Pre-Purchase Car Inspection Cost
A pre-purchase car inspection — a PPI — costs $249 for most used cars, trucks and SUVs, and $499 for luxury, exotic, classic and commercial vehicles. That is the full price — the inspector traveling to the car, the inspection, a diagnostic scan, the photographs and the written report. Nothing is added afterwards, and you pay when the report lands rather than when you book.
Booking starts with the ZIP the vehicle is in, so you know whether we can cover it before you fill in anything else.
What the price covers, and what does not move it
The $249 covers an inspector going to wherever the vehicle is, a full inspection, a diagnostic scan, a road test where the seller permits one, photographs of everything found, and a written report with a recommendation you can act on. There is no call-out fee, no mileage charge and no separate report fee. Two optional extras exist and neither is required: a phone consult with the inspector who saw the car, $45, and rush dispatch, $35.
The $499 is for vehicles that take longer and need an inspector matched to the type — luxury and exotic cars, classics, anything over twenty years old, and commercial vehicles. On a car where one component can cost more than a family hatchback, the difference between somebody who has had that model apart and somebody who has not is the whole value of the exercise.
What does not change the price: how far the inspector drives, how long they are at the vehicle, or what they find. A price that rises afterwards because the car turned out to be complicated means you are being charged for the wrong thing.
On this kind of purchase
- ✓$249 — everyday cars, trucks and SUVs, including travel, the scan and the report
- ✓$499 — luxury, exotic, classic, over twenty years old, and commercial vehicles
- ✓$45 — optional phone consult with the inspector who saw the car
- ✓$35 — optional rush dispatch, and included free on the Specialist package
- ✓Nothing at all if no inspector can be found, or the car sells before we get there
Every inspection also covers the full checklist — engine, transmission, brakes, suspension, tires, body and interior — with a road test where the seller permits one.
Worth knowing first
How much does a pre-purchase inspection cost?
$249 for most vehicles and $499 for luxury, exotic, classic and commercial ones. That includes travel to the car, the inspection, a diagnostic scan, photographs and the written report.
Why does it cost more than my local garage?
A garage charges for an hour on a ramp and expects you to bring the car. Nobody drives a car they have not bought yet to a garage, and few sellers allow it. Going to the vehicle is most of what you are paying for — and we have nothing to sell you afterwards, which a repair shop does.
Is it worth it on a cheap car?
Often more so. On a $6,000 car one unexpected repair can be a third of what you paid. The inspection costs the same either way, so as a share of the purchase price it matters most at the cheap end — and so does the risk it removes.
What do I pay if the inspection does not happen?
Nothing. You are charged when the report is delivered, so if the car sells first, the seller refuses access, or there is no inspector in range, there is no charge.
Does the price change with distance or how long it takes?
No. It is flat whatever the drive and however long the inspector spends at the vehicle. What you are quoted is what you pay.
Is a 120-point or 150-point inspection better value?
The number of points is a marketing figure rather than a measure of depth — anyone can count items differently, and a multi-point count tells you nothing about how hard each one was looked at. What matters is whether the inspector got under the car, read the fault codes, drove it where permitted, and photographed what they found.
Is a used car inspection the same as a full car inspection?
Different names for the same thing. A used car inspection, a full car inspection, a complete vehicle inspection and a pre-purchase inspection — a PPI — all describe an independent check of a specific vehicle before you buy it. What varies between companies is how thorough it actually is, not what it is called.
How long does the inspection take?
Usually between one and two hours at the vehicle for a Standard inspection, longer for a Specialist one. The report follows within minutes of the inspector finishing, so from arrival to report in your inbox is typically under three hours.
Who normally pays for a pre-purchase inspection?
The buyer. It is your protection, ordered by you and reported to you, which is what keeps it independent. A seller who offers to pay for their own inspection is paying for a report that answers to them.
When should I order the inspection?
After you have agreed a price in principle and before you hand over money. Most buyers book once the seller has accepted an offer subject to inspection. Ordering earlier risks paying to inspect a car someone else buys; ordering after payment removes your leverage.
What happens after the inspection?
You receive the report, read the findings and the inspector’s opinion, and decide. Many buyers use the report to negotiate on the specific items found; some walk away; most go ahead better informed. The report is yours to keep and to show the seller if it helps.
When exactly am I charged?
As the report is delivered. Your card is held when you book and charged when the report lands, so you are never paying in advance for an inspection that has not happened yet.
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