years to learn is this:

The deal isn’t always in the price.

Sometimes the best deal is the vehicle that costs a little more but requires almost nothing.

Sometimes the cheapest vehicle becomes the most expensive one you ever buy.

I’ve watched that happen thousands of times.

After all these years, my process is still pretty simple.

I look for honest sellers.

I look for maintenance records.

I look for originality.

I look for transparency.

And most importantly, I look for a story that makes sense.

Because at the end of the day, cars are easy.

People are what matter.

And in my experience, the best deals almost always start with good people.