We recommend that you get a pre-purchase inspection of any used car that you are considering buying. We know this is an extra step and that the dealer has likely certified the vehicle. This being said, the dealer has one purpose only, and that is to sell the vehicle. If you allow an independent auto shop like us to inspect the automobile before you buy it, you know that we are genuinely looking for every possible problem that the vehicle may have. We do not have a vested interest in selling the automobile.
Check for Body Damage
One thing a pre-purchase inspection does is check the automobile for body damage. One of the things that we do is inspect the vehicle’s undercarriage because the undercarriage will show signs that the automobile has had body work done on it. Not everyone is on his when they get into an automobile accident. Consequently, you could be buying a car that was in an unreported auto accident.
In addition, we will also check the body and the inside of the automobile for flood or fire damage. A person may not report this type of damage either because he or she may not want to deal with the insurance company. Consequently, you may have a used car that has underlying problems because it was previously damaged by an accident, flood, or fire.
Check All the Systems
Another thing that we will do is inspect each system in the vehicle. This includes the brake system, the electrical system, the exhaust system, the cooling system, and so on. We want to make certain that you are buying a car that is safe and reliable. Again, we have no vested interest in selling the automobile so we won’t hesitate to tell you if this is a bad purchase.
Run a Diagnostic Test
Finally, we will run a diagnostic test. These tests reveal engine or system problems that would otherwise go unnoticed. This is one of the most important parts of our pre-purchase inspection because it will reveal hidden problems that could become large problems in the future.
The diagnostic test will let us know if there is an issue with the oxygen sensor or mass airflow sensor. It will also tell us if there are problems in the engine that do not have any other signs such as strange noises or odors. In other words, we will make certain that the used car is in excellent condition before you buy it.
