The purpose of this worksheet is to turn a broad model-name search into a decision that can be checked, quoted and handed over without silently changing assumptions.
Write the buyer brief
State country, port, left- or right-hand-drive requirement, preferred transmission, condition, year range, mileage ceiling, essential equipment, budget boundary and delivery timing. Mark which fields are fixed and which can change.
Record: Save the source, capture date and VIN reference beside this finding so another candidate cannot inherit it by mistake.
Shortlist by evidence
Ask each seller for the same VIN, plate, registration, exterior, interior, odometer and engine-bay views. Reject comparisons built from different evidence levels because the cheapest advert may simply reveal the least.
Record: Enter the verified value and the evidence owner. If the seller supplied the answer, label it seller-stated until independently checked.
Inspect the selected vehicle
Cover structure, paint, underbody, tyres, brakes, engine, cooling, CVT or manual operation, diagnostics, electrical functions and road behaviour where lawful. Record limitations and unresolved items in the report.
Record: Record what was inspected, what remained inaccessible and who performed the check; silence is an open item, not a pass.
Align contract and quotation
The vehicle identity, price boundary, inspection condition, included work, document set, delivery point and remedy for material mismatch should be written. Marketing chat and a generic pro-forma invoice are not an adequate combined record.
Record: Note every destination assumption behind this conclusion and reopen it when the port, buyer country or registration route changes.
Verify payment instructions
Independently confirm the contracting entity and beneficiary through a known route. A late change of bank account, beneficiary or payment channel requires a fresh check before funds move.
Record: Attach the supporting photograph, report page or document reference and preserve the original language where translation could alter meaning.
Keep a handover pack
Retain contract, invoice, identity evidence, inspection report, preparation record, export documents, shipping record, keys and service information. Give the destination broker the same coherent file rather than disconnected screenshots.
Record: State the commercial consequence: accept, reject, reprice or request more evidence, together with the person responsible and deadline.
Close the note with a decision record
Write the selected candidate, rejected alternatives, evidence reviewed, unresolved questions, responsible person and next deadline. If another vehicle replaces the candidate, reopen identity, inspection, cost and destination checks. A copied conclusion is not valid for a different VIN.
- Write the buyer brief: confirmed / open / not applicable
- Shortlist by evidence: confirmed / open / not applicable
- Inspect the selected vehicle: confirmed / open / not applicable
- Align contract and quotation: confirmed / open / not applicable
- Verify payment instructions: confirmed / open / not applicable
- Keep a handover pack: confirmed / open / not applicable
Questions buyers should still ask
Write the buyer brief: what should the buyer retain?
Retain the dated document, image or test result that closes “Write the buyer brief”, together with the VIN and the name of the person who supplied or checked it. A listing label alone is not sufficient evidence.
Shortlist by evidence: what should the buyer retain?
For “Shortlist by evidence”, write down what is verified and what remains an assumption. An open point may be acceptable, but it must stay visible in the price, inspection scope or handover conditions.
Inspect the selected vehicle: what should the buyer retain?
Recheck “Inspect the selected vehicle” if the vehicle, destination, route or responsible supplier changes. Conclusions belong to the candidate and dated evidence set; they should not be copied to a replacement VIN.