Why should I do a cold start on a used car?

A cold start means starting the engine after it has sat for several hours. Some problems, like hard starting, rough idle, unusual noises, ticking or smoke from the exhaust, are most noticeable when the engine is cold and may disappear once it warms up. Ask the dealer not to start the car before you arrive, and feel the hood to confirm it's cool. Cold start is one of the checks on OffLot's lot mode checklist.