Why "buyer beware" fails
Founder Blake's $4,000 LS400: the low odometer reading he didn't question, the inspection he skipped, and the $500 he sold it for. It's the reason the method exists.
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Run the desk audit yourself
The DIY Used Car AI Audit & Negotiation Playbook
The same method behind every BuyerAware report, written down so you can run it with ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini on any Marketplace or Craigslist listing.
Screen a listing in 10 minutes, before you drive anywhere
How to use AI to audit marketplace listings, size up repair risk, and negotiate with facts.
- PDF · 34 pages · US Letter, prints cleanly
- Works with free ChatGPT or Gemini (or Claude). The AI does the research; the book shows you how to check the numbers that matter.
- Instant download, plus copy-ready prompts with one-tap Copy buttons
$14
Founding price
Get the Playbook · $14
Rather have a person do it for one specific car? That's the $29 Full Report
14-day satisfaction refund. If it isn't useful, reply to your receipt within 14 days and we'll refund you in full. Secure checkout through Stripe. By purchasing you agree to our Terms.
Fig. 01 — Four parts
What's inside
Four parts. No filler, no theory chapters. Each one ends with something you can paste or print.
Three master AI audit prompts
- Single listing deep-dive audit
- 3-car head-to-head comparison
- Seller negotiation & script generator
The 5 pillars of a real audit
- The Mechanic's View: platform issues vs. wear items
- Near-term repair exposure, your opening offer, and your clean-inspection ceiling
- Negotiation language
- A prompt to find a local pre-purchase inspection shop
- The Tank Alternative
Build your own Tank List, and keep it current
- A 6-criteria weighted scorecard
- A 5-step AI research method: candidates, cited dossier, red-team, entry, refresh
- A worked example and a printable entry template with a changelog
- Appendix: one-page PPI cheat sheet, 10 checks plus instant walk-away triggers
The point of Chapter 3: you don't get a list that goes stale. You get the method and a refresh prompt you can rerun next year, or in five years.
Fig. 02 — Sample pages
Look inside
From Prompt #1 · the rules that stop AI from guessing
RULES 1. Label every claim as VERIFIED (stated in listing or visible in photos), INFERRED (likely, based on platform knowledge), or UNKNOWN. 2. Identify the exact platform: engine family/code, transmission type, and generation. If unsure, list the candidates and tell me exactly how to confirm which one it is. 4. Never give a single-number repair cost. Give a realistic low-to-high range and state that costs vary by region and shop. 5. Do not invent maintenance history, owner count, or accident history. If it is not stated or visible, it is UNKNOWN.
Ask an AI "is this car good?" and you get a vibe. Give it rules like these and you get a labeled, priced audit you can check.
Fig. 03 — Fit check
Is it for you?
It's for you if
- You shop Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist and want to screen listings before you drive anywhere
- You're comfortable pasting a prompt into ChatGPT, Claude, or Gemini
- You'll look at several cars and want one repeatable method instead of a fresh guess each time
- You want to build and maintain your own short list of reliable platforms
It's not for you if
- You'd rather someone else do the work. That's what a BuyerAware report is for.
- You're looking for a physical inspection. Nothing on a screen replaces a mechanic putting the car on a lift.
- You want a promise about one specific car. The Playbook teaches a method; it can't vouch for a vehicle.
Want us to do it?
Send the listing and get the full desk audit back in 2–4 hours. The report is AI-assisted, and Blake reviews the data and adds what he's learned before it goes to you. Every report has a mechanical read, a fair-price range, a word-for-word negotiation script, and inspection shops near the car.
Bought the Playbook and got stuck? The download page has a code that takes the Playbook's price off a report.
Fig. 04 — Before you ask
Questions
Which AI tools does it work with?
ChatGPT, Claude, and Gemini. The free tiers are fine. Turn web search on if your tool has a switch for it, because the prompts ask the AI to look up recalls, guide values, and local shops.
How accurate are the AI's numbers?
The AI does the digging; you confirm the three numbers that matter. In our testing, the verdict, the risks to check, and the negotiation plan came out consistent from run to run. The exact guide value, recall list, and shop names can come back a little off, so the book includes a 5-minute "Check it yourself" step: look up the KBB value, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls, and call the shop before booking. If you'd rather have a person check everything for you, that's what the $29 BuyerAware report is for.
Is it a physical book?
No. It's a 34-page PDF. Read it on your phone, or print the template and the cheat sheet. They're laid out for US Letter paper.
How do I get it?
Right after checkout, Stripe takes you to a download page with your PDF and a copy-ready version of every prompt. Your private link works for 12 months and serves the latest edition during that time, so bookmark it. Stripe also emails you a receipt. If you lose the link, reply to that receipt and we'll send a new one.
Can I update my Tank List later?
Yes. That's the point of Chapter 3. It includes a refresh prompt and a changelog template, so you can re-check your list in a year, or in five, without starting over.
What's the refund policy?
If the Playbook isn't useful, reply to your Stripe receipt (or email hello@buyerawareapp.com) within 14 days of purchase and we'll refund you in full. No reason needed. Full details are in the Terms of Service.
Does this replace a pre-purchase inspection?
No. The Playbook is a desk method for deciding which cars deserve an inspection, and for walking into the seller conversation prepared. It includes a prompt to find inspection shops near the car. Always have a mechanic look at a car before you buy it.
Instant download
Ready to audit your next listing?
$14 Founding price
Instant download · 14-day satisfaction refund · or $9 when added to a Full Report order.
Repair-cost figures in the Playbook are illustrative estimates, not quotes. Reliability material reflects platform-level track records, not a statement about any individual vehicle. Any specific car's condition depends on its own maintenance history. AI tools can be wrong, so verify anything important before you rely on it.