When you are shopping for a car at a used car dealership, you are going to want to do your own inspection before determining whether or not the car is right for you. Here are four ways to do a DIY inspection when you first look at the car:

1. Check the Tires With a Penny: Bring a penny along to help you determine the wear on the tires. Most used car dealerships will put new tires on their used cars before selling. However, it's not always the case, so you will want to take your penny and put it in between the tire tread. If the tread does not cover at least half of Lincoln's head, then this means that the tires are worn and will need replacing soon in the future. This should either take the price down on the car or can lead to negotiations to have the tires replaced before you agree to purchase the car. 
2. Bring a Small Magnet: A small magnet is going to help you determine whether or not the car has been in an accident. How? The car will have some plastic filler in certain areas that needed to be replaced. However, this is usually unnecessary since most used car dealerships will provide you with the full history report of the vehicle. It doesn't hurt to check though. Just run the magnet over the vehicle and if it doesn't stick in some areas, this means that it has plastic filler. To ensure that the repairs were done right, be sure that this filler lines up perfectly with the rest of the vehicle's body. 
3. Check Fluids: You also want to check the fluids of the vehicle. The radiator fluid should be checked. If it's foamy, you don't want to buy the vehicle since it indicates a severe problem with the radiator. You also want to check the gas tank for signs of mud or leaf build up, which means that the vehicle was driven off the road a lot. This can put significant strain on the vehicle, which means more repairs in the future. 
4. Check Wear on the Gas Pedal: Finally, you want to check the gas pedal. If it is significantly worn, it indicates that the car was driven a lot, which can end up meaning that the vehicle is strained and in no condition to continue to be driven. 

When you know these four ways to DIY an inspection, you can be sure that you buy a used car that is going to be reliable for you in the end.