Case file — Central Car Co. (Salem, OR). Profile: independent seller of in-house financing (buy-here-pay-here); ~27 years trading; ~50 vehicles listed.
Lot address: 1285 Credit Row, Salem, OR. Visitor parking: Front-lot customer stalls facing the office; overflow on the side street near Salem lot gate.
Signals checked: state license (current); doc fee $249 (disclosed); outside inspection permitted, including off-site; title-in-hand ratio ~87%; after-sale terms a 6-month powertrain warranty on newer units.
Finding: no divergence between claims and observable signals. Indexed as trustworthy on current evidence; most independents that clear all four signals stay clear.