When I picked up my 2005 Mustang GT my salesperson made sure the only thing that happened at the dealership was it was taken off the transport and driven to the front for me to pick it up. He even gave me the voucher to fill it with gas lol! He completely understood the assignment.Body damage and parts alignment. Like, the cut and alignment of the hood and such. Make sure gaps are not crazy on one side and non existent on the other... Blemishes, scratches, paint chips, even windshield dings. Usually a dealer will disclose anything they find up front but not all dealers are created equal and most are not going to document every single little scratch - but you should, as much as you can anyways.
But most of that kind of stuff you notice later on like during your first couple washes. A good dealer will take care of you after the fact.
I try to keep it simple but I write out a checklist that starts me at the front, works to the back, inspecting under (just a quick visual inspection), wheels and tires, then under the hood (I check things like the date on the battery and fluid levels), then inside for blemishes and such. Most the little stuff you won't catch right away, but having a checklist written down is nothing to be embarrassed about. You have plenty of time to organize your thoughts and initial walkthrough when ordering lol... plan ahead.
Then the functions checks - lights, blinkers, A/C, heated elements (put the heated mirrors on and check them in about a minute with the back of your hand, assuming it's not already 120 degrees outside lol), your infotainment center, the gauge cluster menu. Just give it all a good initial check - volume, crank it. Don't be shy, they are used to it. Audio is a big selling point to a lot of people. Lift up the seats, put the seats down. Play with the controls. Cycle the drive modes and gears - then drive it like you stole it.
Seriously. Don't baby it. You will baby it for the first 500 or so after the initial check. If it doesn't shift properly or something doesn't feel right, you want to know early. Don't take their pre-planned route unless it's a good one that mimics your normal commute (up hills, stop and go, highway etc etc). I always deny them the passenger seat. They don't need to ride along. Your insurance should cover it and theirs should too. Don't take it personal if they deny, just tell them up front you have a pre-planned route you want to take.
I personally don't let them touch it aside form their initial required inspection. No dealer scratch rags and overspray on the thick tire shine... I'll clean it myself. Vacuum and all. Just please, no. I'm going to detail it anyways.
If your state does not require a front license plate, advise them you don't want the bracket. You don't need their stickers, mud flaps, and emblems unless they are paying you to market for them. Say no to that crap too. They shouldn't take that personal either, most people remove it anyways.
Totally agree with @bbhaag on this one. Very easy to get wrapped up in the excitement and sometimes knowing the process can take a while, all day or half the day, you may want to play the nice guy and humor the dealer. Trust me, they are used to people giving thorough inspections - they won't take it personal if you take your time.
I say keep it simple.. then I write a book. Seriously though, start a checklist and organize it. Bring your water bottle and a snack maybe even offer them lunch if they are good people
All above is good advice. It's your vehicle. They should want to do everything possible to make you happy. They won't take it personally that you don't want their stickers or license plate frame.
If I see anything that is likely to happen in the first 30 days of my ownership I ignore it. This includes minor scratches or scuffs on the interior. Paint chips I'd make them fix. Any glass issues I'd make them fix. Otherwise, that's what a warranty is for IMO.
Since I already sold the car the Mav is replacing it would have to be in very rough shape for me to refuse it. But I also have what I believe to be a good dealership so I'm really not that worried.
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