01 · Transaction file
Start with signed acquisition documents
Collect the signed purchase agreement or lease, finance contract and disclosures, payment history, current payoff statement, registration, and delivery records. We identify each document by date and source and reconcile names, VIN, price fields, and account information.
A worksheet should quote document labels rather than rename them as recoverable categories. The Buyback Calculation guide contains the vetted California legal rules; this page focuses on making its inputs traceable.
02 · Vehicle configuration
Reconstruct the delivered build
The Monroney sticker, factory build sheet, trim, packages, and manufacturer options can explain the delivered configuration and transaction figures. Current configurators are not substitutes for the vehicle’s own records.
Match factory-option descriptions and pricing to the signed transaction file without assuming legal treatment. Highly configured vehicles require precise source documents, not a generalized model price.
03 · Add-ons and products
Keep dealer and third-party items separate
Service contracts, protection products, accessories, dealer-installed equipment, and other add-on records should be gathered and categorized by provider, date, amount, cancellation status, and contract. Do not combine them with factory options merely because they appear in the same transaction.
The Factory Options & Add-Ons guide provides the approved legal discussion. This methodology does not state that every item is recoverable or excluded.
04 · Trade and financing
Identify negative equity and account history
Record trade allowance, lien payoff, separately stated negative equity, down payment, financing terms, payment history, refunds, and current payoff using the documents themselves. Do not infer a number from monthly payment alone.
Any legal treatment belongs to the vetted Buyback Calculation guide. The working file should make every input and uncertainty visible for counsel.
05 · Repair file
Connect the transaction to the chronology
Organize every repair order by date, facility, mileage, complaint, finding, action, recurrence, and downtime. Include appointment and manufacturer communications, towing, loaner, rental, and parts records. The repair timeline should point back to each complete source.
Do not omit CND visits, successful repairs, unrelated service, or gaps. A calculation file without a reliable eligibility and repair record is incomplete.
06 · Lease file
Preserve lease-specific records where applicable
For a lease, gather the signed lease, drive-off documentation, payment history, extensions, residual or purchase documentation, current account statement, registration, and communications. Identify what was paid and when without deciding legal treatment.
The Leased Vehicles guide contains the vetted framework. This document method is designed to prevent missing lease records from being replaced by assumptions.
07 · Calculation inputs
Reconcile the source before calculating
Create an input schedule that names each amount, date, and source page. Mark disputed, missing, refunded, canceled, or estimated values. Reconcile the worksheet to the signed documents and current account records before applying any rule.
The California Buyback Calculation guide should be used for the legal calculation. An online estimate or isolated contract figure should not be presented as a promised result.
08 · File quality control
Check completeness and preserve boundaries
Confirm that every listed document exists, the VIN and parties match, attachments are complete, and later account changes are included. Keep original files and readable copies. Do not alter statements, merge pages from different dates, or discard records that complicate the analysis.
The checklist below is an organizational aid. It does not state that every document corresponds to a recoverable category or that a complete file establishes eligibility.