Being ignorant of that phrase, I turned, as usual, to Wikipedia, which clued me in:

ca·ve·at emp·tor ˌkavēˌät ˈem(p)ˌtôr/Submit noun the principle that the buyer alone is responsible for checking the quality and suitability of goods before a purchase is made.

I laughed when I read the definition, having just spent a good 20 minutes or more walking around the car I just rented as the man who delivered it pointed out every flyspeck-sized wound on the car so he could record them on our contract.  The point is that any further damage will be attributed to me.  At least half of them I couldn’t even see.  Now I am living in terror that a piece of gravel will nick the windshield or paint on the car. But, at last I have wheels again!!! Time to go car shopping. I won’t enjoy that task.

Can you see any flaw in this door?  The Rental Agent found at least five––not to mention the other 15 he found on various parts of the car that looked perfect to me.  I think I need new glasses.