Methodology
How the BYBA Buy Score works
The score is a buyer-risk score, not a prediction that a specific car will or will not fail. It helps compare used cars by asking the same practical question every buyer asks: how much risk am I taking before I hand over the money?
Known fault severity
High-cost safety, engine, transmission, battery, and structural issues reduce the score more than comfort or trim faults.
Affected years and trims
A fault that hits one early build year is scored differently from a fault that affects most of the generation.
Repair cost and inspectability
The score accounts for whether a normal buyer can spot the issue before purchase and how expensive it is if missed.
Recall and support coverage
Open safety recalls, unclear dealer support, or market-dependent warranty handling lower confidence.
Score bands
8.0-10
Strong buy if the individual car checks out.
6.0-7.9
Buy with checks. Good cars exist, but the expensive known faults must be ruled out.
4.0-5.9
Cautious. Price, history, and inspection quality matter heavily.
0-3.9
Avoid unless there is a very specific reason and a professional inspection supports it.
Scores are updated as the guide data improves. The score does not replace a VIN check, service-history check, recall lookup, or mechanical inspection. See also how we make money.