10 Questions to Ask a Used Car Dealer in Lebanon

Why the order matters

Anyone can google "questions to ask a used-car dealer" and get a list of thirty. The problem with a long list is you never ask them all — you get four in, feel pushy, and stop. This is ten, in the order I'd ask them if I were buying my own kid's first car in Lebanon. Each answer sets up the next question. The whole conversation should take about 20 minutes; if the dealer won't spend 20 minutes with you before you sign, they're the wrong dealer.

The frame to keep in your head: you're not trying to catch anyone lying. You're trying to figure out whether this specific person, at this specific dealership, on this specific car, is someone you can do business with. Every question below is designed to let a good dealer show you they're good — and let a bad dealer expose themselves quickly so you don't waste an afternoon.

The 10 questions, in order

1. Can I see the CARFAX or AutoCheck? Any dealer worth buying from will hand it to you without hesitation, printed or on a tablet, before you've even walked to the car. If they hedge ("we can print one at the end"), walk. A CARFAX subscription costs the dealer about $50/month for unlimited reports — if they're gatekeeping it, something else is going on.
2. Is the vehicle sold as-is, or does it come with a warranty? PA used cars are almost always as-is unless a written service contract is added. The federal Buyers Guide on the side window will say. Get it in writing either way, and if a warranty is offered, ask for the actual contract document — not a brochure — before you sign anything.
3. Has the car been inspected? When, by whom, and what was replaced? "We looked it over" is not an inspection. Ask for the shop, the date, and the receipt. A PA state safety inspection sticker on the windshield tells you the car passed inspection somewhere within the last year, but that's the legal minimum. A reputable dealer's own pre-sale inspection is far more detailed.
4. What is the out-the-door price including tax, tag, title, and doc fee? "Sticker" price is meaningless. In Lebanon County you're adding 6% PA sales tax, $67 title, $45 registration or $11 plate transfer, and a doc fee that varies by dealer. Get one number that's the number you'll write on the check.
5. How much is the doc fee? PA has no state cap on doc fees, so they vary wildly. Anything over $400 is high; $250–$350 is normal for an independent dealer; some franchise stores in Harrisburg are running $499–$699. Ask before you look at the car, not after you've fallen in love.
6. Are there any known issues or recent repairs I should know about? Watch the face while they answer. A dealer that says "nothing at all" on a 6-year-old car is either lying or hasn't looked. A good answer sounds like "we replaced the front brakes and did a coolant flush when it came in; the passenger power window is a little slow — we didn't fix it but we'd knock $100 off if you wanted to handle it."
7. Can I take it to my own mechanic for a pre-purchase inspection? Yes is the only right answer. No means walk. A reasonable dealer will let you drive it (with a copy of your license and insurance) to any independent shop within a 10-mile radius for a PPI. If they insist you can only use "their guy," that's the same as no.
8. What financing options do you have, and can I bring my own? You should be able to bring a bank or credit union pre-approval. A dealer that pressures you into their financing without letting you compare is protecting a "dealer reserve" — the markup they earn from placing you with a lender. Get pre-approved at lenders in our network or lenders in our network first, then let the dealer try to beat it.
9. What happens if I have a problem in the first 30 days? Even on an as-is sale, a good dealer will help you find a solution — a shared cost repair, a favor with their shop, a phone call to the previous owner. Ask how they've handled it in the past. "That's not our problem after you drive off" is a real answer some places will give you. Now you know.
10. Can I have this in writing? Every promise. Every number. Every timeline. If they told you they'd throw in a set of floor mats, put it on the buyer's order. If they told you the doc fee is $299, put it on the buyer's order. If it's not on paper, it's not real, and every finance office in America has heard a customer say "but the salesperson told me..." after the salesperson clocked out.

The follow-up questions dealers hate

These are the ones that separate a real conversation from a script. You won't always get an answer, but the reaction is the answer:

• "What did you pay for this car at auction?" You may not get a number, but the reaction tells you something. A dealer with nothing to hide might smile and say "more than I should have." A dealer who gets defensive is telling you the markup is aggressive.
• "How long has it been on the lot?" Something sitting 90+ days has real room to negotiate — every day it sits, the dealer is paying floor-plan interest (usually 8–10% annualized on the wholesale cost). Ask to see the "in-stock date" printed on the car's window sticker or ask the salesperson to pull it from their inventory system.
• "Have you fixed anything I can't see on the CARFAX?" Interior repairs, mechanical work done in-house, tire replacements, minor body work under $500 — none of it shows on CARFAX. A dealer who says "everything is on the report" is either misinformed or dodging.
• "Would you buy this car for your own daughter?" It's a personal question. Watch the answer. A good salesperson will either say yes with conviction, or they'll pivot to a different car they'd actually recommend for a family member — either is an honest answer.
• "What's the lowest number you can do today without me having to walk out first?" This puts the ball in their court. If they can only "get to a good price" after you've stood up and headed to the door, that's a manipulation tactic. Some will give you a real number; some won't.

The best question I know is silence. State your offer, then stop talking. Whoever speaks first loses. This works because most people are uncomfortable with silence, and salespeople have been trained to fill it.

How to read the answers

Any single answer can be misleading. Patterns are what tell you the truth. Watch for:

• Answers that keep changing. If the doc fee was "$299" on the phone and "$399" at the desk, that's not a mistake — that's a script.
• Deflection to payment. "Let's not worry about the total, what payment works for you?" is designed to hide the total price. Refuse and keep the conversation on the out-the-door number.
• Pressure to sign today. "This deal is only good today" or "someone else is coming to look at it tonight" is almost always leverage, not truth. A real deal is a real deal tomorrow.
• Refusal to give the CARFAX before the desk. If they say "we'll go over that in finance," they're hoping you'll be tired and won't read it. Ask again.
• Willingness to write things down. A dealer who says "sure, let me put that on paper" is a dealer you can work with. A dealer who says "we don't do written quotes" is a dealer to leave.

What we tell customers up front at Hunt Auto Group

Because we hate it when other dealers dodge these questions, we answer them before you ask:

• Every vehicle is CARFAX-verified before it hits the lot, and the report is available before you drive out to see it.
• Every vehicle is inspected in-house before we list it, with a written report of what we found and what we did.
• We publish photos of the actual car — not a stock image, not a similar unit.
• We tell you if we know a car has had cosmetic work, a paint panel, or a repaired bumper.
• We say yes to your mechanic doing a pre-purchase inspection at any Lebanon-area shop.
• Our doc fee is disclosed on the phone, before you drive out.
• We work with lenders for every credit type — prime, subprime, first-time buyer, and ITIN — and you can bring your own approval from lenders in our network or wherever you bank.
• We put every promise on the buyer's order in writing before you sign anything.

Come with your list. We'll answer everything on the phone before you drive over if you want. Call or text (717) 673-1484, or apply online and we'll have your options ready before you walk in. If you'd rather see what's actually on the lot first, browse our current inventory.