Free printable
Printable Vehicle Recon Checklist
A worksheet that follows one vehicle from intake to front line, with a box for each step and a date and initials for each stage. Print one per vehicle, or save it as a PDF.
Or use your browser’s Print command (Ctrl+P, or ⌘P on a Mac) and choose Save as PDF.
Vehicle
Stock number
Year, make, model
VIN (last 8)
Source: trade-in / auction / street / lease
Date acquired (day 0)
Target front-line date
Recon estimate $
Approved by / date
Actual front-line date
1. Intake In ____ Out ____ Initials ____
- Logged into tracking the day it was acquired (this is day 0)
- Stock number assigned
- Keys counted and tagged
- Arrival photos: exterior, interior, odometer and any damage
- Sent to the inspection queue
2. Inspection and estimate In ____ Out ____ Initials ____
- Mechanical: engine, transmission, brakes, suspension, tires, fluids
- Body and glass: dents, scratches, paint, glass, trim
- Interior: seats, carpet, headliner, electronics, odor
- Safety items: lights, horn, wipers, seat belts, warning lights
- Open recall check by VIN
- Written estimate, and the call made: retail or wholesale
3. Approval and parts In ____ Out ____ Initials ____
- Estimate approved (amount and by whom, in the header)
- Parts ordered, with expected arrival dates noted
4. Mechanical In ____ Out ____ Initials ____
- Work written on an internal repair order
- Repairs completed and parts installed
- Road test
- Quality check before the next stage
5. Body, paint and sublet In ____ Out ____ Initials ____
- Dent repair, paint, wheels or glass as needed
- Vendor name and promised date recorded for sublet work
- Work checked when it comes back
- Vendor invoice matched to the estimate
6. Detail In ____ Out ____ Initials ____
- Exterior wash, polish and protection
- Interior cleaned and odor treated if needed
- Engine bay and wheels
- Final walk-around for missed spots
7. Photos and listing In ____ Out ____ Initials ____
- Listing photos taken
- Listing written and published
- Price set, with total recon cost counted
8. Front line In ____ Out ____ Initials ____
- FTC Buyers Guide posted in the window
- All keys accounted for
- Parked on the lot and the sales team told
- Final recon cost recorded
Notes and we-owes
Days to front line
Final recon cost $
Difference from estimate $
Using the checklist
- Start the clock at intake. The date acquired is day 0, so the days to front line at the bottom of the sheet cover the whole process, including any wait before the first stage.
- Fill in “in” and “out” for every stage. The gaps between one stage’s out and the next stage’s in are where vehicles wait. See stage dwell time.
- Compare the final cost with the estimate. A pattern of overruns usually points back to inspection or appraisal, not to the shop.
- Change the stages to match your store. If you sublet detail or photograph before pricing, reorder the sheet the same way. Agreeing on stages is the first step whichever way you track them.
- Write we-owes down before the vehicle is sold. A promise that is only remembered gets missed. See we-owe.
Doing the same thing in software
Paper works for one vehicle at a time. In Vehicle Recon Tracker, each stage is a status you define, every status change records who made it and when, and costs, notes and photos stay on the vehicle. The dashboard shows every vehicle at once, oldest first, with warnings at 7 and 14 days. See the recon dashboard and audit trail.
See It With Your Own Vehicles
Create a demo account and try Vehicle Recon Tracker free, or schedule a demo and we'll walk you through it.