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Used car Buyers Guide: what "As Is" really means

As of Oct. 26, 2026

Short answer: Every used car on a dealer's lot must carry an FTC Buyers Guide sticker. Check which box is marked: As Is (you pay for every repair after the sale), Implied Warranties Only, or a Dealer Warranty. The final Guide is part of your contract and overrides anything in the contract that says otherwise, so get every promise written on it before you sign. Check your sticker.

Sources: 16 CFR part 455 · FTC consumer advice

Next step: Read my Buyers Guide · 5 checks before you sign · Which sellers and cars are covered · Tennessee

Read my Buyers Guide

Look at the sticker in the car window (or the copy the dealer gave you). Nothing you pick leaves your phone.

Which box is checked? I bought (or am buying) a service contract from this dealer within 90 days of the sale The salesperson promised a repair, a refund or a return that isn't written on the Guide The "Manufacturer's warranty still applies" box is checked

5 checks before you sign

Find the sticker. It must be in plain view with both sides readable: on a window, a mirror or under a wiper. One in the glove box or trunk doesn't count (FTC Dealer's Guide). Buying online? You're still entitled to one (FTC).
Match the VIN on the Guide to the car and to your contract.
Read the box. If the dealer agreed to a warranty or changed the coverage, the Guide must be changed too (crossed out and rewritten). The final one is what you take home (16 CFR 455.2(b), 455.3(a)).
Write down the promises. "We'll fix the brakes" or "bring it back in a week" belongs on the Guide. The dealer can't contradict the Guide, in words or in writing (16 CFR 455.4).
Find this sentence in your contract: it's required in every consumer contract of sale (16 CFR 455.3(b)):
The information you see on the window form for this vehicle is part of this contract. Information on the window form overrides any contrary provisions in the contract of sale.

Sources: 16 CFR part 455 · FTC · FTC consumer advice

The boxes, in plain English

Box on the Guide	What it means for you	Source
As Is - No Dealer Warranty	The dealer won't pay for any problems or repairs after the sale. Only allowed where state law permits as-is sales.	FTC consumer advice · 16 CFR part 455
Implied Warranties Only	No promise to fix things, but state implied warranties may make the dealer handle serious problems that weren't apparent at the sale. Required in states that limit or prohibit as-is sales.	16 CFR part 455 · FTC
Dealer Warranty: Limited	Only the listed systems, for the listed time, at the listed percentage of parts and labor. Shorthand like "power train" isn't allowed; each system must be named.	FTC
Dealer Warranty: Full	Free repairs for any owner during the warranty; replacement or refund if it can't be fixed after a reasonable number of tries; implied warranties not limited in length.	FTC · FTC consumer advice
Manufacturer's warranty still applies	The factory warranty hasn't expired on some parts. If you must pay for coverage, it's a service contract, not a warranty.	FTC
Service contract	Extra-cost coverage. Buy one from the dealer within 90 days of the sale and implied warranties apply to the covered systems.	16 CFR part 455 · 15 U.S.C. § 2308

Which sellers and cars are covered

Sellers: a dealer is anyone who sold or offered 5 or more used vehicles in the previous 12 months (16 CFR 455.1(d)(3)). The FTC's Dealer's Guide words it as more than five. Not covered: banks and financial institutions, a business selling to its own employee, and a lessor selling to the lessee.
Where: every state except Maine and Wisconsin, which use their own similar state Buyers Guide, plus DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, the U.S. Virgin Islands and American Samoa (FTC Dealer's Guide).
Cars: any vehicle driven for more than moving or test drives, including light-duty vans and trucks, demonstrators and program cars, under 8,500 lbs GVWR, 6,000 lbs curb weight and 46 sq. ft. frontal area. Not covered: motorcycles, salvage sold for scrap or parts, and farm equipment (FTC Dealer's Guide). The FTC's consumer page adds most recreational vehicles.
Auctions: public auctions must comply; auctions closed to consumers don't (FTC Dealer's Guide).
Spanish: if the sale is in Spanish, the Guide and the contract sentence must be in Spanish too (16 CFR 455.5).
Enforcement: FTC penalties up to $53,088 per violation (FTC Dealer's Guide, edited January 2025; the FTC adjusts this for inflation). Many states enforce similar rules.

Sources: 16 CFR part 455 · FTC · FTC consumer advice

Tennessee

Tennessee permits as-is sales: under Tenn. Code § 47-2-316(3)(a), "as is" or "with all faults" excludes all implied warranties unless the circumstances indicate otherwise.
If you inspected the car as fully as you wanted, or refused to, there's no implied warranty for defects that inspection should have revealed (§ 47-2-316(3)(b)). An independent inspection protects you either way.
The federal 90-day service contract rule and the Guide-overrides-contract rule still apply in Tennessee.

Sources: Tenn. Code § 47-2-316 · 15 U.S.C. § 2308 · 16 CFR part 455

Other states: we haven't verified a state-by-state list of states that limit or prohibit as-is sales on primary sources, so we don't publish one. The FTC says to ask your state attorney general.

Problem after the sale?

Follow the warranty or service contract instructions first. Manufacturer-backed warranty: go to a franchised dealer of that brand (FTC).
Contact your state attorney general, a dispute resolution program (some warranties require it first), or small claims court (FTC).
Under the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act you can sue for breach of express warranties, implied warranties or service contracts, and recover reasonable attorneys' fees and court costs if you win (FTC).
Implied warranty coverage can last as long as four years, depending on your state (FTC).
No federal 3-day return right: see Can I cancel a car purchase?

Sources: FTC consumer advice

Why trust this: VaultRubric's owner spent 11 years in dealership sales and management. Every rule here links to the federal rule, statute or FTC page it comes from.

Not legal advice. We republish federal and Tennessee rules with dates. Your state's law and your paperwork decide your rights; a consumer attorney or legal aid can read them. No partner links on this page.

Sources & as-of dates

16 CFR part 455: Used Motor Vehicle Trade Regulation Rule (eCFR) (eCFR title 16 up to date as of Oct. 22, 2026; part last amended 81 FR 81678, Nov. 18, 2016; read 2026-10-26)
FTC: Dealer's Guide to the Used Car Rule (edited January 2025; read 2026-10-26)
FTC consumer advice: Buying a Used Car From a Dealer (FTC Consumer Advice; read 2026-10-26)
15 U.S.C. § 2308: Implied warranties (Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act § 108) (Pub. L. 93-637; read 2026-10-26)
Tenn. Code § 47-2-316: Exclusion or modification of warranties (2025 Tennessee Code; read 2026-10-26)

FAQ

What is the Buyers Guide on a used car?

It's the window sticker the FTC's Used Car Rule (16 CFR part 455) requires on used cars a dealer offers for sale. It says whether the car is sold as is, with implied warranties only, or with a dealer warranty, and what the warranty covers. The dealer must give you the final version at the sale, and it overrides anything in your contract that says otherwise.

What does 'As Is - No Dealer Warranty' mean?

The dealer won't pay for any problems or repairs after the sale, and you take the risk of anything that goes wrong (FTC). In Tennessee, 'as is' language excludes implied warranties unless the circumstances indicate otherwise (Tenn. Code 47-2-316(3)(a)). Some states limit or prohibit as-is sales; your state attorney general can tell you the rules.

Does the Buyers Guide override my sales contract?

Yes. Under 16 CFR 455.3(b) the final Buyers Guide is part of your contract and overrides any contrary contract terms. If the Guide says the car has a warranty and the contract says as is, the dealer must give you the warranty on the Guide (FTC).

If I buy an extended warranty, can the dealer still sell the car as is?

Not on the covered systems. If you buy a service contract from the dealer at the sale or within 90 days, the dealer can't disclaim implied warranties on what the contract covers (15 U.S.C. 2308(a)(2); FTC).

Do private sellers have to post a Buyers Guide?

The rule covers dealers: anyone who sold or offered 5 or more used vehicles in the previous 12 months (16 CFR 455.1(d)(3)); the FTC's Dealer's Guide says more than five. Banks, businesses selling to their own employees and lessors selling to the lessee are not covered. Motorcycles are excluded.

Is there a 3-day right to return a used car?

Not under federal law. The FTC says federal law doesn't require dealers to give you three days to cancel. Some states require a right to cancel; in others it exists only if the dealer offers it, so get any return policy in writing.

Estimates, not financial advice. Taxes, insurance, PMI and fees vary by lender, county and city; confirm with your lender, dealer and state agency before acting.