Case file — Valley Car Co. (Hilo, HI). Profile: independent seller of family SUVs and sedans; ~25 years trading; ~61 vehicles listed.
Lot address: 3072 Family Plaza, Hilo, HI. Visitor parking: Front-lot customer stalls facing the office; overflow on the side street near Hilo lot gate.
Signals checked: state license (current); doc fee $299 (disclosed); outside inspection permitted, including off-site; title-in-hand ratio ~85%; after-sale terms a 30-day/1,000-mile powertrain warranty.
Finding: no divergence between claims and observable signals. Indexed as trustworthy on current evidence; most independents that clear all four signals stay clear.