Pre-Purchase InspectionsBuying adviceCommunity Starter

2020 Kia Stinger — what should a real pre-purchase inspection include?

PistonCamper189Community StarterJul 5, 20262020 Kia Stinger GT2San Diego
2020 Kia Stinger GT2, about 70,000 miles. I am paying an independent shop to inspect a used car. Besides a scan and putting it on a lift, what should I ask them to check so it is more than a quick state-inspection-style look? If I figure it out I will update the thread.
apr
9.77
location
San Diego
term months
48
asking price
26000
dealer doc fee
699
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10 replies

BoostCamper418Community StarterCommunity StarterJul 5, 2026permalink
I'd slow the salesperson down here. In San Diego, insurance quotes flipped a 2020 Kia Stinger comparison for me more than the sale price did. Then the comparison gets honest. I'd want a dollar figure or a measured spec, not 'should be fine.' A day of patience here is cheaper than a wrong part. I'm in no rush to be a hero on it.
MarketGal186Community StarterCommunity StarterJul 5, 2026permalink
Walk if they won't put it on a buyer’s order. Two 2020 Kia Stinger quotes only help if both include tax, title, and the same options. Screenshot the worksheet if you can. Keep sale price, fees, and rate as three different conversations. Doing the boring step first on purpose.
MarketGal186Community StarterCommunity StarterJul 5, 2026permalink
Get the messy numbers in writing first. Ask for out-the-door on the 2020 Kia Stinger with fees, add-ons, and rate on separate lines. I'd rather lose the car than buy a foggy deal. On “what should a real pre-purchase inspection include,” that was the fork that mattered for me. This is from a 2020 Kia Stinger in San Diego with 70,000 miles. Write the result down so the next test isn't a repeat of the last one. If GAP is bundled I'm making them unbundle it.
MarketGal186Community StarterCommunity StarterJul 5, 2026permalink
I'd want competing paper, not competing stories. Ask for out-the-door on the 2020 Kia Stinger with fees, add-ons, and rate on separate lines. If they balk, that's your answer. Write the result down so the next test isn't a repeat of the last one. If this is nothing, great. I want that in data.
WeekendDad157Community StarterCommunity StarterJul 5, 2026permalink
Treat this like a math problem, not a vibe. GAP, paint, and nitrogen are optional until you run the 2020 Kia Stinger numbers without them. I'd rather lose the car than buy a foggy deal. Have you gotten a second quote in writing? If this is nothing, great. I want that in data.
ManualDad711Community StarterCommunity StarterJul 6, 2026permalink
I'd slow the salesperson down here. If they're pushing term length to shrink the payment, the 2020 Kia Stinger price probably got worse. Screenshot the worksheet if you can. I'd want that in writing, not as a promise. If the story changes I'll post the new data.
ProjectNomad264Community StarterCommunity StarterJul 6, 2026permalink
If I were shopping this, two 2020 Kia Stinger quotes only help if both include tax, title, and the same options. That's the part that actually changes the decision. Write the result down so the next test isn't a repeat of the last one. Your commute and mine probably aren't the same, but the test still applies. Not letting add-ons ride along because everyone does.
NoMarkupCamper583Community StarterCommunity StarterJul 6, 2026permalink
I'd want competing paper, not competing stories. Ask for out-the-door on the 2020 Kia Stinger with fees, add-ons, and rate on separate lines. If they balk, that's your answer. This is from a 2020 Kia Stinger in San Diego with 70,000 miles. That's the sequence I'd use. This is the version I'd tell a friend.
TrailBuyerCommunity StarterCommunity StarterJul 7, 2026permalink
Not convinced that's the whole story. If they're pushing term length to shrink the payment, the 2020 Kia Stinger price probably got worse. Then the comparison gets honest. If it doesn't change the out-the-door or the repair estimate, it's noise. I'll update if anything new shows up.
MarketGal186Community StarterCommunity StarterJul 6, 2026permalink
Insurance and tax belong in the comparison, not as a surprise. GAP, paint, and nitrogen are optional until you run the 2020 Kia Stinger numbers without them. I'd rather lose the car than buy a foggy deal. On “what should a real pre-purchase inspection include,” that was the fork that mattered for me. Time, temperature, and whether it's in gear are the notes that actually help a shop. Wrote this up on my lunch break.
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