Used-car listing check
Find out ifthis listing isworth it.
Paste any car listing and get a deal score, the red flags, and the price you should actually offer, in about 10 seconds.
How it works
Three steps, about ten seconds.
Paste the link
Drop in any public ad. DealScan reads the car details for you, no retyping.
We check the market
Price, title, and mileage are scored against real comparable sales near you.
Get your verdict
A clear deal score, the red flags, and a fair offer you can actually make.
Partner links may earn DealScan a commission at no cost to you. Scoring stays independent.
Fair-price check
See the real market value and exactly how far this asking price sits from it.
Red-flag detection
Title, mileage, and seller signals that quietly hint at trouble ahead.
Questions to ask
A tailored checklist to bring to the test drive so nothing gets missed.
A real scan
Every scan ends with a number and a next step.
No jargon, no dashboards to learn. Just how good the deal is, why, and what to offer.
FAQ
Good to know.
How does the deal score work?
The score checks the price, mileage, title status, condition, seller claims, red flags, good signs, and missing details. It is meant to help you decide what to ask next, not replace a mechanic or vehicle history report.
Is DealScan free to use?
Yes. Everything on DealScan is completely free — the analyzer, comparisons, guides, and scan history. There are no paid tiers and we do not ask for any payment.
What marketplaces does it work with?
Link extraction works with public listings from Craigslist, Cars.com, Autotrader, CarGurus, and dealer inventory pages. Facebook Marketplace requires a login, so for those paste the ad text or upload a screenshot — the analysis works the same.
Do you store my listings or personal data?
Scan history is saved only in your own browser (local storage), never on our servers. Listing text is sent to the analysis engine to be scored and is not used to build a profile of you.
More questions
Can I use it on mobile?
Yes. DealScan works on any modern phone browser. You can paste a link, paste seller notes, or upload a listing photo.
How accurate is the pricing estimate?
Pricing estimates are rough calculations based on the listing details and basic market heuristics. They are labeled as estimates and should not replace licensed market data or professional appraisals.
How is DealScan different from Carfax?
Carfax provides official vehicle history — accidents, title transfers, and odometer records — using the VIN. DealScan analyzes the listing itself: price fairness, red flag language, missing information, and seller transparency. They are complementary. Use DealScan first to decide if a listing is worth your time, then run a Carfax or AutoCheck report on the VIN before you commit.
Can I use DealScan on dealer listings?
Yes. Paste the dealer page URL or the listing details and the analyzer works the same way. Dealer listings get scored on price, condition claims, and any red flag language. The score does not change based on whether the seller is a dealer or a private party.
What does the deal score actually mean?
The score runs from 0 to 100 and maps to four verdicts: 80 and above is Great Deal, 60–79 is Decent Deal, 40–59 is Proceed with Caution, and below 40 is Avoid. A high score means the listing checks out on price, title, mileage, and seller transparency. A low score means one or more of those factors is off and deserves a straight answer before you visit.
How do I know if a used car price is fair?
A fair price matches comparable cars of the same year, trim, mileage band, and title status in the same region. DealScan estimates a market range from the listing details and flags prices that are significantly high or low. A price far below market usually signals a title problem, a known mechanical issue, or a listing that will not survive verification.
What should I check before buying a used car from a private seller?
The five things to verify before a private-party purchase: title status and that the name on the title matches the seller's ID, a vehicle history report on the VIN, a cold-start and test drive, a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic, and insurance quotes before you agree on a price. DealScan surfaces which of these the listing has already addressed and which are missing.
Does DealScan work with VIN numbers?
Yes. If you enter a VIN in the listing details or include it in the pasted text, DealScan uses it to extract the year, make, model, and trim automatically. For a full vehicle history — accidents, title events, odometer records — you will need a dedicated VIN report from Carfax or AutoCheck, which DealScan links to after each scan.
A smarter way to check any used car listing
Most used car listings look reasonable at first glance. The price seems fair, the mileage sounds manageable, and the seller says it runs great. The problem is that listings are written to generate interest, not to help buyers evaluate risk. A used car listing analyzer cuts through that. DealScan reads the listing you paste or link and scores the deal based on the factors that actually matter — before you spend time and money visiting.
Keep reading: how the score works and the red flags that matter
How the deal score works
Paste any listing link from Craigslist, Cars.com, Autotrader, CarGurus, or a dealer website and DealScan pulls together the details automatically. You can also paste seller notes, enter the car details manually, or upload a listing screenshot. In seconds you get a 0–100 deal score with a plain verdict: Great Deal, Decent Deal, Proceed with Caution, or Avoid.
The score weighs price against estimated fair market value for that year, make, mileage, and title status. It checks for red flag language — salvage, rebuilt, flood, no title, cash only, as-is, needs work — and green flag signals like service records, clean title, one owner, and recent maintenance. Missing information also counts: a listing that hides the VIN, skips mileage, or avoids interior photos is less trustworthy than one that volunteers every verifiable detail.
The red flags that change the deal
Title status is the highest-impact variable in any used car purchase. A salvage or rebuilt title means the car was declared a total loss by an insurance company at some point. The discount it requires is not cosmetic — it reflects higher insurance premiums, financing difficulty, lower resale value, and the real risk of hidden structural damage. DealScan flags title issues at the top of every result.
Mileage tells a second story when cross-checked against the car's age and maintenance history. A 2014 vehicle with 40,000 miles looks attractive, but abnormally low mileage can mean stored cars with degraded fluids and rubber. High-mileage cars from reliable makes can be strong buys if the service history supports them. The deal score weighs mileage relative to what is typical for the car's age and class.
Price relative to comparable listings is where most buyers get it wrong. Pricing $3,000 to $5,000 below market almost never happens by accident. It usually signals a title problem, a mechanical issue the seller already knows about, or a listing designed to move fast. DealScan estimates a fair market range and flags significant departures in either direction.
After the scan: four steps before you visit
A strong deal score is a starting point, not a guarantee. The four buyer steps that protect you after a good scan: pull a vehicle history report on the VIN to check accident records and title transfers; book a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic before you commit; compare insurance quotes so the full monthly cost is clear; and check financing options before sitting across from a dealer finance office.
DealScan links to vetted tools for all four steps after each analysis. Some of those links may be affiliate links — the deal score is never influenced by any partner relationship. The tool itself is completely free, no account required, and scan history saves only in your own browser.
Check your listing in 10 seconds.
Paste the link, get the score. No account, no cost, no catch.