Small Problems Are Cheap. Ignored Ones Aren't.

You know the moment. A sound you hadn't heard before. A dashboard light that wasn't on yesterday. A puddle under the car that definitely wasn't there this morning. And now you're standing in a shop, hearing a number, with no real way to know if it's fair or if it could've been avoided entirely.

Almost every expensive repair starts as a small, catchable sign. Most drivers just never built a habit of looking.

So we put one together.

What's actually in it

The 25-Point Vehicle Inspection Checklist is exactly what it sounds like: 25 specific things worth a five-minute look, organized into six groups so you're never guessing what to check next.

• Fluids: engine oil, coolant, brake fluid, power steering fluid, washer fluid
• Tires & Wheels: pressure, tread depth, visible damage, lug nuts, spare tire condition
• Interior & Safety: seatbelts, wipers, horn
• Lights & Electrical: headlights, taillights, turn signals, reverse lights, battery terminals
• Brakes & Steering: pedal feel, parking brake, steering play, unusual noises
• Belts, Hoses & Under the Hood: serpentine belt, hoses, air filter

How to actually use it

Print it, or save it somewhere you'll actually open: glovebox, phone notes, wherever you'll realistically look. Run through it once a month, or before any long drive. Check each box as you go. Anything you're unsure about, circle it and bring your notes to a technician. No guesswork needed at the counter.

That's it. No subscription, no upsell buried in the PDF. Just a habit that costs five minutes and pays for itself the first time it catches something.

Want to build the habit further? The Annual Car Maintenance Planner turns this checklist into a full year-round system, so nothing slips through. And to go deeper on any of the 25 points, the full 123 Auto Guides library covers each system in plain English: brakes, cooling, engine fundamentals, and more, so you know exactly what a shop is telling you the next time something does come up.