Case file — Mission Bay Auto Trading (San Diego, CA). Profile: independent seller of import cars; ~22 years trading; ~78 vehicles listed.
Lot address: 7438 Commerce Ave, San Diego, CA. Visitor parking: Front-lot customer stalls facing the office; overflow on the side street near San Diego lot gate.
Signals checked: state license (current); doc fee $349 (disclosed); outside inspection permitted, including off-site; title-in-hand ratio ~94%; after-sale terms a 3-month/3,000-mile limited warranty.
Finding: no divergence between claims and observable signals. Indexed as trustworthy on current evidence; most independents that clear all four signals stay clear.