Ideally, would it be best to buy a car on a sunny day?

[Bri26]

It seems a sunny day is the best lighting for evaluating the exterior of a car. Should you only inspect a car before possibly buying on a sunny day?

Likewise, would you consider it dishonest to purposely try to sell a car on a cloudy day?

[Danube]

As for the exterior, sun helps a lot with identifying paint condition.

.. dishonest to purposely try to sell a car on a cloudy day - well, its up to the buyer to inspect before buying, so sun or clouds, one should be able to see what a buyer needs to see.

And yes - my rule is to never inspect a potential purchase at night (don't ask me how I know it).

[Bill D]

You can always bring an inspection light even on a sunny day and if you really want to raise some eyebrows, bring a pocket microscope.

[Eldorado2k]

I bring my high lumen LED flashlight with me. That way you don’t have to depend on what time or what the weather is.

[briarpatch]

You can always bring an inspection light even on a sunny day and if you really want to raise some eyebrows, bring a pocket microscope.

Yup....even had a perspective buyer bring a magnet to check for thick bondo

[Bill D]

That's a smart guy!

[Eldorado2k]

You can always bring an inspection light even on a sunny day and if you really want to raise some eyebrows, bring a pocket microscope.

If you really want to raise eyebrows you bring a midget with you and have him inspect the rocker panels and even have him lay on a creeper to check out the underbody n stuff. Make him wear a white labcoat and carry a clipboard for added effect. Lol.

And don’t forget the paint meter.

[Eldorado2k]

Yup....even had a perspective buyer bring a magnet to check for thick bondo

The only kind of magnet I’d ever let a stranger touch my paint with would be a thin business card type… If some bozo pulled out a heavy rock hard magnet and tried it I’d physically stop him before he even gets near my paint with it. That would legit p*** me off. Lol.

[TTQ B4U]

Bring an inspection light and paint thickness gauge regardless. Always inspect for paint or body work. Even on the best natural light days I will have them bring the car inside into a garage and look it over. "ugly lights" as I call the inspection lights and interior ones will help show everything.

[2black1s]

Ideally one would inspect a vehicle in varying light conditions. Different types of defects are more (or less) obvious in different light conditions.

Vehicle color also plays into it...Try inspecting a white car in direct and bright sunlight... You can't see #### as it's just too bright for your eyes.

I actually think the best time to inspect a potential buy is near dusk or dawn. It's the perfect compromise between too much or not enough light.