James Mac is a car salesman who goes by Jimbo Whips on TikTok. He offers his followers pro tips on the new and used car-buying process. In a recent skit, he role-played a used car buyer who came into a dealership firing off all the right questions. You can see the video embedded below. Keep scrolling for the breakdown.

A car salesman’s used-car buying tips explained

After a friendly greeting, Jimbo says the following: “I’m looking at F5234A, but before I even drive it though, can I get the Carfax? I want to make sure there’s no damages on it. Also, can I get a KBB report so that way I know the value of the vehicle? Same with JD Power while you’re at it.”

First of all, this fictional customer is not walking in and asking, “Do you have any hybrids on the lot?” or “What can you get me for a $300 monthly payment?” He has looked through the dealership’s inventory and knows exactly what vehicle he’s there to see.

Secondly, he is opening by asking for all the background information. The dealership might provide this anyway, but Jimbo wants to double-check everything’s in order before wasting his time with a test drive. Salvage title or open recalls? He can walk back out or pivot to a different vehicle.

He continues: “I also need to make sure that there’s: Two keys. An owner’s manual. The RO.”

Again, he’s making certain he’s not wasting his time. If there aren’t two keys, the dealership can make him a new key. But it’s good to know this beforehand so you can insist the dealer foots the bill.

So what’s an RO? It’s short for Repair Order, and it should list any problems the dealership noticed and what’s been repaired. Jimbo explained, “I just want to make sure that everything was maintained since it’s been in your guys’ possession.”

A credit union can be the ultimate car-financing hack

Finally, he asks about financing. “Also, I want to know how many financial institutions do you guys work with? Because I am going to get financed through a credit union. My credit is good, but they said that they will get 4.9% for me. And if you guys can beat it or match it, then I’ll just go with you guys and make it easy for you. How’s that sound?”

Jimbo’s used-car buyer character in this sketch has done his homework and prepared by getting pre-approved for a loan before even walking into a dealership. He knows what his price range is and knows if the dealership’s in-house financing is actually a good deal for him. Want to do your research before you walk into a dealership? Use MotorBiscuit’s car buying tool to see used-car inventories near you.