Used Car Inspection Checklist Calculator

Each of the eight inspected systems adds 1 demerit for a "fair" rating or 2 demerits for a "poor" rating, out of a maximum possible 16 demerits (8 systems x 2 points). Overall Condition Score is 100 minus the percentage of demerits accumulated, so a car rated good on all eight systems scores a perfect 100, while one rated poor across the board scores 0.

Each system has its own repair-cost pair reflecting real-world typical costs: a poor-rated engine adds $3,000 to the estimate versus only $300 for a poor-rated interior, because engine and transmission repairs are inherently far more expensive than cosmetic interior fixes. The calculator weighs each system by its realistic dollar impact, not just an equal point count.

Suggested Offer Price starts from the Asking Price and subtracts 70% of the Estimated Repair Cost, rather than the full repair amount. This reflects a common negotiation heuristic: buyers rarely recover 100% of estimated repair costs off the asking price in practice, so splitting most (but not all) of the estimated cost as a discount is a more realistic negotiating target. The suggested offer never drops below $500 regardless of how severe the estimated repairs are -- that floor exists so the calculator never suggests an offer near $0 (or a negative number) on a car with very high repair costs relative to a low asking price, but it means Suggested Offer Price alone can't distinguish "moderate repairs, low asking price" from "severe repairs, low asking price." Compare it against Est. Immediate Repair Cost and True Cost rather than reading it in isolation.

Critical Issues counts how many of the eight inspected systems were rated "poor" (2), the rating reserved for problems needing immediate work rather than ones that can wait. A car with several critical issues signals more urgent repair needs and a stronger case for negotiating the price down or walking away from the deal entirely.

No. Overall Condition Score is based purely on the eight system condition ratings and is completely independent of Asking Price. Asking Price only enters the separate True Cost, Suggested Offer Price, and Repair Cost as % of Price calculations, which combine the mechanical condition findings with the actual purchase economics.