Buying a used car on Driveway, Lithia Motors' online store, comes down to a few steps: pre-qualify (Driveway says it does not touch your score), pick a car, put down a $500 deposit, choose a loan from its lending partners or bring your own, add any trade-in, verify your ID, e-sign, then take valet delivery or pick it up. The price is not negotiable, so the money you can actually move is in the loan, the trade-in number and the 7-day/400-mile return window on used cars under $100,000. Use that window for an independent inspection, not just a few drives around the block.
I worked through Driveway's FAQ pages on Saturday, October 17, 2026, and quote them below. We already have a separate post on which history report Driveway gives you and its warranty exclusions; this one is the order-to-driveway process, step by step.
1. Pre-qualify, but know what it is
A pre-qualification gives you a ballpark of how much you can borrow, and Driveway says there is "no impact" on your score. The full credit application is different. Its credit FAQ says submitting it lets Driveway send your file to lenders, and each lender may pull your credit, so you can see several inquiries. Driveway notes that scores generally treat a cluster of auto loan inquiries in a short period as one. So keep your rate shopping inside a tight window, and get an outside quote from your bank or credit union before you apply.
2. Pick the car, and screenshot the listing
Driveway says its inventory updates nightly, so the site can lag same-day price or availability changes, and a car can flip to "Sale Pending" when another shopper starts checkout. Screenshot the price, mileage and options the day you start. If something changes later, you have a record. Then decode the VIN yourself with NHTSA's vPIC decoder to make sure the engine and trim match the ad.
3. Accept that the price is fixed
Driveway's pricing FAQ says flatly that it does not negotiate, and that it checks values against CARFAX, NADA, AutoCheck, Black Book and other tools before listing. Fine, but that only means it is priced to Driveway's market data. Compare the same year, trim and mileage locally and on our Carvana buying checklist or CarMax checklist before deciding a no-haggle price is a good one.
4. The $500 deposit and its one trap
Driveway's deposit FAQ says it takes $500 by credit card to hold a car, applied to the price and refunded if the order is canceled. If you get a $0-down loan, the refund goes back to the card after the loan is final and the return period ends. The footnote is the part to read: once shipping is arranged on a car with 150,000 miles or more, the deposit becomes non-refundable. On a high-mileage car, do your checking before you schedule shipping.
5. Financing: compare offers, and older cars
After you pick a car, Driveway runs your application past its lending partners and shows you several offers to choose from, and you can add a co-borrower. Compare the APR, term and total cost, not the monthly payment. If you want your own lender, Driveway says your bank can work with its care team to finalize payment. Its FAQs also say most lenders will not finance cars 12 or more years old or with 150,000-plus miles, and those cars can be checked out online with the Cash Payment option. One odd thing: the FAQ titled "Can I buy a car from Driveway with financing from my bank or credit union?" opens with the older-car rule, so call the care team at (888) 378-3929 if outside financing on a newer car is your plan.
6. Trade-in: the offer can move
You can add a trade during checkout or get an instant offer first. Per Driveway, the offer is based on your plate or VIN, trim, features, condition and local supply, is good for 7 days, and depends on a virtual inspection, proof of ownership and payoff details. It also warns that the number may change once details are verified. Get the final trade figure in writing before you e-sign, since it changes the amount you finance.
7. Fees, ID check and e-signing
Title, tax, documentation and registration fees vary by state and by vehicle, and Driveway tells you to review the final purchase breakdown. Do that line by line; our dealer doc fees by state guide shows what is normal. Identity runs through Vouched, which wants a physical license photo and a live selfie, so a scanned ID will slow you down. Paperwork usually arrives by email or text for e-signature.
8. Delivery, the return clock and the title
Driveway delivers by valet in all 50 states, with a surcharge for Alaska and Hawaii, or you can pick up at a Driveway location. A delivery address other than home or work triggers extra verification. The used-car return window is 7 days or 400 miles, whichever comes first, counted from the day you get the car, and shipping fees are not refunded on a return, per the money-back guarantee terms. Driveway files registration in most states, Nevada excepted, and a cash buyer's title is mailed after registration on the state's timeline.
9. Check the history yourself
Read the CARFAX inside your Driveway account, then run the title through NMVTIS. A forwarded PDF is easy to fake. If you want an AutoCheck too, CarVins sells both as a licensed reseller, not affiliated with CARFAX, AutoCheck or Experian. In mid October 2026 that was roughly $5.50 a report as a guest, $4.50 as a member and $6.75 for the pair, against about $39.99 to $44.99 retail; confirm at checkout, because the totals do move. Our dealer buying checklist covers the rest.
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