What should I look for when I visit a gas station I might buy?

Records tell you what happened. A visit shows what is happening. Go as a customer first, and fuel up if you can. Spend ten minutes at the pump and the counter in person. Then go back as a buyer with a list. Take notes and photos where the seller allows.

When to go and what to watch

Go more than once, at different times and on different days, including early mornings, evenings and a weekend. Watch how cars enter and leave, whether queues form and whether the layout works. Notice who the customers are, such as commuters, trucks or locals. Compare your count of visits with the sales the seller reports, and ask about differences.

The condition of the site

Look at the pumps, canopy, lighting, signage, paving and the store itself. Worn equipment may mean costs ahead. Look for anything that seems out of date, damaged or hidden. A qualified inspector can look at the parts you cannot judge, and our gas station buyer checklist lists the records to ask for.

The people and the competition

Watch how the till runs, how staff greet customers and how the owner handles a problem. Check the stations nearby and what each offers. Then write your questions while they are fresh: why the lot is quiet at certain hours, which equipment is due for replacement, and what the seller would change.

• Traffic at different times and days
• Pump, canopy, store and washroom condition
• How cash and cards are handled at the till
• Competing stations and what they offer
• Questions to raise with the seller afterwards

If a visit raises a concern, work through it in due diligence.