Most people buying a used car spend more time researching the color than the mechanical condition. That's not a criticism. It's just how it goes. The listing looks clean, the seller seems honest, and the price is right. But a used car is a machine with history, and that history isn't always visible from the outside.

What we check and why

The inspection covers the frame and unibody for signs of collision repair, the undercarriage for rust and fluid leaks, all four brakes, tire wear pattern, a compression test on all cylinders, battery and charging system, all fluid levels and condition, and a visual of the engine bay. Each of these tells a different part of the car's story. Uneven tire wear, for example, often means the car has been running with an alignment problem for a long time, which in turn suggests suspension wear that isn't obvious on a visual check.

The road test

When the seller permits it, we do a road test. We're listening for bearing noise, feeling for brake pull, checking that the transmission shifts cleanly through all gears, and testing the AC and heat under load. A car that starts fine in a driveway can behave very differently at highway speed. The road test is where intermittent problems show themselves, and intermittent problems are the ones that cost the most to diagnose after you've already bought the car.

The written report

At the end of the inspection you get a written report. Not a checklist with pass/fail marks. A written summary of what we found, what it means in practical terms, and a rough estimate of what it would cost to address each item. You can take that report to the seller and negotiate the price down, ask them to fix specific items before sale, or walk away. We've seen buyers use the report to knock $1,500 off the asking price. We've also seen buyers walk away from cars that looked fine on the surface.

What the inspection doesn't cover

We don't have access to the car's title history or accident records. We can see evidence of past collision repair in the metal and the paint, but we can't tell you what the insurance claim said. We recommend pulling a vehicle history report separately. The inspection is a mechanical condition assessment, not a legal or financial due diligence document. Those are different things and they work together.

How to schedule one

The flat fee is $145 regardless of the car's value or what we find. You can bring the car to the shop or, within about 10 miles, we can meet you at a neutral location. Schedule at least a day in advance. We need 90 minutes of uninterrupted time with the car, so we don't take walk-in inspections without a call first. Reach out by phone or email and we'll find a time that works.

A pre-purchase inspection is one of the few things in the car-buying process that's entirely on your side. The $145 is a small number relative to the cost of buying a car with a problem the seller knew about and didn't mention.