Mobile Pre-Purchase Car Inspection
Know the carbefore you buy
A vetted inspector goes to the car, works for you — not the seller — and sends a photo-documented report within minutes.
What Our Inspectors Find
Four real findings from four real inspections. Not one of them is visible on a test drive, and not one would show in a listing photograph — which is the whole reason to send someone who knows where to look.
Every report is built the same way: what was found, where, and a photograph of it.
Independent Vehicle Inspection Before You Buy
A used vehicle can carry problems a test drive and a walk-around will not show: mechanical wear, electrical faults, body repair, past accident damage, and maintenance that was deferred rather than done. Some of it is obvious to a trained eye and invisible to everyone else.
MyCarInspector gives you an independent assessment. The inspector represents you, the buyer — not the dealership and not the seller — and has nothing to gain from the sale going ahead. What you get is an honest picture of the vehicle’s observed condition, so the decision to buy, negotiate or walk away is yours to make with the facts in front of you.
We Come Directly to the Vehicle
Every inspection is mobile. You do not bring the car to a shop, and you do not need to be there yourself. A mobile pre-purchase inspection is carried out wherever the vehicle is and inspection is permitted:
- Dealership lots — new-car franchises and independent used lots
- Private sellers — at their home or workplace
- Residences and driveways
- Storage facilities and auction yards
- Any other location where the seller can make the car available
Your inspector arranges the visit with the seller directly, and the report comes to you.
What Your Car Inspector Checks
The inspection is a structured, hands-on evaluation of the vehicle as it is on the day. It covers, among other things:
- Engine and cooling system
- Transmission and drivetrain
- Brakes, pads and rotors
- Suspension and steering
- Tires and wheels
- Exterior body and paint
- Interior, seats and controls
- Electrical systems and lights
- Visible fluid leaks
- Warning lights on the dash
- OBD-II diagnostic scan for stored and pending codes
- Signs of previous repair or damage, where observable
- A road test, when the seller permits one and conditions allow
An inspection reports what a qualified inspector can observe and measure on the day. It is not a state safety inspection, and no inspection can be guaranteed to find every defect a vehicle may have.
A Detailed, Photo-Documented Report
Every finding is written up plainly and supported by photographs, so you can see what the inspector saw rather than take a summary on trust. The report sets out the observed condition of the vehicle, item by item, with the inspector’s overall opinion at the end — the information you need before deciding whether to buy, and at what price.
Reports are typically available shortly after the inspector completes and submits the inspection, and you are told the moment yours is ready. See a sample report to know what to expect.
How a pre-purchase inspection works
Three steps, and you're only in one of them.
Tell us where the car is
Enter the ZIP the vehicle is in and we confirm an inspector covers that area before you fill in anything else. Nothing is charged until your report is delivered.
We confirm your inspector
Qualified inspectors near the vehicle are offered the job within seconds. Your inspector contacts the seller — you do not have to.
Your report, minutes later
Engine, transmission, brakes and body — with photos, findings and the inspector's honest opinion of the car, sent the moment they submit it. No waiting, no overnight queue.
What a pre-purchase inspection costs
One flat price. No travel fees, no surprises.
Book in about two minutes
Why Buyers Choose MyCarInspector
- Independent — the inspector works for you, not the seller
- Mobile — the inspector comes to the vehicle, wherever it is
- A detailed, structured inspection, not a walk-around
- OBD-II diagnostic scan available
- Road test when the seller permits one
- Every finding photographed and written up plainly
- Report delivered shortly after the inspection is completed
- Online booking in about two minutes, with a live coverage check
- Card taken at booking, charged only after the report is delivered
- Nothing to pay if we cannot find an inspector
Inspections for Every Kind of Purchase
Some purchases call for a particular kind of attention. These pages cover the situations we see most:
- Mobile pre-purchase inspections — how the visit works and where we go
- Dealership vehicle inspections — what a dealer’s own check leaves out
- Private seller car inspections — the sale with no reconditioning and no warranty
- Out-of-state car inspections — buying a car you cannot see yourself
- Luxury and exotic vehicle inspections — cars where one component costs more than a hatchback
- Electric vehicle inspections — battery health and what matters on an EV
- Flood-damage vehicle inspections — what water leaves behind
- Pre-purchase inspection cost — what it costs, what is included, and what changes the price
Common questions about pre-purchase inspections
New to this? What a pre-purchase inspection is, what it covers and what it costs.
What is a pre-purchase car inspection?
An independent, hands-on evaluation of a used vehicle before you agree to buy it. A qualified inspector goes to the car, checks its mechanical, electrical and body condition, runs a diagnostic scan, road-tests it where permitted, and gives you a photo-documented report. It is done for you, the buyer, not for the seller.
Does the inspector come to the dealership?
Yes. Most inspections happen on a dealer’s lot. Your inspector arranges a time with the dealership, carries out the inspection there, and you do not need to attend.
Can you inspect a car from a private seller?
Yes. Private sales are where an independent inspection matters most, since there is no dealer reconditioning and no warranty. The inspector contacts the seller directly to arrange the visit at their home, workplace or wherever the car is kept.
What does a pre-purchase inspection include?
Engine, transmission, brakes, suspension, steering, tires and wheels, exterior body and paint, interior, electrical systems, visible fluid leaks, warning lights, an OBD-II diagnostic scan, signs of previous repair where observable, and a road test when the seller permits one. Every finding is photographed and written up in the report.
Do you perform an OBD-II diagnostic scan?
Yes. The scan reads stored and pending fault codes from the vehicle’s computer, which can show problems that have been cleared or that have not yet triggered a warning light.
Do you test-drive the vehicle?
When the seller permits it and conditions allow, yes. The road test checks how the car drives, shifts, brakes and steers, and whether anything is heard or felt under way. If a road test is not permitted or not safe, the report says so and covers everything else.
How quickly will I receive my inspection report?
Typically within minutes of the inspector finishing and submitting the inspection. You are notified the moment it is ready and can read it online or download the PDF.
When am I charged for the inspection?
You add a card when you book and nothing is charged. You are charged only when your report is delivered, so you only pay for an inspection that actually happened. If we cannot find an inspector, or you cancel more than 12 hours before your appointment, nothing is charged at all.
Can I cancel my inspection?
Yes, from the tracking link in your confirmation. It is free to cancel until 12 hours before your appointment. If you cancel within 12 hours of a scheduled appointment, a $45 late-cancellation fee is charged to your card, and part of it goes to the inspector who set that time aside. Once the inspector has arrived at the vehicle, the inspection can no longer be cancelled online.
Can I book an inspection for a car in another state?
Yes. Buying from a distance is one of the most common reasons to order an inspection. Enter the ZIP where the car is, and if we have an inspector in range the booking goes through as normal. You do not need to travel.
Do I need to be present during the inspection?
No. The inspector deals with the seller directly to arrange access, and the report comes to you. Most customers are not there.
What if the seller refuses an inspection?
That is worth knowing before you buy. A seller with a sound car rarely objects to an independent look at it. If access is refused, or the car sells before we get there, you are not charged.
Questions before you book?
Send us a message and we'll reply the same business day. If you're an inspector looking for work, apply here instead.
(202) 945-9891
Booking and availability are online only. The booking form gives you a straight answer on coverage in about ten seconds — faster than we could look it up for you on a call, and it works at eleven at night when you have just found the car.