FTC Buyers Guide Window Sticker on a Used Car: How to Read It

The FTC Buyers Guide stuck on a used-car window tells you whether the dealer is selling the car as-is or with a warranty, and federal rules say that guide's terms control if the contract says something different, so read the sticker before you argue over fine print. Our longer FTC used-car Buyers Guide explained post walks through each box; this page focuses on how to use the window sticker in the lane before money moves. I cross-checked the FTC dealer-facing Used Car Rule materials and consumer buying guidance on Nov. 5, 2026.

What the sticker is for

Dealers selling used cars must display a Buyers Guide. It is not the factory Monroney window sticker from when the car was new. The Buyers Guide discloses warranty coverage or as-is status in plain language on the vehicle. If a salesperson waves a contract that contradicts the guide, the guide wins under the Used Car Rule framework the FTC publishes for dealers and shoppers.

• As-is / no dealer warranty: the dealer is not promising to fix problems after sale, subject to state law limits.
• Warranty boxes: look for who pays, which systems, and for how long or how many miles.
• Spoken promises that are not on the guide or in the contract are hard to enforce later.

As-is still needs a history check

As-is does not mean "no inspection" and it does not mean "no title problems." It means the dealer is limiting post-sale repair promises. You should still run the VIN at NHTSA, buy a history report you control and pay a shop. Our as-is used car what it means and as-is still needs a history report posts cover that gap. The FTC's consumer materials also stress that a history report is not a substitute for an inspection.

How to use the sticker on the lot

• Photograph the Buyers Guide before anyone removes it.
• Match the VIN on the guide to the dash and door jamb.
• If a warranty is checked, get the full warranty document, not just the box.
• If the guide says as-is but the salesperson promises "we'll take care of that," stop and get the promise on the guide or in the contract.

Private-party sales usually will not have this federal sticker, which is one reason dealer and private paperwork differ. For private deals, lean harder on your own report and a written bill of sale; see CARFAX for private party sales.

Service contracts are separate

A service contract pitched in the F&I office is not the same thing as a dealer warranty disclosed on the Buyers Guide. Read both. Our used-car extended warranty vs service contract guide covers the naming trick, and the CFPB's auto-loan shopping answers remind you that add-ons are negotiable.

When to walk away

• No Buyers Guide on a dealer used car.
• The VIN on the guide does not match the car.
• The contract contradicts the guide and nobody will fix the paperwork.
• You are pushed to sign before you can photograph the sticker or read the warranty.

What the report costs

As of early November 2026 a CARFAX bought direct usually costs around $44.99, and AutoCheck sits a little lower. We are a licensed CARFAX and AutoCheck reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck or Experian. Our guest price has been about $5.50 a report, about $4.50 for members, and about $6.75 for a CARFAX and AutoCheck bundle. Confirm the price at checkout, since it can change.

Honestly, the sticker and the history PDF belong in the same pocket as your contract copy. Confirm report contents and total at checkout before you drive off.

Look, if the Buyers Guide is missing when you return for a second visit, stop the deal until it is back on the car. A guide that appears only at signing is a red flag. Photograph it again and compare it to your first photos.

Confirm report contents and total at checkout when you buy your own history file, and staple that PDF behind the Buyers Guide photo in your folder so the warranty story and the title story stay together.

If the dealer offers a "limited warranty" box, read which systems are listed and who pays the labor rate. A guide that covers only the engine short block for 30 days is not the same promise as a full-car brochure pitch -- get the systems named on the sticker itself.

Keep the Buyers Guide photo, the signed contract and your history PDF together. If a dispute comes up about what warranty was promised, those three pieces are the story you can show, not a remembered sales pitch.

Sources

• FTC: buying a used car from a dealer
• NHTSA recall lookup by VIN
• NMVTIS title history (U.S. DOJ)
• CFPB: what you can negotiate on an auto loan