The car ownership experience begins when your brand-new unit is released to you at your chosen dealership.

While it's an exciting time for you, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind before you accept the new car.

We recently got the opportunity to help a new owner with the release of her new Honda BR-V, so we decided to create a quick guide for what you need to look out for before the dealership releases the unit to you.

Inspect the exterior

Before your unit is staged in the releasing bay, the dealership pre-inspects it to ensure that everything is all right and that the vehicle is as close to “perfect condition” as possible.

Sometimes, however, they do miss a couple of things. This is why you should inspect your unit for your peace of mind.

Make sure to do a quick walk around your unit, paying close attention to the paint and any dents or scratches.

It is best to look over the paint with a flashlight to expose any minor scratches better. If there are scratches or dents, you can point this out to the dealership staff or the agent so that they can have the unit fixed or repainted.

Also, give the wheels a quick look in case these come with any scratches on them.

Just note that if you want these imperfections fixed, it will delay your unit's release to you. However, a unit being released with scratches or dents is rare. And 9.9 times out of 10, the unit will be in “perfect condition.”

Inspect the interior

Just like the exterior, make sure you do a quick once-over of the interior of your brand-new unit.

Check for any minor scratches or loose parts inside the cabin. Make sure that all the paperwork is present such as the owner’s manual, the warranty for the battery and any other manuals that might be included with the vehicle. 

Check the infotainment system and sound system as well to see if they are functioning properly. As this VX model comes with a blind spot camera, test it out to see if it is working well.

Finally, don't forget check the reverse camera and sensors.

Inspect the lights

This is another rare occurrence, but ensure all lights function with your unit.

Check the signal lights, headlights, tail lights, brake lights, daytime running lights and even the reverse lights. If any of these fail to work, you can have the bulbs replaced immediately. 

You can even check the interior lights to see if they are working. Check the sun visor's lights, as these are often overlooked. 

Inspect the fluids

Lastly, give the engine bay a quick look to see if the visible fluid levels are correct.

A dealership won’t release a unit without the proper amount of critical fluids, so you should be fine. However, seeing where these fluids were when you got the unit brand new was good.

Taking pictures is highly recommended. Before we forget, don't forget to stop by a gas station on your way home as your unit will likely only have five liters of fuel in it.

If everything checks out, enjoy your unit's release and take a picture with it for fond memories.

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